Legalectric

In today’s paper:

Rural Wisconsin county split on solar energy project that would be among largest in nation

From the article, an important part, because the PSC does not file the “Environmental Assessment” when issuing their “Preliminary Determination” letter!  People have to ASK for the EA, and then, it takes how long to get it?  COMMENTS ARE DUE JANUARY 7 ON ADEQUACY OF EA AND WHETHER EIS IS NEEDED.  Here’s the Preliminary Determination (for both dockets) stating no EIS is necessary, and the Environmental Assessment which even as PSC staff document points out significant impacts:

PSC_PreliminaryDetermination_100

9697-CE-100_101 EA Appendix A v1_0

PSC_PreliminaryDetermination_101

9697-CE-100_101 Environmental Assessment v37_0

A snippet from the article:

Madison Gas & Electric and Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, the Applicants in a “Buy/Sell” (BS!) docket (CLICK HERE for 5-BS-228) for part of the Badger Solar project (and Two Creeks solar too) have been resisting at every opportunity, trying to keep Jewell Jinkins Intervenors from Intervening.  It gets more hilarious as we go through this crap.

First from the Applicants:

Applicant Response (Objection) to Motion to Intervene

So our Reply:

Jewell Jinkins Intervenors_228_Reply to Applicants’ Response

The Administrative Law Judge granted our Intervention in technicolor:

Order_Intervention-Third

So the Applicants’ looked for other ways to keep us out of the docket, throwing things at the wall to see what sticks:

WPSC_MGE Motion for Interlocutory Review_354992

Motion_Protective Order

So our Reply to both:

Jewell Jinkins_228_Response_Motion For Interlocutory Review

Jewell Jinkins_228_Response_Motion Protective Order

The Applicants just couldn’t stop:

JewellJinkins_228_Response 2 Reply 2 Response 2 Motion Protective Order  Applicants’ Reply in Support of Motion for Protective Order 121918-1

So here’s our Reply to their Response:

   Jewell Jinkins_228_Response 2 Reply 2 Response 2 Motion Protective Order

It was on the PSC agenda yesterday, and they denied the complaint in less than 30 seconds, with no discussion.

Do you think the Applicants will get the hint?  We shall see.  I have my doubts.

Remember Excelsior Energy‘s boondoggle Mesaba Project?  Go to the PUC’s search page and search for “05-1993” and “06-668” for the dockets.

A little birdie flew by today, cocked its shiny eye and said…

So following up… Does anyone find it strange that as of August 3, 2018, the registered office of Excelsior Energy and its agent, CEO, and Principal Executive Office Address of Tom Micheletti, is  THE ABOVE STORAGE UNIT at 4630 Quebec Avenue North, New Hope, MN 55428?

Last known address: 708 1st St., #421, Minneapolis, sold 2017 for $749,900(verified in Metsa for Congress report, 3/9/2018 donation)… and then there’s Orono: Tom & Julie’s house is for sale.

Did you know that Excelsior Energy got their regulatory perks extended until 2025?!?!  Really, look at this, Minn. Stat. 216B.1694, Subd. 3(b)(1), a 2017 legislative boondoggle!

(1) site and route permits and water appropriation approvals for an innovative energy project must also be deemed valid for a plant meeting the requirements of paragraph (a) and shall remain valid until the earlier later of (i) four years from the date the final required state or federal preconstruction permit is issued or (ii) June 30, 2019 2025; and

Yes, Excelsior Energy was doing their lobbying in 2017.

Julie Jorgensen has been hustling with Greenmark, our good friends Mark Andrews and Red Wing’s ex-Mayor Dennis Egan.  Three Musketeers? Three Stooges?

Then there’s Excelsior Energy Capital.  What’s that?!?!  Well, a Delaware corp registered in Minnesota in August of 2017, and inquiring minds found out their HQ is a BOAT SLIP at 21950 Minnetonka Boulevard, #210, Excelsior, MN.

Really.  Could google maps be wrong?  It’s not international waters, but assuredly … ummmm… well, bizarre!  Look at their TEAM (can you say photoshopped?).  I can’t find direct connections to our friends at Excelsior Energy, but with an operation like this, it’s got to be there!  Searching…

Remember AWA Goodhue’s office?  And Secretary of State lets them get away with this?

Does anyone else think it odd, when solar projects in Wisconsin are in the 2-10MW range, to apply to site the 300MW Badger Hollow solar project when there are no rules?  Yeah, I know, it sounds like Minnesota siting 2,000+ MW of large wind projects with no rules and using small wind standards, way too similar.  But this is real.  300MW of solar is a LOT of solar.  It’s central station solar.  It’s on some of the best ag land in Wisconsin.  And it just happens to be on the route of the proposed Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line!

What to do?  Rulemaking, of course.  Yeah, we know how that goes (PUC denies Reconsideration re: Wind Rulemaking), but without rules, how will they reasonably site this project?  Without rules, how will they reasonably site any solar project?  So of course here we go, the Jewell Jinkins Intervenors’ solar rulemaking petition:

Petition for Rulemaking_JJI_Solar_FINAL_Signed

And Wisconsin’s PSC “ERFed” it today.  It’s docket 1-AC-254.  It’s my understanding that a comment period will be announced and then the Commission will decide whether or not to proceed with rulemaking.

This is the Shell Rock River, covered with winter hoar frost today, and part of the DNR’s Shell Rock River State Water Trail, where Freeborn Wind wants to string a transmission line over the river!  Click for larger view:

It’s a State Water Trail – click for larger view:

Doesn’t this just look like the greatest place for transmission across the river?!?!  Good grief, what are they thinking?