Legalectric

… sigh… more from our “Environmental” Governor, urp…
Just don’t forget that Prairie Island and Monticello relicensing, more dry cask storage, and Mesaba happened on Pawlenty’s watch. Got that??? What’s he going to do to shut those puppies down?

Hot off the press from Mikey Bull — the Gov’s Energy Boy — it’s probably an official Goobernatorial press release:

GOVERNOR PAWLENTY ANNOUNCES HISTORIC AGREEMENT TO REDUCE MERCURY EMISSIONS BY 90%

April 27, 2006

April 27, 2006 Following up on the commitment he made in his State of the State address, Governor Pawlenty today announced an historic agreement to further clean Minnesotaâ??s water and air by drastically reducing mercury emissions at the state’s largest coal fired power plants by 90%.

â??This is a watershed day for Minnesotaâ??s environment and the health of our families,â? Governor Pawlenty said. â??Mercury is a major threat to our well being and we need an aggressive approach to attack the problem. This agreement will make Minnesota the nation leader in reducing mercury emissions from power plants.â?

The agreement is a bi-partisan, consensus agreement among a diverse group of stakeholders that include environmental organizations, business customers, electric utilities and the Pawlenty Administration.

Power generation is the single largest contributor of mercury to the Minnesota environment. This action will reduce mercury emissions by nearly 1200 pounds per year – cutting overall statewide emissions by one-third.

Earlier this year, Governor Pawlenty called for legislation that would achieve these reductions well in advance of the federal regulations that take effect in 2018. His proposal also called for approval by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) in order to protect ratepayer interests.

Todayâ??s agreement follows the goals set by the governor:

1. Implements 90% mercury reductions at the state’s largest coal-fired power plants.

· Xcel Energyâ??s Sherco Plant, Becker, MN
· Xcel Energyâ??s Allen S. King plant, Oak Park Heights, MN
· Minnesota Powerâ??s Clay Boswell plant, Cohasset, MN

2. Ensures that Minnesota will exceed the federal requirement of a 70% mercury reduction well in advance of the 2018 federal deadline.

– Xcel Energy will install mercury controls at its King plant and Sherco unit #3 by 2010, and at Sherco units #1 and #2 by 2014.
-Minnesota Power will install mercury controls at its Boswell unit #3 by 2010 and at Boswell unit # 4 by 2014.

3. Protects Minnesota ratepayers by providing a review of the proposal by the MPUC.

· Mercury reduction plans must first be reviewed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for technical feasibility and then by the MPUC to ensure that the plans do not impose excessive costs on ratepayers.

Parties to the agreement include the Pawlenty Administration, a bipartisan group of legislators, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Xcel Energy, Minnesota Power, and member organizations of Mercury Free Minnesota including the Sierra Club, Izaak Walton League, Clean Water Action, and Minnesotans for an Energy Efficient Economy, Minnesota Environmental Partnership and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and the Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota.

“This is another example of the progress this administration is making to improve the air and water quality of Minnesota,â? said Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commissioner Sheryl Corrigan. â??While other states talk about doing something, we actually make it happen through collaboration and the application of good science.â?

â??I recognize the hard work of all the stakeholders and the bill authors â?? Representative Tom Hackbarth and Senator Scott Dibble â?? in reaching this agreement. Now is the time for the legislature to embrace this agreement and pass it into law,â? Governor Pawlenty said.

In December 2003, a similar group of stakeholders came together in reaching an agreement on the Metropolitan Emissions Reduction Proposal (MERP), improving air quality in the Twin Cities and significantly reducing emissions. Under MERP, sulfur oxide emissions would be reduced by 95 percent, nitrogen oxide by 95 percent and particulate matters by 70 percent.

MERP converts the High Bridge (St. Paul) and Riverside (Minneapolis) coal-fired power plants to cleaner burning natural gas. It also includes the installation of new state-of-the-art pollution control equipment and facility refurbishment at the Allen S. King plant located on the banks of the St. Croix River, south of Stillwater.

In October 2005, Minnesota Power agreed to the Arrowhead Regional Emission Abatement (AREA) Project, installing additional air pollution control equipment at Syl Laskin and Taconite Harbor coal-fired power plants in northern Minnesota. The project will reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury from these power plants.

And here he goes again on Ethanol and Biodiesel

…and the Clean Water Closet…

… sigh… sorry, but Timmy just ain’t green…