AWA Goodhue’s helicopters and ABPP Comments
January 19th, 2012
Double trouble for AWA – taken in the AWA Goodhue wind project footprint:
to be clear, there are lots and lots of bald eagles here, and there are documented golden eagles too. USFWS has said there are no permits available for golden eagles for this project.
ABPP – that’s Avian and Bat Protection Plan:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources have filed comments on the Avian and Bat Protection Plan. These are MUST READ Comments!
And here is the response to my Data Request to the Board of Animal Health asking for copies of AWA Complaints to Board of Animal Health about Eagle Baiting and the reports of their investigations showing no violations found, that there is no basis for enforcement action:
In the AWA Goodhue wind project footprint, T. Boone Pickens is at it again – the helicopters are flying today:
Does that look like 200 feet?? Is it the same one from Brainerd Helicopter Service?
Here they are by the met tower, that’s 197 feet tall, just enough to keep under the lighting requirement, and the helicopter is just above:
Clients got the call from sheriff and utilized their phone tree to spread the word that AWA Goodhue helicopters would be flying today, notice came in at 10:00 a.m. and helicopter sighted at 10:30 a.m. Sheriff did a good job in notifying as soon as notice came in, but come on AWA, how about letting the landowners know reasonably ahead of time, report it when you book the helicopter??? It’s not that hard!
Here it is near a communications tower – the lights are out on that tower, somebody call maintenance!
Essar Steel in the news
March 30th, 2010
Essar Steel is in the news. Thursday was the “public meeting” on the Supplemental EIS, with THREE DAYS NOTICE, and here are the handouts (whoever said they didn’t give us anything!):
Here’s the Supplemental EIS scoping document to review and comment on:
Comments should be sent to:
Bill Johnson
MN DNR, Division of Ecological Services
Box 25, 500 Lafayette Rd.
St. Paul, Minn., 55155
or
email to: environmentalrev.dnr@state.mn.us
Here’s the poop from MPR:
Essar Steel postpones Nashwauk plant’s opening date
The company says it ran into delays in securing financing, though Essar Steel officials have said they’re still committed to building the plant.
And from the Hibbing Daily Tribune:
Essar informational meeting draws crowd
By Kathryn Kohlhase
Hibbing Daily TribuneNASHWAUK — Area residents are hungry for more information about the Essar Steel Minnesota LLC (ESML) project.
Around 80 people attended Thursday’s ESML informational meeting held at the Nashwauk-Keewatin High School.The meeting was focused on the project’s recently announced modifications and the accompanying Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). Many attended to get an update, while others had questions about the future of the project.
One of the residents living within the ESML right-to-mine area said many favor the project.
“The construction and mining jobs created will be great for the area,” he said. “But there is frustration that comes from the poor communication and missed time lines.”
Comments like these were directed to the comment box at the back of the room.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) SEIS Project Manager Bill Johnson explained the project’s modifications and the resulting SEIS process.
An EIS reviews a proposed project’s description, alternatives, and potential environmental, social and economic impacts, as well as possible mitigation for said impacts. Such reviews must be completed before permitting and construction can begin.
The DNR conducted an EIS process for the Essar project in conjunction with a federal environmental review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Both agencies completed the original EIS in August 2007.
Earlier this month, Essar officials announced a proposal to increase the mine’s annual pellet production from 4.1 to 6.5 million tons.