The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission final Order Granting a Certificate of Need for the Great Northern Transmission Line has been posted and served… it’s OFFICIAL. The clock for Motion for Reconsideration starts ticking, there’s 20 days to file a Motion. July 20, 2015!
The Order in writing usually seems different than what was talked about, mostly in the narrative to how they get to the bottom line, so let’s read!
Filed under Certificate of Need, PUC Filings
Some may think it a petty point, but there is a difference between hearings and meetings, and the DOE seems to get that. Our Minnesota Department of Commerce isn’t concerned, but they are so wrong on this.
Here’s the DOE’s notice that the DEIS has been released, which includes notice of DOE HEARINGS.
From KDAL:
From Duluth News Tribune:
Whew… now on to bigger battles…
Here are the routing options over Scenic Hwy. 7:
As an aside: Hydro’s man with the power stepping down
Filed under DOE (Dept of Energy), Environmental Review, Hearings
Hot off the press, the DOE is holding DEIS HEARINGS for the Great Northern Transmission Line:
FINAL DOE Response Letter to Overland_June 23_2015_GNTL inquiry to DOE and MN DOC-1 (oops, didn’t post this one previously — and it’s the important one!!)
The Minnesota Department of Commerce has taken to holding public “meetings” when there’s an opportunity to comment on a DEIS, but that’s NOT sufficient, and I’ve been raising that issue for years now, particularly in our rulemaking docket, Minn. R. Ch. 7850. Here we have a joint EIS with the Minnesota Dept. of Commerce and the DOE’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.
Here’s their joint initial filed notice, and notice the title:
With DOE involvement, I’d expected public hearings, and so filed a letter requesting public hearings.
Seems the DOE is sensitive to the distinction between public MEETINGS and public HEARINGS! Beyond that, I’m not real clear on what all this letter means, but I trust we’ll find out.
Thanks, DOE!
Filed under DOE (Dept of Energy), Environmental Review
Lukewarm off the press from Minnesota Power’s David Moeller (apologies for taking a couple days to get this posted, connection has been a problem lately):
FYI, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Minnesota Power’s Great Northern Transmission Line was issued today by the Minnesota Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Energy. The full 700 page document plus appendices and maps can be found on the DOC’s website at: http://mn.gov/commerce/energyfacilities//resource.html?Id=34161
The most interesting thing in this is that the DOE’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability handling this GNTL Presidential Permit is the same DOE office handling the Plains & Eastern Clean Line Section 1222 (Third-Party Financing) review, different staff, but same office. Small world…
So check out this DEIS and get your comments ready — the comment period is open through Monday, August 10, 2015. . Send comments to Comments on the Draft EIS to Julie Smith at the address or email above or by fax to (202) 586–8008, or to William Storm at the address or email below. Be sure to write the PUC docket number TL-14-21 and the DOE number EIS-0499 on all comments.
U.S. Department of Energy
Julie Ann Smith, PhD, Electricity Policy Analyst
DOE NEPA Document Manager
202-586-7668
JulieA.Smith@hq.doe.gov
National Electricity Delivery Division (OE-20)
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20585William Cole Storm, Environmental Review Manager
Energy Environmental Review and Analysis
85 7th Place East, Suite 500
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101
(651) 539-1844
bill.storm@state.mn.us
Comments may also be made verbally or in writing at a public hearing — but wait, notice that in the notice they’re calling them public MEETINGS and not public HEARINGS:
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Public DEIS Meetings for the Great Northern Transmission Line—Viewing/downloading notes
This public “meeting” v. public “hearing” is a problem, so let’s see what they have to say about it:
The public “meeting” schedule:
Here are the sections from the DOE’s site:
Here are the different sections from their DEIS page from the Minnesota Dept. of Commerce site (note so many more?!?!):
Volume 1 Cover Sheet, Table of Contents, and Summary
Volume 1 Chapter 1 Regulatory Framework
Volume 1 Chapter 2 Proposed Project
Volume 1 Chapter 3 No Action Alternative
Volume 1 Chapter 4 Route and Alignment Alternatives Part 1
Volume 1 Chapter 4 Route and Alignment Alternatives Part 2
Volume 1 Chapter 4 Route and Alignment Alternatives Part 3
Volume 1 Chapter 5 Affected Environment and Potential Impacts Part 1
Volume 1 Chapter 5 Affected Environment and Potential Impacts Part 2
Volume 1 Chapter 5 Affected Environment and Potential Impacts Part 3
Volume 1 Chapter 5 Affected Environment and Potential Impacts Part 4
Volume 1 Chapter 6 Comparative Environmental Consequences Part 1
Volume 1 Chapter 6 Comparative Environmental Consequences Part 2
Volume 1 Chapter 6 Comparative Environmental Consequences Part 3
Volume 1 Chapter 6 Comparative Environmental Consequences Part 4
Volume 1 Chapter 6 Comparative Environmental Consequences Part 5
Volume 1 Chapter 6 Comparative Environmental Consequences Part 6
Volume 1 Chapter 6 Comparative Environmental Consequences Part 7
Volume 1 Chapter 6 Comparative Environmental Consequences Part 8
Volume 1 Chapter 6 Comparative Environmental Consequences Part 9
Volume 1 Chapter 7 Cumulative and Other Impacts
Volume 1 Chapter 8 List of Preparers
Volume 2 Appendix A Tribal Consultation
Volume 2 Appendix B Route Permit Template and Example
Volume 2 Appendix C Narrative of Scoping Summary Report
Volume 2 Appendix D DOC Scoping Decision
Volume 2 Appendix E Route Analysis Data Tables
Volume 2 Appendix F Rare Species Data Tables
Volume 2 Appendix G Rare Communities Data Table
Volume 2 Appendix H Noise Supplement
Volume 2 Appendix I Applicant’s Audible Noise and EMF Calculations
Volume 2 Appendix J Property Values Supplement
Volume 2 Appendix K EMF Supplement
Volume 2 Appendix L Stray Voltage Supplement Part 1
Volume 2 Appendix L Stray Voltage Supplement Part 2
Volume 2 Appendix L Stray Voltage Supplement Part 3
Volume 2 Appendix L Stray Voltage Supplement Part 4
Volume 2 Appendix M MPCA What’s in My Neighborhood Sites
Volume 2 Appendix N Photo Simulations Part 1
Volume 2 Appendix N Photo Simulations Part 2
Volume 2 Appendix N Photo Simulations Part 3
Volume 2 Appendix N Photo Simulations Part 4
Volume 2 Appendix N Photo Simulations Part 5
Volume 2 Appendix N Photo Simulations Part 6
Volume 2 Appendix N Photo Simulations Part 7
Volume 2 Appendix N Photo Simulations Part 8
Volume 2 Appendix N Photo Simulations Part 9
Volume 2 Appendix N Photo Simulations Part 10
Volume 2 Appendix O Agricultural Impact Mitigation Plan Example
Volume 2 Appendix P Section 106
Volume 2 Appendix Q USFWS and DOE Section 7 Consultation
Volume 2 Appendix R Biological Assessment
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 1 West Section
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 2 West Section
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 3 West Section
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 4 Central Section
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 5 Central Section
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 6 Central Section
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 7 Central Section
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 8 Central Section
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 9 Central Section
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 10 Central Section
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 11 Central Section
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 12 East Section
Volume 2 Appendix S Detailed Map Book Part 13 East Section
Filed under 7850, DOE (Dept of Energy), Presidential Permit, Routing Docket
