… and thus the orchestrated train to remove conditions on the Brookings line was derailed.  Commissioner Phyllis Reha, the one who had given a presentation in 2006 saying CapX 2020 was a good model for the rest of the country (!!), was the conductor, speaking from notes, putting the Conditions on the table, they invited Steve Rakow, Commerce, to argue Commerce position, essentially testify, and going beyond the record, and there was the most tortured discussion of “oh, we don’t want to go beyond the record,” and “it’s good we didn’t go further,” it was most unfortunate I’d left my waders at home, and then Marya White was invited up to close the sale.   So rather quickly, in a devious process, the train had left the station, fully loaded, was headed downhill, nearing the bottom when Marya White got carried away and I just couldn’t take any more.  I mean really, saying that the majority of the MISO queue is wind… to convince the Commissioners that there was no need for concern, that the Brookings line is for wind.  What utter bullshit.  Maybe in numbers, but as MTEP-07 notes, with a cute and very graphic chart and WHICH I HAD USED IN MY BRIEF, and which they state very clearly in the narrative, the MISO queue is “predominately” coal.   PREDOMINATLEY coal, that is the word they use.

MTEP-07 October 4, 2007 Final

Don’t do that around me — I hate it when people grossly misrepresent reality.  So she was loudly and specifically challenged, and suddenly it was time for the pre-announced noon break.  Afterwards, it was a whole different tone and the train to remove conditions was long gone, and for some reason, Marya White did not come back up to the table.

And as I said yesterday, I don’t believe in conditions, will not argue for conditions, because conditions presume the line, and our (NoCapX 2020 and U-CAN) position is NO LINE.  Paula Maccabee, representing Citizens Energy Task Force, said on the record that she represented landowners on the Brookings line, and that landowners had “acquiesced” with conditions that assured it was for a “higher purpose.”  Oh my…do THEY know that?  EEEEEUW, that was disturbing — landowners I represent on the Brookings line would be awfully pissed off to hear that!!!  Landowners I represent certainly have not acquiesced, do not approve of conditions, do not think transmission through their property is OK if for a “higher purpose.”  I wonder if the CETF members on the Brookings line know they have acquiesced to transmission.  And I wonder if they understand the impact that even the perception of their acquiesence has on the rest of the landowners on the Brookings line.  It certainly is a statement against the interests of NoCapX 2020 and U-CAN and many landowners the length of the Brookings line.

So for that reason, I had mixed feelings about derailing the “remove conditions” train, but I could not condone the misrepresentations or the process by which they were removing the conditions, hence… OBJECTION!

The PUC meeting yesterday was… well, it’s over, thankfully.  The Motions for Reconsideration of Xcel and MOES to remove the conditions on the Brookings line were accepted, it was Reconsidered, “a discussion was had,” and the conditions sort of remain, although slightly neutered (not enough for Xcel, I’d guess).  I’ll post the Order so we know precisely how it ends up.  All of the other motions, those of NoCapX 2020/U-CAN and CETF, were denied.

So now it’s off to the races — the Appellate Court.

Oh, and there was also a curious statement by… I believe Commissioner Pugh, about UMTDI, about wanting to see what the “Upper Midwest Governors’ Transmission group decides,”  something like that, using the word “Governors” for sure.  Who’s leading who here?  Who is making the decisions?  In whose interest?  Chair Boyd is a big part of that group, I believe a co-chair, and it’s transmission toady heaven, PRESUMING massive transmission is needed, purpose as I see it is to promote the JCSP massive transmission buildout agenda, and, per “CapX 2020 Comment,” transferring costs of this massive transmission buildout to those outside the UMTDI five-state area.  Promotional activities that presume transmisison in the absence of need… great idea…

Here’s my Comment to UMTDI last February:

Overland Comment