Legalectric

We know who you are, and we saw what you did… and didn’t!

No surprise.  Today the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission rejected Goodhue Wind Truth’s Petition for Reconsideration of the Commission’s denial of our Petition for Rulemaking.  Rules, who needs rules… about 2,500 MW of wind has been sited in Minnesota WITHOUT LARGE WIND SPECIFIC SITING RULES AND/OR STANDARDS!  Really!  And the Commission doesn’t seem to regard that as a problem.  Large wind is sited using SMALL WIND/COUNTY SITING STANDARDS, not intended for large wind.  And the Commission doesn’t seem to regard that as a problem.  Large wind is sited using MPCA’s industrial noise standards which were admittedly NOT designed with wind in mind.  And the Commission doesn’t seem to regard that as a problem.  Large wind is sited using a Commerce boilerplate site permit with 1,000 foot setbacks and staff has no idea where that 1,000 foot setback came from (it’s contrary to even the small wind standards, and there’s no rule or standard of 1,000 ft!).  And the Commission doesn’t seem to regard that as a problem.

GWT_Reconsideration_FINAL

Here’s the rest of the background information:

Remember when AWA Goodhue and Pickens were pushing that wind project in Goodhue County and accused the local folks of “promiscuous ice fishing” and baiting eagles?  Well, above is what Goodhue Wind Truth’s Marie McNamara had to say about that… and we’re still at it.

A couple months ago, we filed yet another rulemaking petition, this one was the 2nd for wind rulemaking in Minnesota, to address the big holes in Minn. R. Ch. 7854, the wind siting rules.

Petition4Rulemaking_FINAL

The Commission wasn’t thrilled, and denied the petition:

20189-146644-01_Order Denying Petition

DENY THE PETITION?  WHEN THERE ARE NO WIND SITING RULES?  Yeah, right… so here’s what we filed today:

Goodhue Wind Truth_Petition for Reconsideration

Today the Motions for Reconsideration for Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline were due, and here they are:

DoC-DER_20189-146619-01

Dyrdal_20189-146626-01

Friends of the Headwaters_20189-146618-01

MilleLacsBand_20189-146622-01

Red Lake_White Earth_Honor The Earth_20189-146620-01

Young Climate Intervenors_20189-146623-01

Whew, that’s a lot to read, but it’s instructive!!

Here’s the audio and video of the Public Utilities Commission meeting of September 20, 2018, where the Commission decided to deny the Goodhue Wind Truth rulemaking petition and to approve the Freeborn Wind siting permit Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge that the permit be denied, AND to approve the transmission line, for which Freeborn Wind does not have all necessary land rights — note the blue triangles — that represents the underlying fee interest of non-participants.

So, Thursday’s meeting?  Goodhue Wind Truth rulemaking petition and Freeborn Wind siting and transmission permit? Here ya go!

Video (can’t figure out how to download video)

Audio Download

Below the video screen is a list of agenda items.  Click #2 for their rejection of the Goodhue Wind Truth Petition for Rulemaking.  Click on #3 for their approval of the Freeborn Wind Site permit, and #4 for their approval of transmission for Freeborn Wind.  Liberally dose yourself with anti-emetic before watching!

It was a full house yesterday at the PUC but the result was a bust.  The PUC tossed the Freeborn Wind ALJ Recommendation right out the window, did a 180 from the ALJ’s Recommendation and granted a siting permit and transmission permit for Freeborn Wind. There was a last minute “compromise” presented by Freeborn Wind and Commerce, last minute, meaning the DAY BEFORE, and the PUC Staff Briefing papers had 23 pages of an inexplicable chart of proposed adoption and rejection of Exceptions.

20189-146406-01_PUC_StaffBriefingPapers

Through what gyrations will they get their “order” to align with the record? Out with it — let’s see!!

In the STrib:

Minnesota utility regulators approve Freeborn County wind farm opposed by neighbors

In the Albert Lea Tribune:

Commission unanimously approves Freeborn Wind Farm permits

From the article:

Commissioner Katie Sieben said she also supported the project, noting she received a letter in July 2017 from a constituent saying the issue was “tearing neighbors apart.”
“I would hope that as the applicant has modified, has moved wind turbines, has lessened that division,” she said.

Sieben says Freeborn “has moved wind turbines?”  WHERE EVER WOULD SHE GET THAT IDEA?  The application wasn’t modified, wind turbines haven’t been moved.  This just proves she hasn’t read the record.  How many times did Dan Litchfield testify that they couldn’t move any turbines?

And on KIMT TV:

Freeborn Wind Farm approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission