Coalition challenging CapX 2020 grows!

Filed under:Fargo-St Cloud — posted by admin on September 25, 2010 @ 9:22 am

It’s been a busy couple of weeks, vacation where time was not my own and now the scramble to get caught up.  Just before leaving, I signed on with North Route Citizens Alliance, and North Route Citizens Alliance signed on with me, and I dove into the Prehearing Conference on Wednesday, hung up, and ran to the airport — “Seattle, next stop!”  So there’s a lot of catch up to do to get the lay of the land — this is a long route covering a lot of territory.

North Route Citizens Alliance (NoRCA) has joined with NoCapX 2020 and United Citizens Action Network for the Fargo to St. Cloud part of CapX 2020 transmission!  NoRCA’s primary concern is the extreme proliferation of some of the CapX 2020’s route proposals — new routes proposed over sensitive areas rather than following Minnesota’s “non-proliferation” policy of PEER, and rather than follow the newer law favoring use of pre-existing easements and holding PUC accountable to explain if they don’t.

Here’s the PEER decision:

People for Environmental Enlightenment and Responsibility v. EQC

And here’s Minnesota’s new criteria taking another step to utilize existing corridor, down at the bottom of HF1182, authored by Rep. David Bly (don’t forget to say thanks!):

from Chapter 288

(e) The commission must make specific findings that it has considered locating a route for a high-voltage transmission line on an existing high-voltage transmission route and the use of parallel existing highway right-of-way and, to the extent those are not used for the route, the commission must state the reasons.

Here’s their sign, and it’s available for $10 – go to their site to order one:

norca-sign

And here’s our Amended Petition to Intervene, Amended after Judge Heydinger threw up some unreasonable hurdles, requiring us intervenors to be incorporated, sans any statutory or regulatory basis for that requirement:

NoCapX, U-CAN & NoRCA Cover Amended Petition and Exhibits

We’re off to the races… and next week is full with a road show of DEIS hearings for the Fargo-St. Cloud route:

Notice of DEIS Release and Public Meetings

The meetings “for comment” (notice they’re not “public hearings” anymore) will be held along the route from September 27 – September 30:

September 27, 2010

1:00 p.m.
Barnesville American Legion
101 – 2nd St. SE
***
7:00 p.m.
Fergus Falls
Bigwood Event Center
925 Western Avenue

September 28, 2010

1:00 p.m.
Elbow Lake
Dream Weaver’s Banquet Facility
410 2nd St. NE
***
7:00 p.m.
Alexandria
Broadway Ballroom
115 – 30th Ave E

September 29, 2010

1:00 p.m.
Melrose
Rondezvous Grille
401 Main Street East
***
7:00p.m.
Albany
Paul’s Par-A-Dice
451 Railroad Ave

September 30, 2010

1:00 & 7:00 p.m.
St. Joseph
El Paso Sports Bar & Grill
200 – 2nd Ave N.W.

Be there or be square!

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