There are two sets of hearings on the Brookings CapX 2020 transmission line in November and December.  This may a little confusing, so I’m going to post both schedules.

Here’s our NoCapx 2020 and United Citizens Action Network flyer:

NoCapX 2020 & U-CAN Newsletter – Update

The Dept. of Commerce “meetings” (not hearings, there’s a court reporter, but not for a transcript, it’s really loosey-goosey) have begun, and yesterdays meetings reminded me why I so object to Commerce involvement.

Here’s the EIS:

BROOKINGS DRAFT EIS

A primary problem is that they take the info as Xcel… er… “Applicants,” present it, there is no independent verification or vetting.  Earth to Mars, this is a problem.

For example, look at the amp levels in the EIS in — methinks they’re off by a factor of 10, there should be more numbers there for sure.   And this is in the EMF section, does that mean then that the numbers for EMF are off by a factor of 10 too?  They’re certainly off by some LARGE amount if using the amp levels in the EIS.   Then Scott Ek said the foundations for the 190 foot poles would be 10 feet.  TEN FEET!!!!  Then when questioned by a member of the public, he said he did not know the capacity of the line.  “2085” from the back of the room (!) but that’s not right, that’s from the SW MN 345kV case, and this one they say is “2050 MVA.”  That’s in the record, anyway, if Ek doesn’t know that, how can he make any statements about the potential EMF levels?  As usual, houses were missing, wetlands were missing, and the perverbial explosive factory was missing.  During compilation of the EIS, additional landowners were notified and “alternates to the alternate” routes were “identified” so these folks get notice after, AFTER, CoN is done, after all intervention deadlines have passed, and they were pissed.  I was deeply struck by testimony by two landowners particularly who said they”d just learned of it, and gave a description of what their land meant to them, and noted emphatically that they did not want to shove it on their neighbors, that that wasn’t right, but they did not want this on their land.  More landowners gtting very late notice?  Unacceptable.  But tell it to the appellate court, they don’t care…

How to submit Comments on the EIS – here’s direct from Commerce website:

The OES will accept written comments on the scope of the EIS until Monday, November 30, 2009. Please include Docket No. ET2/TL-08-1474 on your comments. Comments should be mailed, emailed, or faxed to:

Scott Ek, Project Manager
Minnesota Office of Energy Security
85 7th Place East, Suite 500
St. Paul, Minnesota, 55101-2198
Fax: 651-297-7891
scott.ek@state.mn.us

Comments may also be submitted online via the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission’s (Commission) energy facility permitting website at: http://energyfacilities.puc.state.mn.us/publicComments.html

Here’s the schedule for this round of EIS meetings:

PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING DATES & LOCATIONS

November 12, 2009 (Thursday)	November 13, 2009 (Friday)	November 16, 2009 (Monday)
1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. & 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Lonsdale American Legion 115 2nd Avenue Southwest Lonsdale, MN	1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. & 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites 20800 Kenrick Avenue Lakeville, MN	1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Prairie’s Edge Casino & Resort 5616 Prairie’s Edge Lane Granite Falls, MN 56241
November 17, 2009 (Tuesday)	November 18, 2009 (Wednesday)	November 19, 2009 (Thursday)
1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. & 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Best Western 1500 East College Drive Marshall, MN	1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. & 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel 39375 County Highway 24 Morton, MN	5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Brass Top Hall/Hog Wild Saloon 514 Main Street Henderson, MN

And here’s the schedule for the Siting Docket Public Hearings and Evidentiary Hearings.  Remember, regular people can question witnesses, testify and submit exhibits for the record.  The rules say you can.  Judges don’t always like to let you do this, but it is your right under the rules, so please get involved!!  Your questioning about a particular point, or testimony about things you know about your area, your community, that they have not addressed, can make a big difference.  If you have questions about how to do it, keep checking this site, and I’ll be sending out an email alert with more information about that.

And stay tuned for exact locations… or email scott.ek@state.mn.us

November 30 (Monday)

2:30 & 7 p.m.

Prairie’s Edge Casino, 5616 Prairie’s Edge Lane, Granite Falls, MN

_____________________

December 1 (Tuesday)

1 & 7 p.m.

SMSU Upper Conference Center, 1501 State Street, Marshall, MN

_____________________

December 2 (Wednesday)

1 & & p.m.

Redwood Area Community Center, 901 Cook Street, Redwood Falls, MN

_____________________

December 3 (Thursday)

1 & 7 p.m.

Winthrop Vets Club, 206 North Main Street, Winthrop, MN

_____________________

December 7 (Monday)

1 & 7 p.m.

Brass Top Hall/Hog Wild Saloon, 514 Main Street, Henderson, MN

_____________________

December 8 (Tuesday)

1 & 7 p.m.

Lonsdale VFW, 115 2nd Avenue SW, Lonsdale, MN

____________________

December 9 (Wednesday)

1 & 7 p.m.

Park Ballroom/American Legion, 300 So. Lexington Avenue, New Prague, MN

____________________

December 10 (Thursday)

1 & 7 p.m

and

December 11 (Friday)

Holiday Inn, 20800 Kenrick Avenue, Lakeville, MN

____________________

December 15-18 (Tuesday – Friday)

9:30 a.m. – ????

PUC – 121 – 7th Place E., 3rd Floor, St. Paul

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Come on down!  Bring your friends and neighbors!