Legalectric

Yes, it’s been a long march.  We’ve been slogging through for years — this Public Utilities Commission rulemaking began in 2012. We’ve been going to these PUC sponsored Advisory Group meetings, holding our own small group and public meetings about these rules, reviewing and commenting, and by we, I’ve been joined by Suzanne Rohlfing, of North Route Group (CapX 2020 intervenor group in Hampton-La Crosse docket) and Marie McNamara, of Goodhue Wind Truth (intervenor group in Goodhue Wind/AWA docket) who have hung in there all these years.  So early next month, we’re going before the Commission with the draft rules.  Four plus years!  It’s about time!

We sorely needed rulemaking, there were major statutory changes in 2005 (2005 Session Laws Ch 97 – Transmission Omnibus Bill from Hell), and substantial holes in the process, which all came out in the CapX 2020 Certificate of Need and Routing dockets (CapX 2020 is why the 2005 statutory changes were rammed through, to facilitate Xcel’s transmission dream).  I’ve filed a few Petitions for Rulemaking to push these forward, the one below was 2011!

Overland – Petition 4 Rulemaking-7850

And we’ve been working on rules for Minn. Ch. 7849 and 7850 for over four years now.  The docket was opened and first Comments solicited in December 2012.  Finally, this Notice yesterday, that the drafts that will go to the Commission:

February 2017 Draft 7849

February 2017 Draft 7850

And notice of the Commission meeting issued today!

20172-129322-01_Notice of Commission Meeting

To look at the docket, go to the PUC SEARCH PAGE and search for docket 12-1246.  I’ve posted links to the drafts on this docket.  It’s important that the public be able to review what’s gone on over the last four years!

And after this, wind rules, Minn. Rules Ch. 7854, are next!  Yes, PUC, we will hold you to this!