Time to subpoena Mike Bull!!!
December 21st, 2010
Let me see if I understand this… we’ve got Ingrid Bjorklund, a wind industry lobbyist/employee now Commerce employee and Deb Pile, also Commerce, using Affidavits to argue LEGISLATIVE intent based on statements by Mike Bull, Commerce employee working under Pawlenty’s roof now working for Xcel. EH? LEGISLATIVE intent based on industry lobbyist/employee & Exec agency employee hearsay affidavits of Pawlenty’s Energy Boy. Where’s the LEGISLATURE in legislative intent? And what does Mike Bull have to say about this?
Duck and cover, Mikey! Commerce has trained their sights on you!
HUH? What’s going on? Well, we just had a deadline for submittals in response to the First Prehearing Order in the AWA Goodhue Wind contested case regarding application of Goodhue County’s Wind Ordinance. for the whole docket, go to www.puc.state.mn.us and click on “Search eDockets” and search for docket 08-1233.
Here’s the prelude to yesterday’s filings:
Staff Chart of Differences between Goodhue Ordinance & State Standards prepared for PUC Chair Boyd
After a Prehearing Conference and the ALJ’s request for our positions in this case, we submitted memos and then the ALJ issued a Prehearing Order:
In that order we were asked to set out the differences between county and state standards; whether county ordinance is a conflict, supplement, or something new; whether it should be applicable to this project; material facts regarding this issue; and what evidence we’d introduce. and here’s what was filed — where’s everybody else? Anyway, read the Deb Pile and Ingrid Bjorklund Affidavits and note who’s sayin’ what, whose interests are at issue, whose intent is couched as “LEGISLATIVE” intent, and while you’re at it, ask just what role they had at that time. Seems to me they’re putting it all on Mikey Bull. Hey Mikey?!?! Get ready!
Goodhue Wind Truth 2nd Prehearing Memo
Belle Creek Township 2nd Prehearing Memo
MOES Comments – PUC Briefing Papers on Goodhue
Goodhue Wind at the PUC yesterday
October 22nd, 2010
Wow, what a day… with an exciting turn of events that tells me that the issues raised by Goodhue Wind Truth are being taken seriously.
In the Beagle this morning:
It turned on the Goodhue County Wind Ordinance, passed in early October:
Everyone’s taking this seriously, except MOES of course:
… where they said:
OES EFP staff is not able to provide any additional information about what may have transpired in Goodhue County regarding development of regulations and would refer the Commission to the appropriate representative of Goodhue County for additional information.
GIVE ME A BREAK!!! Of course it’s good to go to the source for information, but to state that “OES EFP staff is not able to provide any additional information about what may have transpired in Goodhue County regarding development of regulations” is beyond absurd. I was at the Subcommittee meeting that Deb Pile, OES EFP, attended, and in the discussion that ensued, it was stated that there had been ongoing discussions between county staff and subcommittee members (and I think at least one County Board member), and all the county subcommittee, Planning Commission and County Board information had been filed by Goodhue Wind Truth and probably other parties as well.
The bottom line is that they] Minnesota Public Utilities Commission put the Certificate of Need (09-1186) on hold, and sent the Siting Permit (08-1233) over to OAH for a hearing, Findings of Fact and Recommendation, on the Goodhue County Ordinance. Specifically, to build a factual record regarding whether the PUC should adopt the Goodhue County standards, the question of good cause, and to examine whether there is sufficient scientific evidence to support a 10 Rotor Diameter setback.
But let’s not get too excited — the PUC’s intent and the result could go either way. Hard to tell whether this is a fishing expedition to scrounge up “good cause” to IGNORE the ordinance or whether it’s butt covering to make sure they’ve got a supportable decision if they DO implement the Ordinance in the permit, but it means more work for us and dashed hopes of getting permits by year end for the applicant. It was a roller coaster all day long, I felt good about it going in because Goodhue Wind Truth has done such a good job of making their case, my bet was that it would be good for us, but THE SUSPENSE…
…and Todd Guererro, representing AWA Goodhue, or whatever their name is, he paced a rut in the back of the room yesterday. I’m sure they’re spinning, saying “HEY! Where’d that come from?!?!?!”
The best part for me was Goodhue County’s presentation. You all know I’ve had serious problems with Goodhue County since Nuclear Waste Daze, and that’s a story for another day, or perhaps the book… but yesterday the County, as a united front explaining their Ordinance, was very impressive. Each County representative there told a part of the story, detailing the county’s long process in wrestling with the ordinance, the purpose, the intent, in a way that was impossible for the PUC to ignore.
To look at the full dockets, go to www.puc.state.mn.us and then to “Search eDockets” and then search for dockets “08-1233” and “09-1186” for the rest of the story.
So what to do? Well, that’s simple — keep on it.
And I wish the PUC would order some nitrous oxide for that “security” guard, the way he glares is enough to chill public participation — and that the PUC thinks that having a security guard is necessary, or appropriate, is disturbing.
In the Rochester Post Bulletin:
Commission deals setback to Goodhue Wind project
By Brett Boese
The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN“I think you could buy Goodhue Wind stock pretty cheap right now,” Ryan quipped.
Goodhue Wind files application
October 26th, 2009
Here we go… Goodhue Wind, LLC has filed an application.
To see the docket, go to www.puc.state.mn.us and search for docket “08-1233.”
It came in the mail today, and I looked at the service list, and I don’t think these guys are very interested in public relations or being good neighbors.
I’m the only non-industry wonk on the service list, no one, not one of the many people who have expressed interest in this project, not one of the many people in the area who have filed comments on various dockets, not one of the many people who attended the wind meeting in Wanamingo a few months ago, NONE were included on the service list.
Let’s see, they first filed this sucker a year ago… and now they’re getting around to filing an amended application.
I’ll post links here soon…
Some of those are pretty big, and the “B-F” wouldn’t reduce, so it’s a link. Oh well…