Legalectric

No, unfortunately it is NOT about the beer.  The Grain Belt Express Transmission Line is moving forward, now in Missouri.  Yesterday they filed their “application” and I’ve never seen anything so light on substance.  But there’s more… A big pile o’ testimony was filed yesterday, and today there’s the first prehearing order, setting an intervention deadline of April 25, 2014.

Missouri Public Service Commission Code of State Regulations

Missouri CSR – Chapter 2 – Practice and Procedure

Missouri CSR – Chapter 3 – Filing and Reporting Requirements

Missouri CSR – Chapter 4 – Code of Conduct (i.e., ex parte!)

To keep up with the docket CLICK HERE and plug in “EA-2014-0207” and you’ll get all the filings — here’s what’s been filed thus far:

Last night at the Red Wing City Council meeting, the Council voted to tear down the City’s incinerator.

Don’t ignore big burning issue

CLICK HERE TO HEAR THE DISCUSSION (they take a break, restarts at 38:50):

And not a moment too soon:

WHO – 7 million premature deaths annually linked to air pollution

One down… Now it’s time to shut down Xcel Energy’s two unit garbage burner!  This is a view from the bluff just above our 8th Street house!

Rep. Frank Hornstein and Sen. Vicki Jensen have introduced three bills related to rail safety, triggered by the recent Bakken oil rail car derailments and explosions.

Here’s a pdf with clickable links to check out the specific language and status:

2014 Bakken Oil Rail Safety Bills pdf

TO DO: Contact House Committee members and urge passage:

In the House, all the bills have been referred to Transportation Finance (HF 3134 after a trip through the Transportation Policy and Public Safety committees), so now we’ve got to contact those in Transportation Finance to move HF 3133, HF 3134 & HF 3135 on to the House floor — it’s Frank’s committee so he shouldn’t have any trouble getting a hearing!!!  Contact info for House Finance members HERE!

TO DO: Contact Senate Committee members and urge passage:

In the Senate, two have been referred to Transportation and Public Safety (SF 2795 and SF 2796), and one to Environment and Energy (SF 2797).  Contact info for Transportation and Public Safety HERE!  Sen. Scott Dibble is Chair so there should be no problem getting a hearing here either!!  Contact info for Environment and Energy HERE!

Senate Transportation and Public Safety Committee will hear them tomorrow:

     Wednesday, March 26, 2014

     Committee on Transportation and Public Safety
     Chair: Sen. D. Scott Dibble
03:00 PM
Room 15 Capitol

Something very noticeable here in this district is that Rep. Matt Kelley and Rep. Steve Drazkowski have not signed on.  ????  This is a huge issue for those of us along the Mississippi with the rail line running right through town.

TO DO: Contact these legislators along the tracks and urge them to sign on (and also those towards Fargo too, don’t know where the train runs there):

Reps: rep.tim.kelly@house.mn (21A); rep.steve.drazkowski@house.mn (21B); rep.gene.pelowski@house.mn (28A); rep.greg.davids@house.mn (28B); rep.pat.garofalo@house.mn (58B).

Senators: sen.jeremy.miller@senate.mn (28); sen.dave.thompson@senate.mn (58).

Why aren’t state Representatives and Senators in SE Minnesota acting on this explosive issue?

Here are notes from a City of Red Wing meeting with CP on March 17th:

Red Wing Mtg with CP_Pages 87-88 from 11_-_Attachment

Sure, it’s Sheldon Johnson’s birthday, but check this amendment coming up in committee today:

Maybe introduce this NEXT Tuesday too???

No, not that kind of MISO, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or is it Midwest Energy, or…  (they’ve been changing the name lately) anyway, it’s the electric market kind of MISO:

MISO LMP Map — great wallpaper

They’re having a shindig at the Minnesota MISO HQ:

Here’s the Notice:

MISO Quarterly Meeting Notice 03-10-2014

Where it talks about the “MISO report” that is to be reviewed, here’s what they’re referring to:

OMS/MISO Resource Adequacy Survey Update

And apparently this is being constantly updated, so the link is the most recent update.