Legalectric

Oh, what delightful news! Prosecutors have opened up tRump’s phone and are able to show what he was doing while the insurrection was on, what he was texting and to whom, what sites he was on, and where he was. I recall seeing clips of him in this tent, watching the crowd, excited, gleeful expressions.

Then the insurrection began in force, and he left, holed up in front of the TV, much as I was that day!

And now we’ll know what he was doing, who he was communicating with and when, and where those folks were at the time, and what was said between them. Here’s the filing — yup, I’m waiting with bated breath for this testimony:

America First is history, but not relegated to history. Recently I heard saw a state legislator was calling for an “America First” Speaker for U.S. House! We gotta push back, FIRMLY!

How to deal with “America First” electeds?

November 21st, 2022

It’s that time again, was wondering, as the Notice hadn’t arrived, but here it is!

As always, be there or be:

And here’s a reminder of what’s come before — the annual report filings, here they all are:

2000 Summary of Proceedings

2000 Report EQB

2001 Summary of Proceedings

2001 Report EQB

2002 Summary of Proceedings

2002 Report to EQB

2003 Summary of Proceedings

2003 Report to EQB

2004 Summary of Proceedings

2004 Report to EQB

2005 Report to PUC

2006 Report to PUC – Docket 06-1733

2007 Report to PUC – Docket 07-1579

2008 Report to PUC – Docket 08-1426

2009 Report to PUC – Docket 09-1351

2010 Report to PUC – Docket 10-222

2011 Report to PUC – Docket 11-324

2012 Report to PUC – Docket 12-360

2013 Report to PUC – Docket 13-965

2014 Summary Report– Docket 14-887

2015 Summary Report – Docket 15-785

2016 Summary Report – Docket 16-18

2017 Summary Report – Docket 17-18

2018 Summary Report – Docket 18-18

2019 Summary Report_Docket 19-18

2020 Summary Report – Docket 20-18

2021 Summary Report – Docket 21-18

And last year’s PPSA Summary Report, PUC Docket 22-18:

Above — Over a decade ago, there was a San Luis Valley project proposed running through La Veta Pass, over a HUGE conservation area, and though permitted, it couldn’t be built. Conservation easement, DOH!

• From Colorado’s San Luis Valley January 20th, 2011

• Transmission from La Veta, Colorado January 12th, 2011

Here’s what the local system looked like then:

The plan was withdrawn and it was dead… UNTIL NOW, and what’s changed? What’s been going on?

CLICK HERE – SEARCH for “22M-0514E” – Colorado Public Service Commission

Project proponents are now seeking a grant from the DOE (the good news is that they’d tried before, and didn’t get the grant). ARE THEY SEEKING DOE INVOLVEMENT TO GIVE THE DOE SITING AUTHORITY AFTER THEY WEREN’T ABLE TO GET IT THROUGH BEFORE?

There was a presentation at Alamosa County, but the agenda and minutes aren’t posted yet. Here’s the link:

Alamosa County Board – scroll down for agenda and minutes

Here’s the full article from Alamosa’s Courier News:

Transmission line study application has been filed

By: By John Waters, Courier News Editor

Posted Nov 24, 2023

SAN LUIS VALLEY — Alamosa County Commissioner Lori Laske has submitted a concept paper application to the U.S. Department of Energy for a grant to study the feasibility of considering up to three alternative power transmission lines in and out of the Valley. The application is for up to $2.0 million for an Upper Rio Grande Valley Transmission Study to consider transmission routes in south Colorado and northern New Mexico.

Laske briefed the San Luis Valley Commissioners Association at their meeting in Alamosa on Nov. 20, stating, “This is a grant to the federal Department of Energy to have a study done to have a large transmission line. This is not a line going to houses, it is to transport [electricity] solar out of the valley or energy coming in. This is a line to move energy in and out of the Valley.”

Laske told the commissioners that a grant application for a study of Valley transmission lines submitted last year was not chosen. After learning the fate of that application, Laske said she searched for other grant opportunities and picked this Department of Energy grant that could finance a feasibility study. Formally, the grant application is known as a Transmission Siting and Economic Development (TSED) Program Concept Paper,” and Alamosa County is the siting authority with Commissioner Laske as the technical point of contact. Laske added she hopeful, “at a later date to get all the San Luis Valley Commissioners to endorse and be a partner of this project.”

According to the concept paper, “The proposed URGV (Upper Rio Grande Valley) Transmission Study will increase grid resilience, enable the development and deployment of renewable energy and significantly increase economic opportunities in the communities affected by the construction and operation of a “covered transmission project.”

The concept paper-application states that communities in south-central Colorado and northern New Mexico, “have identified strong interest in additional transmission lines and substations to provide interconnection points for a subsequent clean energy build-out.” The region is “ideal for solar production,” and, “the region currently only has just one transmission corridor, which runs north over a wooded mountain pass with high fire risk. Without redundancy, all power to the 50,000 residents in the SLV could be lost if there were to be a wildfire.”

The San Luis Valley is home to several solar production facilities. In March, the Valley Courier reported on a 17.5-acre renewable energy storage facility being built off Lane 8N. Last month, Korsail Energy announced plans to build a 790-acre solar energy production and storage facility near Alamosa.

This is not the first attempt to build an additional line in and out of the Valley. In 2011, a permit was issued to Public Service of Colorado and Tri State Generation and Transmission to build a transmission line from Alamosa County over La Veta pass. That proposal was doomed after a large landowner objected to the plan that prevented the acquisition of the needed right of way.

If the proposed study is funded, it will analyze three transmission corridors, 1. East from Alamosa to Pueblo; 2. South from Alamosa to Northern New Mexico; and 3. Northwest from Alamosa then southwest to the Four Corners Area.

During the commissioners meeting, Laske listed the partners in the proposal: Colorado Energy Office, New Mexico Energy Office, New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Office, Colorado Electric Transmission Authority, Colorado Department of Transportation, New Mexico State University, San Luis Valley Commissioners Association, San Luis Valley Council of Governments. The San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative and Kit Carson Electric Cooperative are also partners.

In an interview with the Valley Courier, Alamosa County Commissioner Laske stressed that the concept paper-application she has submitted is a preliminary step that has yet to be approved.

The Site C dam in British Columbia hits the news again. The good news is that this time RCMP did not shoot and kill anyone, as they did at a dam open house back in 2015:

RCMP shoots hydro dam protester? Nope, misidentified!

This time it’s bears and a most brilliant idea… NOT!

BC Hydro scrambles to tranquilize and remove bears hibernating in Site C dam flood zone before waters rise

In short, here’s the plan:

I can’t imagine the bears won’t wake up after being tranquilized, or when being flown around in a helicopter, or wake up wondering what on earth they did the night before! Flying bears… this is something to keep an eye on.