Death threats to an Advisory Task Force member?  Well, that’s different!

I’ve just come back from the Cannon Falls Citizen Advisory Task Force for the CapX 2020 Hampton-Alma/LaCrosse transmission line route.  Got there just a tad-bit late, and learned I missed an announcement that Karen Doll, of the Pine Island EDA, who had been representing Pine Island on the Task Force, has received two (?) death threat letters in the mail.  Oh my…   I had a short talk with the Mayor of Pine Island, who is taking her place, who said it was referred to the Sheriff and to the Department of Homeland Security.  Utility infrastructure is a big deal these days, we’re talking a major federal offense.  I’ll post more as I hear… IF I hear…

Here’s the Cannon Falls-“North Rochester” Task Force page

Here’s the “North Rochester”-River Crossing Task Force page

Another interesting tidbit — they were talking about the area NE of Kenyon, where an alternative route goes, and someone in the audience mentioned that Sogn Valley is a historical area.  Turns out that “someone” was none other than Craig Hanson, Holden Township Supervisor, who had been unable to attend the meetings.  He’s out in the audience!!!  And what does the “facilitator” do but try to shush him.  No one there knows this information, and you’d think “informing the record” would be the priority when someone respectfully and succinctly offers relevant information… but NOOOOOOOOO, “SSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH” is the outcry.  Later, when I learned who he was, I made it a point to introduce him, he who should have invited to the table and not shussshed, to Charlie Facilitator and Matt Langan.  And Hanson is right, Sogn Valley is a historic area, and it’s also Steve Sviggum’s home, and there would be a certain amount of poetic justice if he got a big honkin’ transmission line in his yard rather than a wind-turbine and wind substation (as was planned in the Kenyon Wind Project).  However, it’s not called “Sogn Valley,” it’s “Nansen” for a smaller focus:

Documenting Minnesota’s Agricultural Heritage — The Nansen Historic District

And then there’s the little matter of the Stanton Airport — remember, the one where Bill Clinton landed when he spoke at Carleton College? Here they are in the limo at Stanton, helicopter in the background (from Hayes Scriven’s blog):

The problem is that they wanted to run an alternate route right down 56, well, folks there is an airport there, a pretty busy small little airport, one where people do gliding, take flying lessons, etc.  No way can the line go there, and yet, Xcel’s Tom Hillstrom said that it was a PRIVATE airport!!!!!  Again, NO WAY!

FYI, here’s a spreadsheet of the airports in Dakota, Goodhue, Olmstead, Wabasha and Winona Counties (none near by at the edge of Rice County) — one sheet has the Hampton-Alma counties’ airports, and the other has every one in Minnesota:

Minnesota Airport Database – Searchable

No route should go anywhere, it shouldn’t get close to the EIS and waste everyone’s time, without a check of interference with an airport.  This was a problem in Brookings, and it shouldn’t happen here — we need to LEARN from mistakes.  So, everybody, check the spreadsheet!!!  I heard there was a new airport listed in Goodhue, but don’t see it yet.

Tomorrow is the last meeting of the “North Rochester-River Crossing” Advisory Task Force.  Come on over to Plainview City Hall tomorrow at 1 p.m.