Legalectric

Today was the deadline for Initial Comments on the Xcel MN Energy CON(nection) transmission line. So, here we go (I got this in with two hours to spare!!):

Here it is, hot off the press, Special Prosecutor Jack Smith took this to a NEW Grand Jury, and here it is. The differences from the initial one are clarifications that he was acting as a “candidate,” and that his actions were not “official” acts:

No CapX 2020 and the Prehn Family have filed a Petition to Intervene in the “Mankato-Mississippi” transmission line project, a/k/a as the Wilmarth-North Rochester-Tremval line:

This is a big double-circuited 345kV transmission line proposed mostly for new/greenfield right of way. We need this WHY?

Next on the schedule is release of the Environmental Impact Statement scoping document on October 3, 2024. The deadline for Intervention will be January 3, 2025, and the DEIS should be released by March 3, 2025.

For more information:

• Camping and client meeting! August 21st, 2024

• Transmission scoping meeting yesterday July 9th, 2024

• FYI, the Wilmarth – Mississippi Application! July 1st, 2024

• Xmsn Scoping Meetings July 8-10 June 27th, 2024

• Tomorrow at the PUC May 28th, 2024

• Comment period on Mankato-Mississippi xmsn April 8th, 2024

• Another Xcel transmission application filed! April 2nd, 2024

The Itasca Economic Development Corporation is hosting a “Just Transition Task Force” to look at how the community will deal with the energy transition and loss of the Boswell Cohasset coal plant.

September:

October:

The Task Force’s charge? From their site:

Just Transition Grant Fund

$150,000 was awarded to convene a year-long just transition process for Itasca County, and for the greater northern Minnesota region. The Just Transition Grant Fund supports work to develop an action plan to ensure a thriving economy, supported by an informed community, as we work through our energy transition. The action plan will include a community-driven just transition vision and series of recommended pathways or actions that will allow the region to collaboratively identify and pursue federal funding and other resources in alignment with its vision.

And here’s what they regard as resources, again from their page:

• BRECC Notes
• Community Economic Development Focus on Energy Communities DOHHS
• Community Energy Transition Final Report and Recommendations
• Energy Transition Advisory Committee (ETAC) Plan
• Minnesota’s Power Plant Communities: An Uncertain Future
• Pennsylvania Playbook: Decommissioning and Redevelopment Playbook for the Sunbury Plant
• Public Utilities Commission 2024-2028 One-Pager Strategic Plan
• Public Utilities Commission 2024-2028 Full Strategic Plan
• McKinsey & Co., Rural Rising Economic Development Strategies for America’s Heartland
• Meeting Notes

This one is interesting, and I’m forwarding on to City of Red Wing folks:

Community Energy Transition Final Report and Recommendation

Two of these do concern me, the BRECC Notes because the focus is on a Bill Gates proposal for a nuclear plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming!!! Please, just no… why is this even included??

The second concerning thing is that the Meeting Notes are only from February 26, 2024, and nothing after. What have they been looking at, considering, since then?

Supposedly there’s a draft report, and that’s to be the topic of upcoming “Town Hall” meetings, per KAXE, which notes:

But I looked and looked, and I cannot find this “draft strategic action plan, “and if it’s not public, how can we review it before the town halls and be able to comment knowledegeably?!?! So I sent a request to the IEDC folks on this team, and hope to get it soon, and then I’ll post.

FULL DISCLOSURE: The IEDC deserves close scrutiny due to the decision by its Board to support the Excelsior Energy Mesaba Project and its strident advocacy of the Mesaba Project, including the spread of misinformation and disinformation about coal gasification and the project specifically. It brought the Chair of the Public Utilities Commission into the fray in blatant and bold ex parte contact, despite the clear warning I gave to the Commission’s Asst. A.G. prior to that meeting (I could not believe her lack of concern, saying they’re well aware of the ex parte rules). I also could not believe that Chair Koppendrayer actually showed up … so I had to raise the issue of verboten ex parte contact at the meeting, and Chair Koppendrayer agreed, he confirmed “Ms. Overland has a point,” that it was a valid concern, and that he thought he should not be present — and he got up and left the room!! That was absolutely the right thing to do. Did IEDC think no one would notice, that no one would challenge ex parte contact? Unreal.

• IEDC gets carried away February 15th, 2007
• IEDC on Mesaba Coal Gasification November 1st, 2006

This Just Transition Task Force looks like a better way to operate, though there’s some transparency missing in action. Let’s get those meeting minutes published on the Just Transition page, and let’s get that draft Strategic Action Plan out in the open!

Meanwhile, again, here are the planned meetings:

Xcel’s Mankato-Mississippi transmission line, a/k/a Wilmarth-North Rochester-Tremval, is moving forward, so it was time for planning and strategizing and yes, we’re MOVING FORWARD too!

I’m working with the Prehn Family, they’ve joined NoCapX 2020 in commenting on this project. They live smack dab in the middle of the underground natural gas storage dome south of Hwy 60 and along/under Hwy 13, and have substantive, real, concerns about the potential for this project to traverse the gas dome.

Xcel did not even mention the natural gas dome in its application, applied for April 2, 2024, and didn’t bother to chat with CenterPoint until May 2 — how can that be?

Having a meeting with the Prehns is a good excuse for camping at Sakatah Lake State Park — the dome extends under Hwy 60 and encroaches on the park – there’s a monitoring station on park land north of Hwy 60! It’s a good opportunity to test out my solo camping set-up, with a smaller tent, smaller than the Wawona 6 and much easier to set up and tear down. PLUS the Prius isn’t stuffed to the gills.

Sakatah is an OK park, the sites are GREAT, but it’s so noisy, between the trucks and their jake brakes coming “down the mountain,” and airplanes headed to MSP. Only one startling owl catch, likely a screaming chipmunk. Anyway, will do a State Park review for my camper group.

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We’ve been working on this project. Here’s the map we put together a couple months ago through hours of reconnaissance (for the record, somehow we missed some transmission that goes from east to west from Hwy 13 north of the CenterPoint pumping station heading west to Co. Rd. 73, so I need to update the map):

We had a good couple of hours to hash things over and get ready to dive in.

Speaking of hash, I had a new camp cooking experience, cooking over an apple wood fire. It’s been decades, and back then it was hot dogs/hamburgers at Camp Tonadoona or church retreats — YUCK! This was a good first attempt with salmon rubbed with pepper/lime, and rice and veggies too. Yeah, I’m bragging:

Stay tuned and we’ll have more on this transmission project. Until then, here’s a cicada fresh into the world: