Legalectric

It was so cool to see so many of you at the Taconite Public Hearing, particularly all those I didn’t know!! Rather than the “usual suspects” we had such a broad range of people speaking out against the Mesaba Project, and from the looks of it, LOTS of you sent in letters to the ALJ’s in this case. I’ve heard from a couple of you, asking “What happens with the letter I sent in?” No, it doesn’t go into a black hole… I think… So while I fight Filezilla and upload these Initial Briefs, here’s a link where your letters and documents entered during testimony at the Public Hearings should appear:

OAH Public Comment Letters

The Comment period was closed on December 22, 2006. So why are some that are stamped “received” after that date included here? Shouldn’t those go into the “Late-Filed Comments” section?

Here are a couple of letters to check out:

Letter from Sen. David Tomassoni
You can email him at:
sen.david.tomsasoni@senate.mn

Letter from Sen. Tom Saxhaug

You can email him and let him know the correct number of “permanent jobs” that Mesaba claims at:
sen.tom.saxhaug@senate.mn

I sent Sen. Tomassoni and Rep. Mike Beard the Excelsior presentations to the legislature from 2002 to refresh their memories. Better to send it to Saxhaug too, eh?

Excelsior Presentation to Senate 2002

Excelsior Presentation to House 2002

Click here for the whole 2003 Prairie Island Bill including Mesaba

How quickly we forget… I think Excelsior’s counting on no one remembering, no one having been there…

Oh, you will not believe! This does not even begin to portray! Briefs have been flying back and forth in the Excelsior Mesaba Project PUC Docket for a Power Purchase Agreement, OH… MY… DOG! After I finish sending them around the world, I’ll be posting them here, so … on the edge of your chairs…

Translation: Cost of Excelsior Energy‘s Mesaba coal gasification plant (IGCC) in the Grand Rapids Herald Review. And as you can see, that dollar sign seems a little shaky to me…

Cost of Mesaba Project: $2,155,680,783
Herald-Review
Wednesday, January 03rd, 2007 11:45:13 AM

Editor:

As the attorney representing landowners directly affected by Excelsiorâ??s Mesaba Project, Iâ??m writing the brief in the PUC Power Purchase Agreement docket. Iâ??m repeatedly struck by how difficult itâ??s been to get information, particularly the basic cost. Itâ??s $2,155,860,783! In a cost docket, what could be more important than project cost?

Just a couple weeks ago, many papers across the state published an Associated Press article that claimed the price was $1.2 billion, as did an independently written article in a local paper. Why? The DOE has reports of the $2,155,680,783 cost dating back to May, 2006.

Excelsior has an obligation to update its Petition and filings as information becomes available, yet they didnâ??t correct the cost. Xcel fought to have Excelsiorâ??s DOE filings released, but Excelsior resisted and the judge ruled it would remain undisclosed. Why? Thankfully, due to a Freedom of Information Act request by my clients, the basic cost of the Mesaba Project is now public information and is in the record. Without them, we wouldnâ??t know.

Iâ??ve an urge to file a Motion to mandate that all the testimony and information requests and responses and cost analyses based on Excelsiorâ??s misinformation be brought to the Virginia biomass plant for fuel. That project, with an $80 million price tag has created 70 jobs. Letâ??s support reasonable projects like the Virginia biomass, and give Excelsiorâ??s Mesaba Project filings the treatment they deserve â?? a warm reception at the biomass plant furnace!

$2,155,680,783 — remember that number!

Carol A. Overland
Attorney for mncoalgasplant.com, Intervenor at PUC

So maybe, just maybe, the outrageous cost of this thing will become public?

WHOOOOOO-EEEEEEEEEEE, happy day. AP has finally corrected its December 9, 2006, story on Excelsior’s Mesaba Project, the coal gasification project with the grossly escalating price! Well worth the three week wait, though it would have been even better to have it in print all over the state, like the article was, BEFORE the public hearings. Gee, where would they get a number like that? Oh well. Rejoice, the cost is becoming known…

It’s in the West Central Tribune in Willmar…

And it’s in the St. Paul Pioneer Press:

Correction: Coal Gasification story
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS – In a Dec. 9 story about Senate approval of tax credits that could benefit an Excelsior Energy Inc. project, The Associated Press reported erroneously the estimated cost of the company’s proposed coal gasification plant. The estimated cost is $2.15 billion, not $1.2 billion, according to a document filed with the U.S. Department of Energy. The story also listed Hoyt Lakes as the site of the project. Another site, in Taconite, is also under consideration.

Citizens Against the Mesaba Project (CAMP) held a benefit, an all day affair with silent auction and in the evening, music by Clearwater Hotclub. A fun evening with a roomful of happy CAMPers and many new faces and just lots of people wanting to support CAMP‘s work. It was an all-around good time, no testimony required, no mailings to stamp, just keeping those CAMP-fires burning — and the keeper of the purse said, on the way out the door, “I hope I don’t get mugged!” A successful evening by any measure…

Clearwater Hotclub site right here!

Here’s some tunes!

Here’s more tunes – click on Sam’s CD — and order here:

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And for those of you who missed Sam Miltich’s testimony in St. Paul, let him know you’re waiting for the CD!