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!
Comments due – Minn. R. Ch. 7849 & 7850 Rulemaking
May 1st, 2017
Comments on the Minn. R. Ch. 7849 and 7850 rulemaking are due next Monday! Are you making any progress? Info on who, what, where, why, when of filing comments is here:
What to comment on? 
Here are the latest draft rules:
Get to it!
Thursday – Annual Power Plant Siting Act Hearing
December 27th, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 1:00 p.m.
PUC – 3rd Floor Large Hearing Room
121 – 7th Place East
St. Paul, MN
Got that? Now QUICK! QUICK – put together your comments and let the PUC know just what you think of the Power Plant Siting Act.
Here’s what they suggested for last year, because this year, no suggestions, so let’s recycle and reuse:
l. In Chapter 216E, the Legislature directs the Commission to locate large electric power facilities so that any siting is orderly, efficient and compatible with environmental preservation. How well do the Commission’s procedures and practices meet these mandates?
2. How well do the regulations found in Minnesota Rules Part 7850 meet the mandates of Chapter 2l6E? Which rules, if any, should the Commission consider revising?
3. How well do the regulations found in Minnesota Rules Part 1405 meet the mandates of Chapter 216E? Which rules, if any, should the Commission consider revising?
Comments are invited through presentation of oral or written statements.
Written comments are due 4:30 p.m. on February 1, 2012 – REFERENCE DOCKET E999-/M-11-324 and send to:
Eric L. Lipman Office of Administrative Hearings P.O. Box 64620 St.Paul, MN 55164-0620 Eric.Lipman@state.mn.usAnd here are comments from past years – for guidance, check these out:
2006 Report to PUC – Docket 06-1733
2007 Report to PUC – Docket 07-1579
2008 Report to PUC – Docket 08-1426
2009 Report to PUC – Docket 09-1351
2010 Lipman Report to PUC – Comments Summary – Docket 10-222
For Hearing Exhibits, go to www.puc.state.mn.us, search docket 10-222
Now’s the time!
Annual Hearing – Power Plant Siting Act
December 23rd, 2010
Mark 10:00 a.m. on December 28, 2010 on your calendar!
Notice – Additional Information – 2010 Annual Power Plant Annual Siting Act Hearing
10:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 28, 2010
PUC Large Hearing Room – 3rd Floor
121 – 7th Place E.
St. Paul, MN 55101
It happens once a year, the Annual Power Plant Siting Act Hearing, which is our opportunity to tell them a thing or two, specifically what works and does not work about the Power Plant Siting Act. If you’re affected by CapX 2020 transmission or other utility infrastructure, you sure know what DOESN’T work!!! This is the time to let them know in technicolor, and to put together your legislative agenda for the coming session.
What’s new here is that they’re holding it before Eric Lipman, Administrative Law Judge, and are soliciting comments on specific questions:
l. In Chapter 216E, the Legislature directs the Commission to locate large electric power
facilities so that any siting is orderly, efficient and compatible with environmental
preservation. How well do the Commission’s procedures and practices meet these
mandates?2. How well do the regulations found in Minnesota Rules Part 7850 meet the mandates of
Chapter 2l6E? Which rules, if any, should the Commission consider revising?
3. How well do the regulations found in Minnesota Rules Part 1405 meet the mandates of
Chapter 216E? Which rules, if any, should the Commission consider revising?
Comments are invited through presentation of oral or written statements.
Written statements may also be submitted to Judge Lipman by the close of business on February 1,2011 . I’ll post the email address they’re using for this after the hearing or if I get it sooner.
We’ve been doing this for a while, here are the notes and reports to EQB/PUC — where there are no “Summary” notes, there were none online. I’ve also noticed that the exhibits that the Reports say are attached are not, and yet if I go back to the docket, they are attached there (see 2007, taken from PUC eDockets, not Commerce site, which is missing the exhibits). To look at the full PUC eDocket for a particular year, look below for docket numbers, and then go to www.puc.state.mn.us and click “Search eDockets” and plug in the docket number.
2006 Report to PUC – Docket 06-1733
2007 Report to PUC – Docket 07-1579
2008 Report to PUC – Docket 08-1426
2009 Report to PUC – Docket 09-1351
Here’s the law that’s the basis for it:
216E.07 ANNUAL HEARING.
The commission shall hold an annual public hearing at a time and place prescribed by rule in order to afford interested persons an opportunity to be heard regarding any matters relating to the siting of large electric generating power plants and routing of high-voltage transmission lines. At the meeting, the commission shall advise the public of the permits issued by the commission in the past year. The commission shall provide at least ten days but no more than 45 days’ notice of the annual meeting by mailing or serving electronically, as provided in section 216.17, a notice to those persons who have requested notice and by publication in the EQB Monitor and the commission’s weekly calendar.
History: 1973 c 591 s 8; 1975 c 271 s 6; 1977 c 439 s 11; 1980 c 615 s 60; 1982 c 424 s 130; 1984 c 640 s 32; 2001 c 212 art 7 s 17; 2005 c 97 art 3 s 9; 2007 c 10 s 12
Power Plant Siting Act Annual Hearing
January 2nd, 2009
The Annual Hearing for the Power Plant Siting Act was on Tuesday, it was a LONG trip to get there, including an alternator that died, and was resurrected after the rebuilt one didn’t work, rebuilt from the new and the old in the back of the Subaru in a parking lot in Everett, PA. The good news is that the room was full — but why are so many people going to this and NOT SAYING ANYTHING? What’s that about?
Anyway, Comments are due on February 2, 2009, Groundhog Day. Send Comments on how you think the PPSA is and is not working to:
Bob Cupit
Public Utilities Commission
101 E. 7th Place, Suite 300
St. Paul, MN 55101
or email to bob.cupit [at] state.mn.us
The Power Plant Siting Act was part of Minn. Stat. Ch. 116C, but now it’s 216E…
Here’s the point of the PPSA Annual Hearing: