Legalectric

Here we go again. The DOE has announced another round of National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors and maybe coming to your community!

The most important info isn’t published yet, but once it is, and we know all the details:

The Notice of Intent and Request for Information: Designation of National Interest Electric
Transmission Corridors will be published May 15, 2023, at that time, the blanks will be filled in:

WHAT THE HELL IS GEORGE SNYDER TALKING ABOUT?

THERE IS NO “FIRM OFFER” TO BLUE WATER FROM CANNON FALLS. GEORGE SNYDER, YOU GET THE GONG!

Sent to Cannon Falls for info on Blue Water Farms:

Just now received from Cannon Falls — PROJECT TABLED DUE TO LACK OF INFO:

To City of Lakeville regarding Blue Water Farms:

Still waiting on Red Wing regarding Blue Water Farms:

Why? Because two Letters to the Editor, including one by the Mayor of Red Wing, claim that “Red Wing is poised to lose yet another amazing business opportunity,” “Blue Water Farms must consider firm offers from Cannon Falls and Lakeville due to the subcommittee’s two-year stall,” and that “several communities are waiting in the wings.” Is this true? Let’s find out…

This really isn’t that complicated… but the opponents to installing EV are arguing all possible sides, saying that this should not be on the public, it should not be a government project, that it should be a private enterprise and yet that the private enterprise should not be allowed to make money, and add the tired arguments that we shouldn’t be jumping in ahead of the market/technology.

Jump to agenda items on R side of screen:

https://redwingmn.portal.civicclerk.com/event/21/media

Oh, please, just get this moving…

And that was after Charter Commission appointments, which was unreal… (starts about 54:40):

https://redwingmn.portal.civicclerk.com/event/21/media

… with the most pregnant pause when Council members had to be reminded of their own Rules and Procedures, that if member asked, matters to be taken one at a time. Had none of them read the Rules and Procedures they just passed?

Whew! Got this done early too!

And that noise modeling that is SO off, really, p. 18 & 19, they did this, 0.6 and 1.0 ground factor!!!

Nope, not OK, this needs a do over, resubmit corrected modeling, with notice for public review and comment.

Here’s a post with the primary documents for you to check out and COMMENT ON!

Lava Ridge wind DEIS deadline now 4/20

Comments are due on Magic Valley’s Lava Ridge wind project adjacent to the Minidoka National Historical Site. I’d thought the due date was still April 5, and am SO relieved that it’s not until April 20! Still need to get them in so others will know what’s been done in Minnesota, increased setbacks near Jeffers Petroglyphs historic site. Despite the reprieve, it’s time to get on it, have a good start, but not enough.

Friends of Minidoka have done a good job of raising issues and awareness:

The debate begins: The Lava Ridge Wind Project would double the amount of wind energy produced in Idaho. But at what cost?

Lava Ridge Wind Project faces criticism

As always, working from home, but today home is a bit down the road, 60s-70s, gentle breeze and lots of sun. Is this beautiful or what! Well, GUSTS if serious wind, the tent poles are coming out of the snap holes AAACK!

It was a rough trip down, I’m feeling all the years and can’t drive all night anymore. The 13.5 hours down to Liberal was a stretch. And something I’d forgotten, if I’ve not done serious driving for a while, my eye muscles hurt, too much to even read. It took two days to recover from that. Joys of oldfartdom. Couldn’t focus to read, couldn’t work even if I wanted to!

Super high winds through KS and OK were reminiscent of dustbowl days, a flap of trim under the doors almost came off, so belted it on. It is SO dry there, extreme fire danger. Another thing, very few cows, comparatively, and it doesn’t smell like it used to. Way back when, if I just couldn’t go further and I’d park the truck to snooze, truck off and windows cracked open, even if just for a few hours, it would take a week to get all the flies and the stench out.

Through Kansas and Oklahoma at night, the numbers of FAA lights visible was stunning, thousands, and I’m not exaggerating. Need to find a map of turbines, it’s so extreme, as far as the eye can see, both ways.

Anyway, Lava Ridge DEIS is out, see link below for the docs. Comments are due, and here’s a link to the primary documentation (the project developer is sending regular emails, a “what we’re really saying” and “here’s the REAL poop” sort, which I save, and will use to review what’s important to them. Here’s the DEIS on Legalectric:

Lava Ridge wind DEIS deadline now 4/20

I hear breakfast calling, gotta let everything charge up. And then back to the office:

As if it were that easy — I was inside and the wind suddenly picked up and instantly the whole tent was flapping violently and tipped at a 45+ degree angle! I jumped in the bigger room and pushed it back in place and held it for a few seconds until the wind died down. The ranger was raking the site next door, and he said it was a dust devil, usually they come from the west and don’t get this far, and he couldn’t tell where this came from. Oh, was that unnerving. Had to run around and stake everything back down again, glad I’d spent the time to add extra stakes and guy everything down yesterday! Poor Sadie is awfully nervous. That was an awfully close call!