Legalectric

What about $2,155,680,780 don’t they understand? $3,593/kW.   What about water contamination don’t they understand? What about 5.4 million tons of CO2 annually don’t the understand? And why is it no surprise that IGCC rears its ugly head on the heels of this “agreement.” Looks like there’s a lot of work to do in Texas!

TXU to try coal gasification process

Dallas Business Journal – 2:32 PM CST Friday, March 9, 2007

A holding company formed to buy TXU Corp. says it has started the planning process for two coal gasification demonstration plants in Texas.

Integrated gasification combined cycle plants, or IGCC, use a relatively new technology that is less polluting than traditional coal plants.

The holding company, Texas Energy Future Holdings LP, was formed by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. of New York and Fort Worth-based Texas Pacific Group to buy TXU Corp. (NYSE: TXU).

TXU has until April 16 to consider offers from other potential buyers on the deal worth $45 billion, including the assumption of TXU debt. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2007.

TXU said it will request proposals from companies offering coal gasification with carbon dioxide capture, and the energy company’s new sustainable energy advisory board will review the proposals.

“We have been listening to and following the lead of Gov. Perry, legislators and interested parties all over Texas,” said Michael MacDougall of TPG. “We are announcing our intention to dedicate two sites for these new facilities. We are inviting representatives from communities across the state to contact the company with their views on the various site options. It’s time to start exploring how we bring better technology to Texas so we can generate clean, affordable, reliable power in the future.”

As part of the buyout offer, Texas Pacific and Kohlberg agreed to suspend efforts to build eight of 11 coal plants sought by TXU.

Clean air activists, who’ve fought construction of conventional coal-fired plants, said the proposed cleaner IGCC technology would be “a huge step forward.”

But they continued to criticize TXU’s ongoing plans to build two conventional coal-fired units south of Dallas at Oak Grove.

Those two proposed units, totaling more than 1,700 megawatts, would emit more smog-producing ozone than 350,000 cars, said Tom “Smitty” Smith, director of Public Citizen’s office in Texas.

“We urge them to take Oak Grove off the table and replace it with coal gasification there or elsewhere,” he said.

In unveiling the IGCC plan, TXU said it will select two or more competing IGCC technologies that can be developed and commercially deployed in power plants utilizing Powder River Basin and lignite coals, respectively, as the primary fuel source. The one using lignite coal, considered a more polluting coal, will be among the first such IGCC plants in the country, according to Texas Energy Future Holdings.

The project’s goal is to seek efficiency improvements, emissions reductions and technological breakthroughs, TXU Energy Future Holdings LP said.

Companies selected for the project will be involved in developing IGCC units at existing sites originally reserved for the now-suspended pulverized coal units.

TXU Energy provides electricity and related services to more than 2.1 million competitive electricity customers in Texas.

Rep. Dill stated in the House Environment Committee that the cost of electricity produced by Mesaba was “6.3 cents according to their lobbying and Mesaba wanted this to be part of the record.” (does anyone else still have their original powerpoint from January 2002 that promised 3.7 cents?)

Excelsior’s 2002 Senate Presentation

Excelsior’s 2002 House Presentation

Excelsior and Dill’s 6.3 cents/kWh may be the price that Excelsior is representing, and they may want that in the Committee record, but it is NOT the price established in the record of the PPA docket at the PUC.

The price established in the Dept. of Commerce analysis is 9.604-13.76 cents/kWh, which is 50-100% more than Rep. Dill’s report of 6.3 cents (and that is before any carbon capture is considered — nevermind that it is not feasible technically and is grossly cost prohibitive — another day for all of that).

9.604-13.76 cents/kWh — GOT THAT?!?!?!?!

YEAH, YOU, REP. DILL!

That number is from Rebuttal Testimony of MN Dept. of Commerce’s Dr. Elion Amit, p. 8, 24, 25, just move the decimal point

Meanwhile, we’re still awaiting the ALJ’s Recommendation in the PPA docket, it’s now two weeks overdue and we’ve had no word when to expect it. Excelsior is working overtime at the legislature — maybe they’ve created some more jobs — for more lobbyists!

And meanwhile, in the Delaware PSC’s analysis of a sort of similar situation, a comparison of 3 bids on RFP where power is not needed, the IGCC coal gasification proposal went down in flames. The analysis of DE PSC staff came to essentially the same conclusions — IGCC does not provide any great benefit to the environment nor does it provide a stable and reasonable price. DE staff put it dead last, in the low twenties out of 100 possible points. Once more with feeling – CHECK THESE OUT:

Delmarva RFP Bid Evaluation Report
Delaware Independent Consultant Report

For the full PPA docket, go to www.puc.state.mn.us and to “eDockets” and then to “Search Documents” for docket 05-1993

See also www.mncoalgasplant.com

Seems to me we’ve got critical mass and critical masses!

 

Pissy and chronically wasted deer, and 3M poisoning our water in SE Metro with PFBA, PFOA, and PFOS, but now we know… it’s all connected… and where is Rep. Sandy Wollschlager, who works at 3M in the environmental area?

 Deer crashes into 3M research lab

The Associated Press – Wednesday, March 07, 2007

MAPLEWOOD, Minn.

A deer caused quite a stir at a 3M research lab at company headquarters in Maplewood.

The deer smashed through a window at 3M’s Building 201 yesterday, then got into a lab and “was really breaking stuff up,” according to Maplewood Police Lieutenant Kevin Rabbett.

Rabbett says officers said there were “beakers flying all over the place.”

Officers didn’t have a tranquilizer gun, so they steered the deer into a hallway, then blocked other passages and got the animal to go through an exit door.

No employees were in the lab, and no one was hurt.

The Chisago Transmission Project is going forward with vigor, and with not a heck of a lot of notice.  For example, the Public Comment session on scoping of the Environmental Assessments was last Tuesday, and Comments are open until the 29th of March.

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE WITH COMMENT INFO

DEPT OF COMMERCE – CHISAGO SITING DOCKET

 XCEL – CHISAGO TRANSMISSION PROJECT APPLICATIONS
They’re in such a hurry that they’re appointing the Citizens Task Force tomorrow, notifying them by the 9th, and week of the 12th they’re starting the Task Force meetings. There’s no way that public entities, i.e., cities, can properly nominate and approve a Task Force member by that time.  NO WAY!!!  That’s “streamlining” in the extreme!

Here’s an article on Jeremy:

Freshman lawmaker Jeremy Kalin of Lindstrom exhibits high energy, working on series of initiatives

Monday, 05 March 2007

by T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter

There’s a pair of baby shoes in Rep. Jeremy Kalin, DFL-Lindstrom, office at the Capitol.

They’re a gift from a family member, a memento of the drive candidate Kalin exhibited in wearing out five pairs of shoes campaigning in District 17B.

Now the high-energy candidate has made the transition to high-energy lawmaker.

“First of all, I’m having a blast,” said Kalin recently of life in St. Paul.

“If I’m going to be effective, I have to take advantage of every second I’m here,” he said.

Events move quickly at Capitol

Although only two months on the job, one thing that has impressed Kalin is how quickly events move at the Capitol.

And he’s noticed, too, that it’s not when lawmakers are making speeches or otherwise posturing that the work gets done. Deals are struck over coffee, walking to committee, he explained.

Indeed, Kalin wanders about during House floor sessions, not aimlessly nor sightseeing but to buttonhole colleagues, extract information.

In rapid fire Kalin can list a series of initiatives he’s working on. Some have been planned, others developed when he saw an opening and thought “Why not?”

An example of the latter is a proposed East Central pilot project for growing prairie grass for the ethanol industry.

Kalin — who is carrying a portion of Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s energy bill — thought growing grasses for ethanol production could be a good use of the sandy soils found in the district.

Jumped in with a proposal

So he saw an opening in some legislation and jumped in with the proposal. “I believe my folks sent me done here to get things done for them,” he  said.

Another energy-related idea Kalin, 32,  designer and draftsman by profession, has is to rate the energy efficiency of public buildings on a state Web site.

The idea, he explained, is to activate the public — to provide information.

When they learn their city is losing thousands of dollars through poor energy use, taxpayers will let their council members know about it, he explained.

Kalin serves in a political place and already has had to make political decisions.

Recently, the House debated an increase in their per diem or daily allowance.

DFL leaders didn’t want a floor debate but rather send Republican amendments on the increase to committee.

Breaks with the leadership

Kalin broke with leadership, voting with Republicans. “I can tell you that wasn’t easy to do,” he said. Yet Kalin argues that per diem is being used as a salary supplement. “I think we should have the guts to stand up and say, ‘Yes, we should raise pay,’ or ‘No, you shouldn’t,’” said Kalin.

While not ruling out a pay increase in the future, Kalin argues now is the wrong time.

In recent days, DFL leaders at the Capitol have indicated that some big issues, such as health care, cannot be fully addressed this session.

That some must be put off for future sessions.

Kalin argues that’s acceptable.

“They don’t want us to do everything at once,” said Kalin of the public.

You don’t want the right ideas with the wrong details, he warned.

In discussing other issues, Kalin said the transportation finance committee only now is figuring out the budget — the issue of a possible gas tax increase hasn’t been decided yet, he explained.

Kalin believes most constituents in his district would accept a gas tax hike — district transportation needs are so pressing, he explained.

“Of course there’ll be some (political) grief,” he said, smiling.

“There’s a little grief waking up and keeping my title ‘politician,’” he said, laughing.

Kalin’s first bill

Kalin’s first bill, a bill dealing with veterans applying for hunting licenses, is expected to come up on the House floor for a vote.

It’s a compromise, Kalin explained. And it’s better for it, he opined. “I think it’s a big success,” he said.

On one recent day, Kalin — the bright sun outside his office window beautifully lighting the Capitol entrance across the street — spoke of rapidly approaching committee deadlines.

He spoke of the need to move faster. Of getting more done. “There’s so much more to do,” he said.

Kalin and his fiance, a physician, are planning to marry in August.

(Photo by T.W. Budig, ECM Capitol Reporter) 

As I read the first sentence, I knew it could only be Julie, she has the most beautiful bathroom just like the one above, like my aunt MiMi who had the same in seafoam green and charcoal grey, with the fish wallpaper:

In praise of the ’50s bathroom

As an art historian and an environmental advocate who lives in a 1950s rambler I was shocked by your “50s Tile Restyled” piece in which those of us with Pepto-Bismol pink, screaming green, yellow or black tiled bathrooms should take heart: “Can’t dump it? Dress it up” — rip it out, resurface it, or reglaze it. Just don’t enjoy it!

Bathrooms tiled during the 1950s reflect the philosophy of that era — they were designed to last and have an inherent sense of optimism and energy. One of my bathroom floors has sculpted/high glazed maroon tiles and buff-surface/shaved pale pink and medium pink tiles. They are arranged in a repetitive jazzy 1920s inspired pattern. A border of maroon tiles creates a smooth transition between the floor and the wall. The wall is tiled with larger medium pink tiles and caped with a maroon border. In the other bathroom the dominant tile color is coral. There is no set design in the floor — rather a random spray of white, coral and pinkish brown squares and rectangles dance before ones eyes.

This rip-out and replace mentality creates waste and unnecessary expense. What next? Perhaps a piece encouraging people to tear out those pesky plaster walls?

JULIE RISSER, EDINA

Think she’s overstating her case? I went in search of a photo of the perfect bathroom, and of course it’s there, and above. But wait…

CLICK HERE: Let’s destroy a beautiful bathroom!
Here’s what’s left of that bathroom:

  oh barf…