Comment period on HERC PPA Amendment
August 22nd, 2017
That’s the HERC garbage burner, known to some as the “Hennepin Energy Recovery Center.” It’s right next to the new baseball field, so I made a “HERC Hanky” as schnozz cover in the stands.
Xcel now wants to revise the HERC Power Purchase Agreement and lower the price it pays HERC for electricity.
Hmmmmm, changing the rules in the middle of the game. Burning garbage has never been an economically winning proposition. Cut the rate? What will that mean for Hennepin County? As of a few minutes ago, the Public Utilities Commission announced a comment period on this change:
Comments? About what?
Initial Comments are due by 4:30 p.m. on September 11, 2017. eFiling is preferred. To eFile comments, go HERE TO REGISTER. It’s simple and fast. When you file, file under docket number 17 – 532 (that’s 17 for “year” and 532 for “docket number”)
Note the Commission asks, “Are there other project-related issues or concerns?” Well, what’s wrong with HERC and burning? For a long time this has been an issue for Neighbors Organizing for Change, Neighbors Against the Burner, Minneapolis Neighbors for Clean Air (wayback version), and the Sierra Club and the push to increase tonnage burned was successfully brought to a screeching halt by these groups and the folks of Minneapolis! You can find some general information at Alan Muller’s site. Alan reports that the HERC air permit expired something like 8 years ago, not uncommon. Most Minnesota air permits are expired and the MPCA isn’t doing much about it.
Some specifics on the tonnage burning increase request that was foiled:
Remember this? “The Burning Question” way back in 2013? Let’s get real, burning garbage isn’t a question!!!
Tuesday 9/17 – Dr. Paul Connett at Mayflower Church
Who is paying attention to this now?
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