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Anti-smokestack resolutions “disappeared” by Goodhue County DFL operatives

By on March 28, 2016 in air pollution, City of Red Wing (Minnesota), Garbage, Garbage Incineration, Goodhue County, Minnesota energy policy, Nuclear Power, Uncategorized

At the DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party for the edification of my non-Minnesotan readers) precinct caucuses on March 1, in Red Wing, Minnesota, various resolutions were presented, as is customary.  These are supposed to make their way up the organizational hierarchy of the party, and help determine the state “platform.”  It’s supposed to be democracy in action.

(The good news  from my point of view is that the precinct, in a generally conservative area, was overrun with Bernie Sanders supporters, and the state as a whole went for Sanders over Clinton.) Continue Reading →

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RED ALERT: oppose mega-horrible utility deregulation bills

By on March 18, 2015 in Energy, Garbage, Legislative, Minnesota energy policy

Well, I’ve been trying to warn about this.  On March 9th I wrote:

“The breadth and depth of NSP’s [Xcel’s] current efforts to gut the utility regulatory process and impose its will on Minnesota energy policy is breathtaking.  Stand by for more details on this.  And: expect some really horrible legislation to sneaked through the Minnesota Legislature.”

The really horrible bills are here: Continue Reading →

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Garbage prospers in the Minnesota Legislature

By on March 12, 2015 in air pollution, City of Red Wing (Minnesota), Covanta/Hennepin County "Environmental Services", Garbage, Incineration

Photo of Senator Scalze

Sen. Bev Scalze

 

[This was my testimony on March 10, 2015, to the Senate Environment and Energy Committee on S.F. 1132.  My statement was not prepared in advance and may have varied a little from this after-the-fact writeup. The authors of S.F. 1132 are listed as Senators Scalze, Ingebrigtsen, Saxhaug, Benson, and Schmit.  Scalze appeared to be the manager of the bill. She said repeatedly that “it came from the counties.”  She also said repeatedly that “the hauler community” (garbage haulers) had input.  During the meeting Scalze seemed to consult closely with one Trudy Richter, who she also presented as a witness on behalf of the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board, a joint powers board closely associated with the incineration industry. Ms. Richter is Executive Director of the state garbage incineration lobby group.  Audio recordings are available here.  Consideration of S.F. 1132 began in the morning session and continued in the afternoon.] Continue Reading →

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“What are we doing to our children’s brains?”

By on February 19, 2015 in "biomass", air pollution, Childrens' Health, climate change, Environmental Justice, Environmental Regulation--Protecting Minnesota, Garbage, Garbage Incineration, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Nuclear Power, water pollution

“Environmental chemicals are wreaking havoc to last a lifetime”

In November, election results put many anti-health, anti-environmental activists into public office.  Did this happen because millions of people said to themselves “I have too much money … we need more pollution and disease … corporations and banks are being oppressed by the people …?”  I doubt it, but the effect is the same. Continue Reading →

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Citizens’ Board does a good thing; Powers of Darkness push back; Action Alert

By on December 5, 2014 in "biomass", "Streamlining" and "Improvement", climate change, Environmental Justice, Environmental Quality Board, Environmental Regulation--Protecting Minnesota, Frac sand mining, Garbage, Mining, Minnesota energy policy, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, MPCA Citizens' Board

Feedlot Action Alert, and: Update: “Strange nonsense at the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (and the MPCA)”

In June I did a post critical of the MN Environmental Quality Board and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, suggesting that the environment of Minnesota isn’t being protected very well.  The email of this post had a higher readership than any other I’ve written.  One friend called it “very depressing.”  It garnered me some disapproving looks from EQB and Citizens’ Board members.  What’s happened since?

(The rest of this post relates to the MPCA and it’s Citizens’ Board.  In my view the EQB is looking like a train wreck, but that’s for another post.) Continue Reading →

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Comments I sent in on the current funding cycle of the Xcel “Renewable Development Account”

By on December 2, 2013 in air pollution, City of Red Wing (Minnesota), Garbage, Garbage Incineration, Xcel Energy

I’ve been looking a the Xcel Renewable Development Account (commonly called the Renewable Development Fund“) and it has a pretty sad history.   Very little good has come of it and much money has been wasted that could productively have been invested in conservation/efficiency projects.

Examples: Ten million or so went to the promoters of a new coal burner on the Range–because of the machinations of the politically connected Tom Micheletti.  Not only was this money totally wasted, but people had  to devote lots of time and energy to fighting permits for the scheme (Excelsior Energy/Mesaba Project.  Carol Overland is the expert on this.  I seem to recall a hearing in Hoyt Lakes, in an unheated hockey rink in January, and not being allowed to finish my questioning of the technical witnesses…..) Continue Reading →

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“Burning garbage: Bad for children”

By on August 7, 2013 in air pollution, Covanta/Hennepin County "Environmental Services", Garbage, Garbage Incineration, Minneapolis

Nice piece by Lara Norkus-Crampton on the harm done by burning garbage:

http://southsidepride.com/2013/08/articles/Burning-garbage-bad-for-children.html
Burning garbage: Bad for children

BY LARA NORKUS-CRAMPTON, RN

A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health links autism to air pollution. Their conclusion: Women in the U.S. exposed to high levels of air pollution while pregnant were up to twice as likely to have a child with autism as women who lived in areas with low pollution. Continue Reading →

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The MPCA’s official “Metro Solid Waste Plan:” Burn, baby, burn!

By on January 31, 2013 in Garbage, Garbage Incineration

These are comments submitted on the MPCA’s “Metro Solid Waste Plan”  in November, 2010.  The PCA didn’t pay much attention.  Read for yourself.

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