Legalectric

“Our” CD2 Rep. Jason Lewis does not represent me (nevermind that he doesn’t even live in this Congressional District!!).  He demonstrated at his “Town Hall” meeting that he is clueless about so much.  He hasn’t held Town Hall meetings and is obviously afraid of his “constituents.”

Don’t be distracted by procedure, his ticket lottery, or the attempts to shut up and shut down constituents.

What’s important about this is taking note of the issues he’s most vulnerable on as displayed at the “Town Hall:

• Harsh positions on immigration position without recognition of role and work of immigrants in CD2;
• Food stamp work requirements without recognition that Minnesota already has work requirement laws and that people working at minimum wage qualify for food stamps and child care must be available for people to work (and cost of child care is often equal to pay for low wage jobs).
• Spouting the “anti-college” mindset, when it’s not binary. We need to have all educational options available and accessible to anyone who wants to learn, whether a trade, a B.A./B.S, and/or grad school — I’ve been to all of the above, and could never have gotten a B.A. without 916 VoTech and truckdriver training!  Anyone who can make the grade should be welcomed. Education is the key to economic stability — well, coupled with home ownership so people can weather economic crisis and invest in community.
• He talks around climate change and rather than address cutting emissions, he promotes nuclear and Yucca Mountain. Yucca Mountain was proven unworkable, what, a decade ago?
  
• Statements about “what’s causing the shootings?” and going on about mental illness and mentally ill should not own guns.  Earth to Mars, that’s not the issue.  It’s about mental dysfunctionality and white supremacist ideation at the root of nearly all mass shootings.

Jason Lewis, it’s time for you to go.

It’s been a busy week.  First the release of the ALJ Recommendation for the Freeborn Wind Proect:

OAH+80-2500-34633+Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Recommendation

In the STrib today, on both Freeborn Wind and the Bent Tree project!:

Administrative Law Judge says PUC should reject Freeborn County wind project

A couple of choice snippets from STrib article:

Dan Litchfield, an Invenergy senior manager, objected to Schlatter’s interpretation of Minnesota’s noise regulations, saying it “is impossible to meet for a wind farm. … Every other wind farm in the state has not been subject to this interpretation.”

and:

“We are trying to understand the ALJ’s recommendation,” said Beth Soholt, executive director of St. Paul-based Wind on the Wires, a wind power advocacy group. “We are concerned about a new direction and what it would do to development.”

Methinks they’re getting the message that wind projects can no longer steamroll communities. It’s time for rulemaking, it’s time for revision of “standards” to something people can live with, it’s time to use proper, applicable, siting criteria, DOH!.

And today was yet another big day, because the Public Utilities Commission approved settlement agreements for two families who have been living under the Bent Tree wind project.  This is the first time in Minnesota that landowners within a wind project have been bought out.

FILED_Bent+Tree+WPL+Settlement+Agr+-+Hagen

FILED_Bent+Tree+WPL+Settlement+Agr+-+Langrud

It’s real.

Here are the Staff Briefing Papers:

Staff Briefing Papers – May 17th meeting

The room was packed, and I hope that the this “first” wasn’t lost on the audience.  Wind has shifted direction.  Are you paying attention?

Bottom line:

This was the first ever contested case for a wind permit in the state of Minnesota, which has sited many, many wind projects.  Finally they’re doing it right, under the Power Plant Siting Act.  AND in this first ever contested case in Minnesota, the Administrative Law Judge has just recommended that the permit be denied, or Freeborn Wind show how it would comply.  LIKE WOW!  Is this exciting or what!

Here’s the ALJ’s full Recommendation to the Public Utilities Commission:

OAH+80-2500-34633+Final+Order

Noise is real, and Minnesota has been lax about siting.  That will change!

Next stop, the Public Utilities Commission!  Can’t wait!

YEAAAAAAAA!

(viewable map linked below)

Red Wing has a email newsletter now, and it’s most helpful.  Here’s the poop on the upcoming elections, which is BIG news here, what with a bunch of resignations from City Council.  Cut and pasted from the RW “City Beat” newsletter:

This is your time. You can do this.

Interested candidates

must file between

May 22 – June 5, 2018