They’re starting construction, too early, not following procedures, and yes, starting to move ground around, and, well, not doing a great job of it. That’s a matter for another day.

Association of Freeborn County Landowners has filed its Motion for Reconsideration, and Xcel Energy has filed their response:

Someday soon the Public Utilities Commission will give Notice and have a meeting about this… if not, in 60 days, our Reconsideration will be deemed denied, and it’s off to the Appellate Court once again!

“Free marketers,” duck and cover. And utilities, contractors, get ready… Just in, for Public Inspection, will be released Monday:

The gist of it is that utility infrastructure and equipment should not be coming in from other countries, particularly “adversaries.” Threat? What threat?

From the E.O., p. 2-3:

I further find that the unrestricted acquisition or use in the United States of
bulk-power system electric equipment designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of foreign adversaries augments the ability of foreign adversaries to create and exploit vulnerabilities in bulk-power system electric equipment, with potentially catastrophic effects. I therefore determine that the unrestricted foreign supply of bulk-power system electric equipment constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, which has its source in whole or in substantial part outside the United States. This threat exists both in the case of individual acquisitions and when acquisitions are considered as a class. Although maintaining an open investment climate in bulk-power system electric equipment, and in the United States economy more generally, is important for the overall growth and prosperity of the United States, such openness must be balanced with the need to protect our Nation against a critical national security threat. To address this threat, additional steps are required to protect the security, integrity, and reliability of bulk-power system electric equipment used in the United States. In light of these findings, I hereby declare a national emergency with respect to the threat to the United States bulk-power system.

WHAT?!?!

COVID NEGATIVE

April 5th, 2020

Results came in a couple days ago. NEGATIVE! For now… but the sinus crap is lingering on, and on, and on… that is SO frustrating.

Rx: Continued isolation, RARE trips out for essential stuff, and wait it out.

Times like this, I’m glad to work from home, though I miss the trips to meet with clients!

UPDATE: MO and AL now have STAY AT HOME ORDERS!

Agitating project for today in quarantine — contact all the pink and grey states on this map. Message? “LOCKDOWN NOW! You’re putting your state’s people at risk, and increasing infection, sickness, and deaths. Just do it — issue stay-at-home order NOW!”

What the hell is wrong with these states? And this is one reason why we need honest and ethical leadership at federal level.

Fauci: I don’t understand why all states are not under stay-at-home orders

Well, it’s called federal lack of leadership. Most states have stay-at-home orders, I was on Gov. Walz to do that, and we should have done it before Wisconsin, but at least he did do it. Now, on to these others, some of which have local stay-at-home but no STATEWIDE stay at home. Missouri and Alabama now have STAY HOME Orders. Come on, Governors, just do it:

Contact Arkansas Governor

Contact Iowa Governor

Contact Nebraska Governor

Contact North Dakota Governor

Contact Oklahoma Governor

Contact South Carolina Governor

Contact South Dakota Governor

Contact Utah Governor

Contact Wyoming Governor

It’s out, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission’s Order both rejecting Association of Freeborn County Landowners’ Petition for Environmental Assessment Worksheet and approving the Xcel Energy site permit amendment.

The Commission meeting amending Xcel Energy’s permit as requested was back on December 19, 2019, and the Commission’s deliberation and “decision” rejecting the AFCL Petition for an EAW was February 6, 2020:

VIEW WEBCAST HERE!

Per the EQB rules (Minn. R. 4410.1100, Subp. 6), the Commission was supposed to issue an Order and Record of Decision WAY BACK, but didn’t. We appealed their “decision.”

AFCL appeals PUC denial of EAW Petition

This new order (20203-161639-01_Order-Site Permit Amendment and Denial of AFCL Petition for EAW) has many statements, some pretty wild ones, but I don’t see what ought to be there.

It’s time to get out the magnifying glass for a careful read. AFCL, this means all of us!!!