A Most Bizarre PUC Meeting!
July 17th, 2020
Freeborn Wind was on the Commission’s agenda yesterday:
Note the narrow issue, “What actions should the Commission take regarding the April 21, 2020 Request to Amend the Site Permit with a Special Condition?“
Suffice it to say, the meeting went off the rails… You have to listen to this to believe it (this old fart managed to youtube it!). Commissioner John Tuma’s going rogue moment is forever preserved:
The day before, less than 24 hours before the meeting, Commissioner Tuma filed this, and note, it was eFiled, but it was not served, was NOT on the agenda, was not related to the agenda item for this docket, and was only received by subscription, no 10 day notice, and no notice to Oakland and London townships, and parties had NO opportunity to participate in this “discussion” of Tuma’s “Motion” to pre-empt local control (earth to Mars, Minn. Stat. 216E.08, Subd. 2 anyone?):
So, on that note…
… and from Oakland and London townships:
And my comments to “Host” as this was going on, and again, we were shut out:
Listen to the snippet of the meeting, above, OMFD!
PUC’s Line 3 EIS INADEQUATE!
June 3rd, 2019
Inadequate — and REMANDED! Here’s the Appellate Court decision, just out:
Bottom line:
However, the commission acted in a manner unsupported by substantial evidence and arbitrary and capricious when it determined the FEIS adequate despite its failure to address the issue—raised during scoping and in public comments on the DEIS—of how an oil spill from Enbridge’s Line 3 project would impact Lake Superior and its watershed. Accordingly, we reverse the commission’s adequacy decision and remand for further proceedings consistent with this decision.
Love it when that happens…
Seen on I-35 last night, right across from Cabelas
Last week, I saw the above sign on I-35 across from Cabelas. Today, Sunday, I saw another, just north of the Clarks Grove/251 exit, between the 19 and 20 mile markers. I’d guess with these two, there’d also be ones along I-90. There’s another one on Main in Albert Lea, near the lake; and another eastbound on I-90 near Hwy. 46 exit by Austin. Anyone see other billboards?
Where is Center of the American Experiment getting the money for this disinformation campaign? You may ask why I say “disinformation campaign.” Read on…
Check this out, the “report” they keep recycling:
Legalectric post from October:
Adding Power Purchase Agreement cost AND overnight cost (cost of developing and constructing) will of course be higher — you can’t have it both ways — pick one or the other!
Who benefits by CAE making arguments that don’t hold up to 30 seconds of research? CAE does of course, they’re filling their coffers. But they’re just on this because the funders want this result. The funders? I don’t presume that it’s as simple an answer as “The Koch Bros.” The false claims they use tells me it’s more nuanced, because they’re setting people up. Those who are sucked in to these arguments, who buy into these false claims, will be shot down by regulators and legislators who know the truth of what goes into rates, and who understand that CO2 reduction only happens by reducing burning, DOH! (not by increasing wind, increasing wind only changes the percentages). They’re sabotaging legitimate issues with wind siting, and they’re ignoring the groundbreaking recent demonstrations that wind projects DO violate the noise related permit conditions and Minnesota’s noise rule (Minn. Ch. 7030). They’re ignoring that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission HAS ordered the violators to take action (too late, not enough, but a start). When there are legitimate issues, why would they ignore them and go for fake news? Why release the bogus CAE report a month after the Bent Tree Phase I report comes out? Hmmmmmmmm…
REAL NEWS:
Bent Tree_Noise Monitoring Phase I_20179-135856-01
Bent Tree Post-Construction Noise Monitoring Report Phase II Report
REAL NEWS: Freeborn Wind project is first ever wind siting contested case! For info, go HERE and search for docket “17” (year) “410” (docket number). Good reading!
These Minnesota Public Utilities Commission actions should be well known to CAE if they’re going to be doing a campaign like this. CAE should be spreading this info far and wide… but noooooo….
An example — the day before yesterday at the legislature, there they are touting this report again:
American Experiment Testifies in Front of MN House of Representatives Committee on Job Growth and Energy Affordability Policy on Wind Energy
Soooo, who benefits? Who benefits from CAE’s big PR push? Who benefits from uninformed people jumping on the CAE bandwagon, only to lose their credibility by spewing these CAE bogus arguments? I think this is a very well crafted disinformation campaign. Who is paying for it? Usually the Wizard is Xcel Energy, manipulating behind the scenes, spreading money far and wide to whoever will take it. Here? We shall see… And is any of this related to Senate File 3504/House File 3708 (they are identical) introduced on March 15th and 12th 2018?? Circumventing the PUC to get instant rate recovery for rehab of Prairie Island nuclear plant? We know how Monticello came in at twice the cost. How would that go here? PUC review of that might hamper Xcel. Can’t have that, can we… and we know CAE loves nuclear.
Registrant ContactName: Peter ZellerOrganization: Center of the American ExperimentStreet: 8421 Wayzata Blvd., Ste. 110City: Golden ValleyState: MNPostal Code: 55426Country: USPhone: +1.6123383605
Email:@americanexperiment.org
Comment period on HERC PPA Amendment
August 22nd, 2017
That’s the HERC garbage burner, known to some as the “Hennepin Energy Recovery Center.” It’s right next to the new baseball field, so I made a “HERC Hanky” as schnozz cover in the stands.
Xcel now wants to revise the HERC Power Purchase Agreement and lower the price it pays HERC for electricity.
Hmmmmm, changing the rules in the middle of the game. Burning garbage has never been an economically winning proposition. Cut the rate? What will that mean for Hennepin County? As of a few minutes ago, the Public Utilities Commission announced a comment period on this change:
Comments? About what?
Initial Comments are due by 4:30 p.m. on September 11, 2017. eFiling is preferred. To eFile comments, go HERE TO REGISTER. It’s simple and fast. When you file, file under docket number 17 – 532 (that’s 17 for “year” and 532 for “docket number”)
Note the Commission asks, “Are there other project-related issues or concerns?” Well, what’s wrong with HERC and burning? For a long time this has been an issue for Neighbors Organizing for Change, Neighbors Against the Burner, Minneapolis Neighbors for Clean Air (wayback version), and the Sierra Club and the push to increase tonnage burned was successfully brought to a screeching halt by these groups and the folks of Minneapolis! You can find some general information at Alan Muller’s site. Alan reports that the HERC air permit expired something like 8 years ago, not uncommon. Most Minnesota air permits are expired and the MPCA isn’t doing much about it.
Some specifics on the tonnage burning increase request that was foiled:
Remember this? “The Burning Question” way back in 2013? Let’s get real, burning garbage isn’t a question!!!
Tuesday 9/17 – Dr. Paul Connett at Mayflower Church
Who is paying attention to this now?
Rulemaking Initial Comments – Minn. R. Ch. 7849 and 7850
May 12th, 2017
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission rulemaking for Minn. R. Ch. 7849, Certificate of Need, and 7850, Routing and Siting, is slowly moving forward. Here are the final drafts up for review before they go to the Commission for a rubber stamp and release for general comment:
Final initial comments on drafts were due on Monday and here they are, in alphabetical order:
20175-131687-01_Goodhue Wind Truth – Marie McNamara
20175-131650-01-1_Great River Energy
20175-131683_ITC Comments and Attachments
20175-131686-01_NoCapX – U-CAN – NRG & GWT
Reply comments are due by 4:30 p.m. on May 31, 2017. eFiling is preferred! If you need to register to eFile, GO HERE! It’s easy, quick, and makes filing a breeze. Get to work — there’s a lot here to comment on!