Carol Overland - Legalectric

Remember Excelsior Energy‘s boondoggle Mesaba Project?  Go to the PUC’s search page and search for “05-1993” and “06-668” for the dockets.

A little birdie flew by today, cocked its shiny eye and said…

So following up… Does anyone find it strange that as of August 3, 2018, the registered office of Excelsior Energy and its agent, CEO, and Principal Executive Office Address of Tom Micheletti, is  THE ABOVE STORAGE UNIT at 4630 Quebec Avenue North, New Hope, MN 55428?

Last known address: 708 1st St., #421, Minneapolis, sold 2017 for $749,900(verified in Metsa for Congress report, 3/9/2018 donation)… and then there’s Orono: Tom & Julie’s house is for sale.

Did you know that Excelsior Energy got their regulatory perks extended until 2025?!?!  Really, look at this, Minn. Stat. 216B.1694, Subd. 3(b)(1), a 2017 legislative boondoggle!

(1) site and route permits and water appropriation approvals for an innovative energy project must also be deemed valid for a plant meeting the requirements of paragraph (a) and shall remain valid until the earlier later of (i) four years from the date the final required state or federal preconstruction permit is issued or (ii) June 30, 2019 2025; and

Yes, Excelsior Energy was doing their lobbying in 2017.

Julie Jorgensen has been hustling with Greenmark, our good friends Mark Andrews and Red Wing’s ex-Mayor Dennis Egan.  Three Musketeers? Three Stooges?

Then there’s Excelsior Energy Capital.  What’s that?!?!  Well, a Delaware corp registered in Minnesota in August of 2017, and inquiring minds found out their HQ is a BOAT SLIP at 21950 Minnetonka Boulevard, #210, Excelsior, MN.

Really.  Could google maps be wrong?  It’s not international waters, but assuredly … ummmm… well, bizarre!  Look at their TEAM (can you say photoshopped?).  I can’t find direct connections to our friends at Excelsior Energy, but with an operation like this, it’s got to be there!  Searching…

Remember AWA Goodhue’s office?  And Secretary of State lets them get away with this?

Does anyone else think it odd, when solar projects in Wisconsin are in the 2-10MW range, to apply to site the 300MW Badger Hollow solar project when there are no rules?  Yeah, I know, it sounds like Minnesota siting 2,000+ MW of large wind projects with no rules and using small wind standards, way too similar.  But this is real.  300MW of solar is a LOT of solar.  It’s central station solar.  It’s on some of the best ag land in Wisconsin.  And it just happens to be on the route of the proposed Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line!

What to do?  Rulemaking, of course.  Yeah, we know how that goes (PUC denies Reconsideration re: Wind Rulemaking), but without rules, how will they reasonably site this project?  Without rules, how will they reasonably site any solar project?  So of course here we go, the Jewell Jinkins Intervenors’ solar rulemaking petition:

And Wisconsin’s PSC “ERFed” it today.  It’s docket 1-AC-254.  It’s my understanding that a comment period will be announced and then the Commission will decide whether or not to proceed with rulemaking.

This is the Shell Rock River, covered with winter hoar frost today, and part of the DNR’s Shell Rock River State Water Trail, where Freeborn Wind wants to string a transmission line over the river!  Click for larger view:

It’s a State Water Trail – click for larger view:

Doesn’t this just look like the greatest place for transmission across the river?!?!  Good grief, what are they thinking?

Photo of DOE project in Alamosa, under 30 MW

There’s a 300MW solar project proposed for southern Wisconsin, in Iowa County.  Thing is, as with Minnesota and large wind (PUC denies Reconsideration re: Wind Rulemaking), there are no siting rules for solar in Wisconsin!  Really, no rules!  Typically thus far, solar projects are 2-10 MW.  This one proposed is 300MW!  Central station power to put it mildly.

Not only are there no siting rules, but there is no Environmental Impact Statement required for a project covering 3,500 acres!

So on behalf of Jewell Jinkins Intervenors, I’ve just filed this Petition for Rulemaking to get them going on solar rules.

Petition for Rulemaking_JJI_Solar_FINAL_Signed

We shall see what, if anything, they do.

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:

   November 21st, 2018

   October 16th, 2018

   August 24th, 2018

   August 2nd, 2018

   July 30th, 2018

Here ya go, the REAL NEWS of the DC Circuit Emoluments suit:

Emoluments Lawsuit – DC Attorney General’s Page

That’ll keep ya busy for a while, very entertaining!  Particularly:

• Trump Organization Subpoenas (12/04/18)
• Federal Government Subpoenas (12/04/18)
• State of Maine Subpoenas (12/05/18)

hee, hee, hee, hee, hee, hee, SNORT!

Why would he take this route when he technically doesn’t even have to respond, no subpoena power, just a request?  Let’s just make the logical presumption…

From the horse’s … mouth… (click for larger version):

So why is no one talking about all the oil and gas drilling around Cook Inlet where the MASSIVE earthquake was in Alaska?  Primary info HERE!  See for yourself.

Check this video of all the earthquakes in Alaska since the big one.

And as we know, there are seismic impacts:

You can find it here at abebooks.com.

It’s out, the USDA’s RUS EIS for Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission project:

Draft Environmental Impact Statement – November 2018

• Volume 1: Chapter 1-3

• Volume 2: Chapters 4-8, Appendices

From the RUS Notice, how to send in comments and list of public meetings:

RUS page for Environmental Review for Cardinal – Hickory Creek Transmission Line Project – Iowa & Wisconsin

THIS Sunday, December 2, 10 a.m.

Hobgoblin, Red Wing, MN

Cruelty and care: hope for our contradictory relationship with animals

Christine Coughlin Minnesota State Director, The Humane Society of the United States

The majority of Americans have pets and we spend more money than ever on our companion animals.  Our appreciation for wildlife is surging, and our concern for the welfare of animals raised for food is higher than ever.  At the same time, there are inherent cruelties in the ways we relate to millions of animals- in puppy mills, factory farms, and in the wild.

Hope is abundant, as we are experiencing a revolution in the way we view and treat animals, thanks to expanding awareness among consumers, legislators, voters, and business.

Join us to hear about the Humane Society of the United States’ campaigns and work in Minnesota and how you can help build a truly humane society here at home.

Christine Coughlin is the Minnesota State Director for The Humane Society of the United States.

Born and raised in Minnesota, she has been active in the field of animal protection since 2002, with a focus on grassroots legislative campaigns and electoral advocacy.  Christine has served on animal welfare policy task forces for the City of Minneapolis, initiated the biannual publication of MN’s Humane Scorecard, and founded Minnesota Voters for Animal Protection, serving as executive director until 2015, when she joined The Humane Society of the United States.

She is the recipient of the 2017 Kenny Feldman Animal Advocate Award.

In Variety:

White House’s New Press Conference Rules Pose New Problems

It’s appropriate that this be in Variety, as this is an un-reality White House show.

And the rules?

Please be advised of the following rules governing future press conferences:

(1) A journalist called upon to ask a question will ask a single question and then will yield the floor to other journalists;

(2) At the discretion of the President or other White House official taking questions, a follow-up question or questions may be permitted; and where a follow up has been allowed and asked, the questioner will then yield the floor;

(3) “Yielding the floor” includes, when applicable, surrendering the microphone to White House staff for use by the next questioner;

(4) Failure to abide by any of rules (1)-(3) may result in suspension or revocation of the journalist’s hard pass.

On a side note, take a look at the White House site. It used to have clear pages across the top for Press Releases, live broadcasts, and a listing of Executive Orders and Proclamations.  Now?  It’s gone.  It’s available in the upper lefthand corner, the lines which will give you a menu.

I often use this photo, because it represents one simple fact: Sometimes things go off the rails.  Wind siting in Minnesota is one of those things, we have no wind specific siting criteria!

Thursday, December 6th, we’re back at the Commission, where they’ll address Goodhue Wind Truth’s Petition for Reconsideration, or not (and toss it in the circular file).

PUC Notice – Agenda Meeting 12-6-2018

Here’s some background:

Apparently Invenergy doesn’t like the idea that we’re intervening in their Wisconsin dockets.  I guess after Freeborn Wind, it’s not hard to understand why.

Intervention in Badger Hollow HUGE 300 MW solar project docket — approved by the Administrative Law Judge (Docket 9697-CE-100):

Jinkins Jewell Wendhausen_Intervention

Order_Interventions_11-1-2018

And then the related dockets, the transmission line and the acquisition docket, appropriately known as the BS docket, our intervention, their objection, and our response.  The transmission docket (Docket 9697-CE-101):

Jewell Jinkins_101_Intervention_FINAL

9697-CE-101 Badger Hollow – Response to Request for Intervention (Objection!)

Jewell Jinkins Intervenors_101_Reply to Objection

And the acquisition BS docket (Docket 5-BS-228):

Jewell Jinkins_228_Intervention_CORRECTED

Applicant Response to Motion to Intervene (Objection)

Jewell Jinkins Intervenors_228_Reply to Response

Oh, and the Cardinal Hickory Creek 345 kV Transmission Line!  Docket 5-CE-146.

Jewell Jinkins Intervenors_Cardinal-Hickory Creek_Intervention

To look up any of these dockets, go to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission’s Search site, and  plug in the numbers.

Meanwhile, we’re waiting on the Minnesota Commission meeting on Reconsideration for our Rulemaking Petition, and waiting on two orders, project and transmission, for Freeborn Wind.

And around all these filings, I’ve been to band practice, made wild rice and garbanzo salad, and I hear a Ferndale Market turkey calling…

What a long week it’s been!  WHAT?  Tuesday?!?!  No, really?!?!