Houston, we have a MAJOR problem...

Source

What is this "pending energy bill"? The 2005 Energy Policy Act. What did that bill include? Section 1222. The Department of Energy and Clean Line have some explaining to do. The people will not stand for this corporate abuse of power. Conflicts of interest abound.

Secretary Moniz, it is TIME!

An Old School Straw Poll

We've been collecting data at our opposition meetings over the last few months to try and figure out what went wrong with this project... How could it be possible that so many people seemed not to know about the scoping period? Was there some kind of silent majority who did know and just a few unluckies who happened to band together? Did we have a blindspot bias? Or was there truly enough of a breakdown in the notification process (for whatever reason- we'll not speculate here, although I'm sure readers can guess what our hunches are) that there should be some kind of official inquiry into exactly what happened? Well, we're not statisticians. We're farmers. We don't have the resources to survey everyone on the line... But we know how to take a head count...

Now, if you're reading this blog, you probably know that yesterday was a pretty big day for us. But it wasn't just the introduction of Senators Boozman and Cotton's APPROVAL Act (Assuring Private Property Rights Over Vast Access to Lands Act), though that was huge. And, incidentally, though some people have tried to shame the Senators for their attempt to return veto power to the states in transmission siting while supporting the Keystone XL pipeline, this "left-wing extremist" right here would like to point out that, regarding Keystone, the Obama Administration refused to take action until the issue of eminent domain was settled by Nebraska's Supreme Court. Why? Because state rules matter, too. In fact, just today we found out an injunction was ordered to halt the condemnation proceeding for Keystone as some issues are worked out.

But that's not all... Yesterday, we found out that, contrary to what we've all been led to believe, there is opposition to this line in Tennessee. Go, Tipton County:

The commissioners unanimously passed a resolution Monday night that read, in part, "The necessity of this massive project is questionable given TVA's release statement that it has already reached EPA's target system-wide and expects to exceed it."

(Should we maybe start a discussion here about the difference between what qualifies as a need that justifies eminent domain and what's just convenient for industry?... Sigh, again...)

And if that wasn't enough, late last night we learned that both the Cleburne and Franklin County Quorum Courts passed unanimous resolutions against Clean Line. We don't have links to those yet, but will post them as soon as we do.

If I may, there is no joy in this. Even while we celebrate the relationships we've made with each other and these tiny (and not so tiny... I mean... federal legislation? Introduced specifically because one company managed to bungle their PR so badly? Even though 1222 has always been sketchy...Dang. And that's nothing compared to what's coming. Lawyers are salivating to get their hands on this bad boy. Did I mention this? Looks like Iowa's had enough, too). But while small victories give us a little hope, they don't give us relief. We don't get back our time, which has been stolen by these people. We don't get back the money we've spent, just to do the job they haven't and reach people. We don't get back the sleepless nights.

Dr. Moniz- It's time...

Mea Culpa

We’re behind on our blogging again, but things have been moving so quickly it’s hard to keep up. So while I want to do a post on Michael Skelly’s recent interview in the Dover Times, which was incredibly juicy and chock full of sorta truths (40k “letters” to landowners during the scoping period? Really?... May want to reread that scoping summary report, my friend. No discussion of eminent domain during the Arkansas  Public Service Commission process? So this testimony from the Senior Assistant to the Attorney General somehow doesn’t count? Uncontested? Sure, but only because Arkansas Electric Consumers, Inc wasn't permitted to. They certainly had some interesting things to say. But no, this blog post is about something else entirely…

Oops! Not that! Though that’s important… and interesting since Clean Line had a few industry reps there to testify on their behalf, but no landowners. Why? Because all the landowners were too busy writing their names down to testify against Clean Line and for the committee’s letter to the Department of Energy. Big kudos to all the legislators at that meeting who asked their questions with the caveat: “I don’t want you to pull my leg!”

I’m sorry if I sound a little extra snarky and bitter tonight. It might because one of Clean Line’s reps told me that people who didn’t know about the scoping period should have read the newspaper (I didn’t realize a paper subscription was a constitutional requirement for landownership). It might be because after all this time, and all this opposition, they still don’t realize that landowners aren’t just your average “stakeholders” and that money doesn’t mean that much when it doesn’t come with respect. It might be because Jimmy Glotfelty sought to reassure our legislators that his extensive history with the Department of Energy had nothing to do with the project by testily proclaiming that anyone could submit a proposal under Section 1222... Except that no one else has.

Were we surprised that Mario continued to insist landowners will only experience a ten percent reduction in property value? (Especially when a man sitting in the audience was prepared to testify he’d been told by his mortgage broker that he can build the house he’s been saving for all these years, but if the line comes through, he will instantly be underwater?) Nah. That we could power our own light bulb with static electricity by holding it while we walked across a dry carpet? Uh-uh. That Jimmy pulled his relationship with GW out of his pocket the second he lurched out of the gate for us country folk? Nope.

The big surprise was in the modification of the Sierra Club’s endorsement of the project. Oh, they’re still endorsing it, for sure… but there was an extra sentence in Glen Hooks' testimony that was kind of similar to the one from Sierra Club OK’s official statement at the Muskogee DOE meeting last week:

“Sierra Club has heard concerns raised by several communities about how construction of this transmission line will affect their enjoyment of the natural environment in their region or disrupt their livelihoods,” Pearson said. “We believe the Clean Line Partners should take these concerns seriously and work with landowners and others to identify an acceptable route."

That bit right there about the landowners... we haven't heard that from them before. 

And this is where I have to apologize (I seem to be doing that a lot lately). Some months ago I wrote a blog post in which I made it pretty clear how angry I was that NGO’s had been given earlier and greater opportunity to have siting issues addressed than landowners.  At the time I assumed they did so knowingly… After talking to several members of these NGO’s over the past few weeks, and reading some of their public statements, I no longer believe that to be true. Rather, I think they were unaware of the lack of communication between Clean Line and landowners. 

In fact, after talking to one of Clean Line's industrial supporters on Monday before he was whisked away by a Clean Line rep, I feel like the same is likely true of the "jobs" people. They've been told we're just NIMBYs... I think they're learning that's not the case.  

I can’t explain all of my reasoning behind these hunches without breaking confidences, but I can say that it seems the NGO experiences have been vastly different from ours. Cocooned in Clean Line charm… 

I can’t say that others in the opposition feel the same, there are a lot of very deep wounds associated with this and a lot of people who still disagree with the endorsements for other reasons. But when we see statements like this one from an Audubon email (donated by a STO member):

“While the project could nearly double the amount of clean energy used in Arkansas, it would also completely bisect the state. That creates concerns about collision hazards to birds, habitat fragmentation, and private property rights along the 300-mile route. We also have concerns about how the proposed route will cross the Cache-Lower White River Important Bird Area. This IBA harbors significant populations of birds that are known to be susceptible to transmission line hazards.

Audubon Arkansas remains neutral on the issue right now, despite being urged by both sides to support their views. As conservation leaders in the state, we take this role seriously. Our team is thoroughly reviewing the Environmental Impact Statement and will draft a formal position to send to the Department of Energy. As we evaluate the science and specific mitigation and restoration plans – we want to ensure that you are kept aware of the plans and are empowered to participate in the process.”

And this one from SC Tennessee's Scott Banbury (posted on the SC Central Arkansas Group's Facebook page): 

"As the Conservation Program Coordinator (sole employee) of the Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club, I will be speaking at the Draft EIS hearing in Millington, TN. Here in TN we have taken the position of supporting the concept of wind power delivered from wind rich areas in the Midwest as a replacement for power generated at fossil and nuclear plants operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority. I will also speak to the need to avoid, minimize and mitigate the impacts that the siting of the power line might bring. Further, I will speak to the agreement that Clean Line made in their Sec 1222 application that they only seek the power of eminent domain if absolutely necessary. I will not state unconditional support for the project, nor will I reject the very valid objections that opponents of the project have raised. Rather I will do everything I can to ensure that their concerns are addressed and that all pertinent questions are answered in the final EIS."

That these environmental and conservation groups would recognize the importance of private property rights and concerns is impressive. That they can look beyond those glossy booklets… As a friend who attended our Hendrix College panel with Sierra Club said, “The Sierra Club’s position has changed significantly since last November.” Is it a withdrawal of the endorsement? No, but it counts for a lot. Especially because, whether this line comes through or it doesn’t, those of us who are divided on this issue now will want to come together again. On other projects and in other ways. This is our Arkansas.

Mea culpa.

Clean Line's proverbial pants are on fire...

So, it seems like Clean Line is a little bit touchy these days about their ties to the wind industry. Wind farms? What wind farms? Wind turbines? What are those? Michael Skelly is doing everything he can in his apparent "media tour" to assure folks that they aren't directly tied to the wind industry to which they wish to serve by building their massive, unnecessary transmission line. They even made a post on Facebook recently asserting this:

In a recent interview with the Sequoya County Times, Skelly reiterated this point:

"President of Clean Line, Michael Skelly, on Wednesday insisted that the wind energy industry is completely separate from the construction of the transmission lines."

Aren't you the folks who keep saying that the "grid is maxed out", and that wind farm development will be severely limited if your transmission line is not constructed? What type of energy are you hoping to move, again? I thought it was wind energy?

"Clean Line Energy is independent from any existing or planned wind energy generation"? Why did Diana Rivera say this in Clean Line's official comments on pages 3 and 4 that were submitted to the Department of Energy's triennial congestion study?

So, which is one is it, Clean Line? Does your project, or does it not, involve wind farms that are already planned, in construction, or currently constructed? Where on earth is your credibility, and how do you expect to gain the trust of the people who are to host your for-profit, unnecessary transmission line when you continue to make claims that contradict themselves? This information is readily available. Did you think we wouldn't find it? You should just come out and say it: "We have friends in the wind industry who want to make money building wind farms, and we want to make money building a transmission line." It is really pretty simple to see, don't you think? 

Since that is out of the way, I would like to take a few moments to show everyone just a few of the connections that Clean Line has with the wind industry. I will pull information directly from Clean Line Energy Partners, LLC's website. 

Let's start with Michael Skelly first. According to his profile:

Prior to founding Clean Line, Michael led the development of Horizon Wind Energy from a two-man company to a leadership position in the U.S. wind industry. Before Horizon, Michael developed thermal, hydroelectric, biomass and wind energy projects in Central America with Energia Global.

Lets take a look at what EDP Renewables (formerly Horizon Wind Energy) does:

EDP Renewables North America and its subsidiaries develop, construct, own and operate wind farms throughout North America. Based in Houston, Texas with 30 wind farms and 10 offices across the United States and Canada, EDP Renewables North America has developed more than 4,000 megawatts (MW) and operates over 3,800 MW of wind farms. With approximately 300 employees, EDPR North America’s highly qualified team has a proven capacity to execute projects and achieve goals. 

I am sure Michael Skelly cut all ties with Horizon Wind Energy when it was sold to Goldman Sachs in 2005, right? Of course! Wind power... what is that, again?

Now, let's have a look at Jimmy Glotfelty, co-founder of Clean Line Energy:

Jimmy worked for George W. Bush, for almost eight years, at both the gubernatorial and presidential levels. He led the Bush Administration’s efforts on electricity issues with Congress and the electric utility industry.  In this capacity, he founded Office of Electric Delivery and Energy Reliability at the Department of Energy (DOE) and served as its first Director.  This program is responsible for applied transmission and distribution (T&D) research and led to the creation of the nationally recognized GridWise Alliance. While at DOE Jimmy led the U.S. efforts to investigate the northeast blackout of August 2003 which called for the adoption of many technologies that have greatly improved the reliability of U.S. transmission system today.  Jimmy serves on the board of the Southeast Coastal Wind Coalition and the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council and recently rolled off of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Board of Directors.

If the first emphasis isn't scary enough, given the fact that the Office of Energy Delivery and Reliability is the agency overseeing this entire process and project, the second, third, and fourth should help. Does anyone think Glotfelty cut ties with AWEA after his departure from the board of directors? AWEA is the leading lobbyist organization for the wind industry, after all. What is wind energy, again? Here's another good summary of Jimmy's career, if interested.

Jayshree Desai, Chief Operating Officer of Clean Line Energy:

Jayshree draws from an accomplished background in the wind energy industry to provide leadership at Clean Line. Before joining Clean Line, Jayshree was CFO of Horizon Wind Energy where she was responsible for corporate and project finance, accounting, tax, and information technology.  As CFO, she led Horizon Wind Energy through its sale to Goldman Sachs in 2005, the subsequent sale to Energias de Portugal in mid-2007, and the IPO of the renewables subsidiary in 2008. Prior to working at Horizon Wind Energy, Jayshree was a Director at Enron responsible for Mergers & Acquisitions and previously was a consultant for McKinsey & Company. Jayshree received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Wharton Business School, and serves on the Executive Board of KIPP Houston and on the board of the Wind Energy Foundation.

There's Horizon Wind Energy again. Enron? Do we want someone who was formerly with Enron managing a project that could cross our property? I don't, personally.

Hans Deitweiler, Vice President of Clean Line Energy:

Prior to joining Clean Line, Hans was Director of State Policy for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), supervising all of AWEA’s direct state legislative campaigns and state regulatory efforts and serving as the primary liaison to AWEA’s regional partners. Previously, Hans was Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Hans has also worked in a variety of policy and advocacy roles with organized labor and other non-profits. Hans holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa.

Dave Berry, Executive Vice President of Clean Line:

Prior to joining Clean Line, Dave was the Director of Finance for Horizon Wind Energy, where he led over $2 billion in project finance transactions and was responsible for investment analysis and transactions. Dave earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and History from Rice University in 2005. He sits on the Board of the Partnership for the Advancement and Immersion of Refugees.

Wayne Galli, Executive Vice President - Transmission and Technical Services:

Most recently, he served as Director of Transmission Development for NextEra Energy Resources, where he was instrumental in developing transmission projects under the Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) initiative in Texas. 

And what does NextEra Energy do?

NextEra Energy is North America’s top producer of energy from the wind and the sun, with a greenhouse gas emissions rate among the lowest of any large power company.

I am sure I missed a person or two. You get the point. Clean Line trying to imply that it does not have ties to the wind industry and distance themselves from the very industry that they have had and still have intimate ties with is a lie. Rural, we are. Fools, we are NOT.

Secretary Moniz: