Environmental Justice & Sustainability

 A so-called "Minnesota Energy Citizens' Rally" for "affordable energy"-- long a code word for coal, oil and nuclear power--is set to take place in South St. Paul on Monday, August 31 at 11am.

Event sponsors include the MinnesotaFarm Bureau, River Heights Chamber of Commerce, Freedom Foundation of Minnesota, Free Market Institute,  MN Taxpayers League, Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Associated General Contractors of Minnesota.

"These are multi-million dollar, business organizations who routinely oppose any and all pro-environment legislation in the Minnesota Legislature. The Farm Bureau is essentially an insurance company and financial services company. The Chamber of Commerce proudly  represents the interests of big business. The Taxpayers League is one of the most powerful right-wing lobby groups at the Capitol," said a source with a local environmental organization.

From a Twin Cities activist in Pettry Bottom, W. Va.—Think twice the next time you turn on your computer. The source of most of our energy in the Twin Cities is under attack.

Two people have occupied treetops in the small West Virginian communities of Pettry Bottom and Peach Tree within the blasting zone of a Massey Energy mountaintop removal coal-mining site.

At 6:30 am the two activists, associated with environmental groups Climate Ground Zero and Mountain Justice, unrolled banners reading “Stop Mountain Top Removal” and “DEP – Don’t Expect Protection” from their treetop platforms. The two are perched 80 feet above the ground, within 30 feet of the mine, and within 300 feet of blasting. Regulations prohibit use of any explosives when people are within the blasting zone.

A coalition of pro-business groups has formed to push for an "aggressive grassroots campaign to push for the [new nuclear power plant] moratorium's repeal," during Minnesota's 2010 legislative session.

A July 22 decision by the District Court of North Dakota for the Southwest Judicial District reversed two rezoning decisions of the Stark County Commission.  The Stark County Commission had amended its zoning ordinance to change the uses of two areas of the County from agricultural uses to industrial uses.

Local activists were surprised by this morning's announcement at meeting of the Minneapolis Zoning and Planning Commission that Covanta, operator of the Hennepin County garbage incinerator, and Hennepin County would voluntarily delay their proposal to expand capacity of the garbage burner. The proposer's will instead seek an air permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).

The nation's food security could be at risk in a warming climate, say a group of climate scientists and other experts representing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Iowa State University, the US Climate Change Science Program (US CCSP), and the Great Plains Institute, in a new report called the Corn and Climate Report.

"High temperatures can lead to crop failure," said Professor Eugene Takle of Iowa State University. "There are likely to be other pressures as well, from unpredictable rainfall and snow cover to northward migration of diseases, all of which threaten the Midwest's ability to produce corn and other agricultural commodities."

Elk River Municipal Utilities yesterday rejected a proposal to become a partial owner in Big Stone II. Elk River’s rejection was the same day as a decision by Basin Electric Power in South Dakota to pull plans for a new coal-fired power plant.

Elk River's disavowal of coal is part of a trend. A string of 100 coal plants--with Intermountain Power coal plant in Utah as the landmark number 100-- have been defeated or abandoned since the beginning of the coal rush in 2001.  Activists calling for a transition away from coal call this a significant milestone in the shift to clean energy.

For the past six years pro-environment allies have been running a hard-hitting campaign to expose the dirty truth about coal. Tremendous grassroots pressure, rising costs, and upcoming federal carbon regulations all contributed to the demise of the 100 plants. In Minnesota hundreds of volunteers turned out to public hearings, held rallies and met with officials to push for cleaner alternatives to the Big Stone II plant.

At a June 29, special meeting of the Elk River Municipal Utility (ERMU) and the City Council to discuss alternatives for their energy supply in 2018, the Council moved to table discussion of investment the Big Stone II coal project until  July 13. 

One of the options presented was investing in 30 megawatts of the Big Stone II coal plant expansion for $90 million.  

The Utilites board will meet July 8 to discuss the proposal and have requested more detailed information from the proposers.

When asked about the liklihood of ERMU's approval Troy Adams, Director of Operations for ERMU, said "To tell you the truth, I don't know. We're waiting for more information about the finances and the risk of the project."