If we can’t, we should be shot…
June 9th, 2009
Really, that’s what they said at a meeting where the operators of the Hibbing “biomass” plant were confronted with all the problems, dust, noise, neighbors fed up and bringing in the evidence. This is the plant that was violating its air permit and was fined and shut down,
but of course air permit limits were INCREASED and it reopened.
GRRRRRRRRRR. And when they were told to clean it up, given a deadline, they said:
Thanks to Charlotte Neigh for sending this in. Let’s keep an eye on this one! Ready… aim…
Commission vows to take action on dust, noise
Meeting draws more complaints from neighbors
by Kelly Grinsteinner
Assistant Editor“It’s something that’s going off in my head,” she said. “Something
needs to be done.”“Everything is so filthy,” she added. “I can’t clean it. We can’t sell
it. We’re stuck.”Linda Johnson imitated the irritating noise she hears coming from the plant.
“It’s sad when you wake up dreaming of WD-40,” she said.
“Keep yours on your side of the street, and I’ll keep to my side of the
street,” he said.
Dept of Health releases Wind White Paper
June 5th, 2009
Iff we could harness the energy of Katie V. Troe! Her work on the Bent Tree Wind Project has a measurable impact. Here’s one example — the long awaited Minnesota Dept. of Health Wind White Paper has been released, and here it is:
Here’s the short version:
The Minnesota nighttime standard of 50 dB(A) not to be exceeded more than 50% of the time in a given hour, appears to underweight penetration of low frequency noise into dwellings. Different schemes for evaluating low frequency noise, and/or lower noise standards, have been developed in a number of countries.
…
Unlike low frequency noise, shadow flicker can affect individuals outdoors as well as indoors, and may be noticeable inside any building. Flicker can be eliminated by placement of wind turbines outside of the path of the sun as viewed from areas of concern, or by appropriate setbacks.
Prediction of complaint likelihood during project planning depends on: 1) good noise modeling including characterization of potential sources of aerodynamic modulation noise and characterization of nighttime wind conditions and noise; 2) shadow flicker modeling; 3) visibility of the wind turbines; and 4) interests of nearby residents and community.
VII. Recommendations
To assure informed decisions:
- Wind turbine noise estimates should include cumulative impacts (40-50 dB(A) isopleths) of all wind turbines.
- Isopleths for dB(C) – dB(A) greater than 10 dB should also be determined to evaluate the low frequency noise component.
- Potential impacts from shadow flicker and turbine visibility should be evaluated.
Any noise criteria beyond current state standards used for placement of wind turbines should reflect priorities and attitudes of the community.
This seems to me to be recommending either local control of siting criteria that actually addresses these issues (and what county government will?) or state criteria change reflecting issues raised by local communities and recommendations that the people have brought forward.
Excelsior Energy has another bad day…
May 29th, 2009
Yes, Tom Micheletti and Excelsior Energy’s Mesaba Project had another rough time at the Public Utilities Commission yesterday. The PUC was deciding on Excelsior’s Motions for Reconsideration in “Phase II” of the proceedings:
Excelsior’s Motion to Suspend, for Reconsideration etc etc etc
It was fast, the tone seemed to say that the PUC had had enough of it, and wanted to be done. Deny, deny, deny, the end.
So, now what? I don’t know, because Charlotte Neigh, of Citizens Against the Mesaba Project, had inquired with Richard Hargis, of the DOE, as to the status of the EIS in the siting docket, scheduled to be released in June (yeah, right, as if…). He said:
Ms. Neigh,
I don’t think this affects the issuance of the FEIS.
Richard Hargis
Huh… so now what? Haven’t a clue. My client, mncalgasplant.com, was an intervenor in this case, beginning nearly five years ago. Will this thing end some time in my lifetime? I’m starting to wonder…
Chisago 855MW LS Power gas generation plant in news
May 17th, 2009
The Chisago natural gas plant, dubbed “Sunrise River Energy,” finally made the news in Minnesota. Could it be any larger? “What do we need this for,” you may ask. It’s simple, we DON’T, it’s for export. Note their threat to move to Wisconsin if they don’t get what they want, and Rep. Kalin and Sen. Olseen buy into that and cave, giving them an exemption without letting the local governments who would lose tax revenue a heads up about it. Here’s the whole thing from the STrib — sorry it took so long to post this, I’ve been on the road and mired in moving stuff:
855-megawatt power plant planned
By MATT McKINNEY, Star Tribune
Last update: May 13, 2009 – 9:30 PM
The $300 million Sunrise River Energy station, an 855-megawatt natural gas-fired plant, would open by 2013 pending regulatory approvals, according to the company that would build it, LS Power, a private utility with offices in New Jersey and Missouri.
Read the rest of this entry »
Sen. Amy gets visit from Micheletti!
April 30th, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This morning, at “Coffee and Potica” or Minnesota Morning with Senator Amy Klobuchar, who should be there but Tom Micheletti! Yes, Excelsior Energy’s Tom Micheletti was there. And he was there on the eve of the DEADLINE, the day before the PUC said it would pull the plug on Excelsior Energy’s Mesaba Project.
The legendary Alan Muller, Green Delaware, was in Amy’s office this morning too! He got there, and “the only other person I knew in the room was Tom Micheletti.” Too weird. And here I had to stay home and dogsit. DAMN! I could have used the aerobic exercise of duking it out with Tom again.
Sen. Klobuchar’s energy staffer, Charlie Moore, said he wasn’t in on the conversation between Micheletti and Klobuchar’s chief of staff, Alan said they were huddled together for quite a while. Moore also said that he didn’t know that there was a May 1 deadline. Oh, really? Not good. It’s bad enough that we have to worry about what Micheletti might be saying, but now we’ve also got to be concerned about what he isn’t saying.
And sorry, no photo, yes, I’m MOST disappointed, oh well… but there’s a photo of Sen. Klobuchar with Alan in his Neighbors Against the Burner shirt.
Will it happen? Will they pull the plug? They sure better, they’ve been stalling long enough.
Here’s Excelsior Energy’s filings in their attempt to keep the PUC from FINALLY pulling the plug on the Mesaba Project:
So let’s just let this thing die. Xcel doesn’t want it, the Minnesota municipal utilities don’t want it, the PUC doesn’t want it, and mncoalgasplant.com sure doesn’t want it and neither does Citizens Against the Mesaba Project.