Legalectric

It’s DONE!  With the Order released today by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, the Clearbrook – Clearbrook West 115 kV transmission line is officially over, AGAIN!  The PUC’s Order was issued earlier this month, and now another today from the Executive Secretary:

PUC Order_withdrawal_201611-126419-01

PUC Executive Secretary Notice and Order 201611-126818-01

Why this second one?  Perhaps because it’s the Executive Secretary who has power to permit withdrawal of the application, not the full Commission that issued that previous order?  Who knows… but hey, that reinforcement can’t hurt@

There’s been another earthquake at Fukushima.  One report says 6.8, 6.9, and another says 7.3.  Aftershocks starting.  Both say tsunami warnings.  This is where we’ve had the worst nuclear disaster, meltdown, contamination, in history, and it’s now going to get worse.

From the Guardian, in Japanese:

Fukushima residents urged to flee as 7.4 magnitude quake in Japan

• Here’s CNN’s live broadcast, no sound sometimes.

Live updates from ABC HERE

Daniel Smith reports (UPDATE – cooling equipment back online):

Cooling equipment stopped in power plant 

According to NHK, cooling equipment for the spent nuclear fuel pool in the reactor No. 3 of Tepco’s Fukushima No. 2 power plant has stopped. But the water in the pool is currently enough to keep it cool, NHK reports.

The nuclear regulatory agency says that so far, the cooling water has not leaked out, and Tepco are preparing to resume operation of the cooling system within an hour or two.

The water supply has stopped, however, the nuclear regulatory agency says that so far no abnormalities have been observed.

Japan earthquake: 7.3 magnitude quake strikes off Fukushima – tsunami warning issued

Earthquake near Fukushima triggers small tsunami and shakes buildings in Tokyo

Japan earthquake: 6.9 magnitude quake prompts tsunami warning …

Magnitude 7.3 Earthquake Strikes Off Fukushima in Japan, Tsunami Warning Issued

There was a Wisconsin focused EPA “listening session” last Tuesday in Eau Claire, and I received an email today urging comments be sent to the EPA.  Didn’t notice that this was happening, GRRRRRRRRR.  But in the request for comments, there’s little info on what to focus on, other than “water.”  Hmmmm… I’m letting my imagination run wild, as in, “well… that’s a deep subject!”

Here’s a video of the session via Steve Hanson’s blog:

EPA Water Listening Session in Eau Claire

The EPA, and particularly Region 5, needs a lot of pressure now, after Region 5’s Susan Hedman’s “Flint failure” and her subsequent resignation.  As we know, Drumpf wants to dismantle the EPA, which has long been on the Republican agenda.  So we need not only pressure, but support and funding for EPA to be able to do its job, and active resistance to Myron Ebell, Drumpf’s EPA appointment.

Add to that the EPA’s delegation of much of its regulatory activities to the states (delegation primer here), in Minnesota air quality regulation is delegated to the Pollution Control Agency, and we see the state has a role as well.  In Minnesota, there were funding cuts, so extreme that there’s a backlog of expires air permits, and those air permits are unlikely to be reissued under current regulations, so the emissions go on and on, allowed if the operator/owner files for a permit renewal.  This is the case with Xcel’s Red Wing garbage burner, where the permit expired in 2009.  It’s one example of hundreds here in Minnesota, where the MPCA has authority via EPA delegation.

This Wisconsin “listening session” comes at a time when Wisconsin’s DNR has been stripped of funding, employees, and authority by Walker’s administration.  What’s left?  The state agency is hobbled — that’s one of the primary issues!

Regarding Wisconsin, I think the thing to do is to demand that EPA take back regulatory authority because Wisconsin is unwilling and unable to do the job!

Here are examples:

EPA Page – NPDES Petition for Program Withdrawal in Minnesota

EPA Page – NPDES Petition for Program Withdrawal in Wisconsin

Here’s contact info for the EPA, from the EPA site:

Use this link to comment form to send the a comment or question, or send email to r5hotline@epa.gov.
If you’d like a reply, please tell the EPA how to reach you.

Mailing Address:

US EPA Region 5
77 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604

Do let them know what you think!

Simple task of the day — tell the Trump Transition Team (such as it is) to keep Stephen Bannon away from the White House. “White House Chief Strategist” is no place for a white supremacist — there is no place in the White House for a white supremacist.

Here’s the link to Drumpf’s Transition Team website for comments:

https://apply.ptt.gov/yourstory/

Get on your Senators and Representatives too:

CONTACT LINKS FOR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES HERE

Hate incidents, also knows as “The Trump Effect” are being tracked, big job, way too many, and it’s being updated constantly.  One more in Minnesota, from the STrib:

Snapchat pic of dead deer, N-word has attention of Maple Grove Police

This is happening so often now, and here’s the list that was posted today:

Post-Election 2016 Hate Incidents (spreadsheet)

From Southern Poverty Law Center:

Terror from the Right