Legalectric

Oh, this is hilarious, I’m not the only one onto the Gov, WHEW! maybe there’s hope!  “Sundoggie” told me about this, saying it’s probably good for the Gov. — I THINK NOT!

Dig this:

Will Steger and The Chameleon

So on that happy note, enough for the day, GOOD NIGHT!

… and go away! Seems to me people are catching on to the difference between Gov. “Green Chameleon” Pawlenty’s talk and the walk.

The talk:

And the walk:

Pawlenty responds to protesters (KSAX/KRWF)

and see TPT’s coverage here:

Global Warming in Ely

and here’s MPR:

Protesters greet Gov. Pawlenty at environmental meeting

January 5, 2008

Ely, Minn. — Gov. Tim Pawlenty was greeted by protesters at an Ely, Minn., summit on global climate change. Demonstrators worry that copper and precious metals mining planned on the Iron Range will create dangerous waste that could pollute area water supplies for decades or longer.

Gov. Pawlenty said there needs to be a balance, and that the mining could be done safely.

“One of the themes of the discussion today was making sure we balance the need to make sure that people have jobs and economic growth and economic activity, with being good stewards with the environment and the need reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and address climate change. I think both can be done,” says Gov. Pawlenty. The Ely summit is the first of several meetings that Gov. Pawlenty and Will Steger are holding around the state.

Minn. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar joined the Ely summit, along with a dozen Iron Range business and academic leaders.

Pawlenty says, “the mining could be done safely.” “Could be…” but WILL it be safe? Give me a break… And what exactly is he doing to assure that it be safe? “Mining” with toxic chemicals… grrrrrrr… I represented two of the “Crandon 29,” 29 people who were arrested for protesting the proposed sulfide mining in Wisconsin. That project didn’t go forward. Now we’re watching that type of insane idea go forward here in Minnesota. Where are the state agencies charged with protecting our environment and the public interest? Oh, but they’re the executive branch, the arm of the Governor. Too bad those “agency arms” aren’t like the tail of a chameleon, grab it and it comes off (as the chameleon runs away). Oh well, get ready MPCA and Dept. of Commerce, we’re pulling on your tail and won’t let go!

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There is good news here… that good news is that Gov. “Green Chameleon” Pawlenty is having to confront the impact of his policies. He is lots of talk, saying the things that the public wants to hear, but if you look at what he’s done in Minnesota, it’s pretty awful.

As with former Rep. Ray Cox, who bent over trying to posture himself in the same mold, Pawlenty is seeing his policy come back at him. GOOD, hold him accountable! This Green Chameleon Governor is the guy who has his agency toadies interfere in energy dockets when he sees obviously bad projects going south, projects like Mesaba’s IGCC coal gasification plant, one that shouldn’t ever have seen the light of day, much less get millions in federal and state money, OUR money:

Garvey “Policy Statement”

Garvey’s Last Shot

Those are pretty outrageous examples of what this Governor is all about, the kinds of interference that he’s willing to run for a project that costs too much, does not significantly reduce emissions, and is not in the public interest — yes, Excelsior’s Mesaba Project — where the ALJs (TWO of them) reviewed the record, tens of thousands of pages, and came up with that determination, will somebody please explain why Pawlenty would support Excelsior Energy and the Mesaba Project? Green? Not quite…. And supporting it against evidence??? Who’s he bending over for? Whatever is he thinking? The voters recently let Ray Cox know what they thought of that chameleon stance, and as he says, “… just like the 2006 election I was pounded by Northfield voters.” Naaaaah, this was a LOT worse than the 2006 election…

Gov. Green Chameleon, do you understand that the voters are feeling the impacts of your regressive policies and are voting accordingly?

Good, Minnesota got an extension from the MPCA of the Comment period — Comments on the Draft Solid Waste Policy Report.

Once more with feeling, here it is:

MPCA Draft Solid Waste Policy for Comment

And there’ s more info on the Solid Waste Policy page:

MPCA Solid Waste Policy page

The following Notice of Extension came this afternoon from Richard Andre of the MPCA:

Dear interested parties:

As you are aware, the MPCA sent out a comment draft of the 2007 Solid Waste Policy Report on December 21, 2007. A copy of the December 21 draft Report can be found at this website: www.pca.state.mn.us/2007policyreport

Stakeholder comments and information have started to arrive via email (thank you!), but the MPCA has also heard from some groups over the holidays that extra time beyond the December 21 – January 11 comment window would be appreciated. Some of the requests for additional comment time have noted that the MPCA is going beyond the usual solicitation of opinions and is also requesting specific information about energy, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental effects, ability to implement, and costs of specific policy proposals. In addition, we realize that some parties are only now becoming aware of this Biennial Report, despite our outreach to environmental groups, counties, cities, waste managers, the business community, and other interested parties that occurred from June through October 2007.

In the interest of giving more time for such useful information to be gathered, which will result in a better statewide policy, the MPCA has decided to extend the stakeholder response deadline two additional weeks, from January 11 to the close of business on Friday, January 25. This will move back the Report’s delivery date to mid-February 2008. At that point, the Report becomes information for legislative consideration, which offers the opportunity for additional public input prior to the actual decision-making process.

The contact information for sending your responses to the MPCA remains the same as previously provided on December 21 (see below). Responses via email are preferred.

The MPCA also invite stakeholders who are sending their comments and information by email to “reply all” to the list of email addresses on this message. That way, other interested parties can see your comments and information directly. Extending the opportunity for stakeholders to compare notes in this manner is another reason the MPCA is adding an extra two weeks to the comment period. As part of preparing the final version of the Solid Waste Policy Report, the MPCA will sort and summarize stakeholder comments and information and include that information in an appendix to the Report.

Also, MPCA Commissioner Brad Moore is making time available to meet briefly with groups that would prefer a face-to-face meeting in addition to submitting their written comments. There will be 15-minute time slots available on Thursday morning, January 31, 2008, from 8:30 to 11:30 am. Timeslots are limited. To request such a meeting, please contact Miriam Bergmark at 651/296-7302. Please be aware that in the interest of having time available for the full range of groups who might be interested in such an opportunity, such meetings will need to be short and focused so that others who are waiting to meet with Commissioner Moore may be accommodated.

In summary, please send your comments on the draft Solid Waste Policy Report along with any other information you would like to provide (e-mail is preferred) by the close of business on Friday, January 25, 2008, to the attention of:

Jim Chiles, Solid Waste Policy Report Staff Coordinator
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Municipal Division, Solid Waste Section
520 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, MN 55155-4194

jim.chiles@state.mn.us
651/ 296-7273 voice
651/ 297-8676 fax

That’s a win for the home team, small, but what the hell.  Anyway, of note is the short list that received this notice, guess how many look like more than waste industry toadies?  A small handful, a very small handful.

That MPCA logo… looks like it’s got the whole world in its hands (things appear unbidden on my tape loop, sorry!)

MPCA is here on Legalectric today, with help from Alan Muller, because they issued a “2007-08 Solid Waste Policy: Draft for Public Comment” which is open for Comment. Yes, it’s open for Comment, but it was issued on December 21, 2007, just prior to the world shutting down for two weeks, and the Comment period is open for only three weeks.

Quick, email the MPCA’s Jim Chiles, and Commissioner Brad Moore and ask that the Comment period be extended another 30 days!

Jim Chiles: jim.chiles@state.mn.us

Commissioner Moore: brad.moore@pca.state.mn.us

Now read carefully on that home page, because this is going to be a report to the legislature — and that legislative hearing will present another opportunity to let them know what you think! Here’s “Solid Waste Policy Lite,” the presentation for “stakeholders” which of course doesn’t include you and me or those working and commenting on certain incineration issues… and just who was included? Have they held any meetings in the communities where incinerators are proposed? Has the MPCA announced this Solid Waste Policy at any of the recent meetings where Solid Waste Policy as an issue? Have “stakeholders” been spreading the word about this Solid Waste Policy? Inquiring minds want to know. They call this a “Roadmap” which harkens back to the misguided push for coal gasification by Joyce Foundation, GPISD, RE-AMP and others, and it’s clearly a way of setting policy…

Solid Waste Policy Lite

MPCA Draft Solid Waste Policy for Comment

And here’s the full MPCA Solid Waste Policy page:

MPCA’s Solid Waste Policy Page

… so here’s the MPCA, setting Solid Waste Policy as directed, not by Minnesota and federal law, but as directed by their boss, The Green-Chameleon, Tim Pawlenty:

Solid Waste Policy has been a recurring issue at the MPCA, and here we are, doing a similar policy dance that went down twenty years ago, at the time the MPCA recognized its environmental leadership role inherent in the agency’s legislative charge, and recognized the necessity of those on the front lines dealing with permitting and analysis of project proposals to weigh in:

MPCA Memo – Stand up and DO YOUR JOB!

MPCA staff critical of heavy reliance on incineration – STrib Nov 4 1988

And now, the 2007-08 Solid Waste Policy is promoting a sharp increase in incineration. The MPCA!!! Does Commissioner Moore know of and endorese this policy? Is this a reasonable position for the state agency charged with, NAMED AS, the Pollution Control Agency? Is this just a classic case, like air permitting, of inability to control it so what the hell, let’s do more, let’s waive the restrictions, up the limits so that “we’re in compliance.” Oh, great… yes, this is one green idea…

Comments anyone? There may be an extension, I’ve requested it, others probably have as well, and from Jim Chiles, who says “we plan to send out an email today on the comment-period question.” Oh, OK, and what does that mean? I’ve asked and will keep y’all posted. In the meantime, start those comments, and send by close of business on January 11, to:

* By e-mail (preferred): jim.chiles@state.mn.us
* Postal mail:

Jim Chiles
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Road N
St. Paul, MN 55155-4194

* Fax: 651-297-8676

Now get to work!

Kevin Dahle takes it by 13%. YES! Not that I’m a big fan of Dahle’s, don’t know him well at all, but it seals the DFL majority in the Senate. Pawlenty was stumping for Cox, saying that, threatening?, that if Ray didn’t win, the DFL Senate could override any veto. AWWWWWWWW… But this isn’t so surprising, given the index of the district. What’s most surprising is his high level of support in the southwestern and western part of the district, 25A, where a Republican could be expected to do better. But despite party endorsement, Ray had two challengers in the Primary:

SD 25 Primary results

So it’s clear that there’s resistance, and that resistance was from the 25A part of the district. In LeSueur County, it was less than two percentage points, and Vance Norgaard’s share was 3.5%, but it’s hard to tell where Vance’s voters were, and typically independents draw equally from both, ask Ralph Nader!

LeSueur County results

On the other hand, Ray won in Sibley County by a wide margin, nearly 10 percent:

Sibley County results

Then there’s the Scott County share of SD25, where Ray won by nearly 14 percent:

Scott County results

And coming in last, the latest to report, was Rice County, Northfield holding up the show while we sit on the edge of our chairs:

Rice County results

Dahle wins Rice County by 27 percent! Northfield, of course, thinks it’s so special, but look at the townships, where I think candidates rise or fall. Look at Bridgewater, a township lurching towards urbanization in disturbing ways:

Bridgewater results

Dahle takes Bridgewater by over 6%, which has traditionally been a Ray precinct in House elections. Look at Shieldsville, which Dahle took by 12 percent:

Shieldsville results

Wheeling Township, home of Doug Jones,

oh, not THAT Doug Jones, this Doug Jones is one of Ray’s Republican handlers, the guy who has the award-winning McMansion sprawling across a hilly pasture near Nerstrand… anyway, typically, that’s a township leaning Republican, but here’s the Wheeling vote, exactly equally divided:

Wheeling Township

And look at Ward 2, Precinct 1 of Northfield, looking like a Northfield precinct should, with Dahle getting 73 percent of the vote:

Northfield Ward 2, Pct 1

Ward 2, Precinct 2 is also a strong win for Dahle:

Northfield Ward 2, Pct 2

Ray didn’t take a single precinct in Northfield, where they know him best and where his prior representation of House District 25B apparently didn’t go over too well! Here’s the Secretary of State site so you can look at the County and the Precinct by Precinct numbers:

Secretary of State 1/03/08 SD 25 Election Results

Now, what will the DFL do with this? Does the DFL have the gonads to use their majority, to stand up and turn our wrongheaded policy, particularly energy policy, around?  The whole world is watching… well, at least Minnesota!