Arrests Commencing In Smart Meter Rollout

Some folks in Illinois apparently don't know what's good for them ...

Two Naperville Women Arrested After Trying To Block ‘Smart Meters’ Jan 23, 2012

"Two Naperville mothers were arrested Wednesday, after they tried to block utility workers from installing new “smart meters.”

CBS 2’s Dana Kozlov reports one of those women was released from custody late Wednesday afternoon, the other was still in custody, but should be released soon.

Their arrests were the culmination of a two-year battle against “smart meter” installation in Naperville.

At Jenn Stahl’s home in Naperville, officers were forced to cut open a lock on her back gate to allow crews to get in to access her meter, when she refused to open the gate herself."
...

{with video}

Some of the "people" of Naperville have been at this for some time, to no avail at this stage apparently ...

Naperville Smart Meter Awareness
Informing the Naperville community about the risks of smart meters

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No word yet on how the stimulus funded Montana Smart Meter Grid tests are going.

At Most, Eight To Fifteen Dead Bald Eagles A Year

No doubt, the type of death for each bird can vary.

From Minnesota and Josephine Marcotty at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune ...

Feds decide Goodhue County wind project's eagle toll is OK Jan 17, 2013

"The ruling allows the disputed energy farm to pursue permit.

A bitterly contested wind farm proposed for Goodhue County got the go-ahead Wednesday to pursue a permit that would allow it to legally kill or injure eagles, in what could be the first case of federal authorities issuing a license to kill the protected national symbol.

The 48-turbine project would kill at most eight to 15 eagles a year, a number that would not harm the local population, federal officials said in a letter to state regulators. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said its estimate does not include possible strategies to reduce the number of eagles killed and, that if a permit is eventually granted, the goal would be a much lower figure."
...

{emphasis added}

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Ask any Montana reporter that covers wind turbines how many Raptors Rim Rock Wind Farm kills per year or, has ever killed. Montana has no common sense wildlife protection requirements for industrial wind farms, and this biennial legislative session sure doesn't appear to be changing that.

Ninety Working Days In Every Odd-Numbered Year

With today's start to Montana's 63rd Biennial Legislature, we take a look back to a February 1985 Washington Post letter by then Representative Robert Marks (R-Clancy) ...

Rococo?
In Montana?

I belatedly received a copy of a most curious article by T. R. Reid in The Post’s Jan. 8 issue [“American Journal:No-Frills Lawmaking in Montana”]. I apologize for this response being so untimely—the Pony Express riders out here in wild Montana have had a particularly rough winter.

Reid described our capitol as being “wonderfully rococo.” Is that a complimentary reference to our legislators? If it means that things get a little cuckoo during the time when the legislature meets, the notion would find widespread agreement among our citizens.

Reid made a few slight errors in his report. He accurately pointed out that we do have a 90-day session, and he can't be too roundly faulted for merely counting out the 90 days on a calendar and coming up with April 4 as our final day.

It is true that we have a farm and ranch culture here in faraway Montana requiring work seven days a week, month in and month out. However, we legislators, for reasons based on historical precedent from our frontier past, do take Sundays off to rush home, feed the cows for the week, bring up water from the crick, fill the wood box, put a little lime in the outhouse and other necessary chores.

When Reid points out that “huge portions of Montana were destroyed by forest and prairie fires last summer,” it is understandable that 20,000 acres would be considered one pretty hefty chunk of pasture in Washington. But here in Montana it ranks more like the South Forty.

Finally, Reid and The Post’s readers might appreciate knowing that the awshucks, easygoing governor he interviewed has “set up” this 49th legislature and the people of Montana by proposing a budget that is pert near $60 million in the red.

This may seem easygoing and neighborly down-home stuff in the multibillion-dollar debt world of Washington, but it is gol dern serious business in Montana. We are thankful our constitution prohibits us from following the governor down his rosy path.

Robert L. Marks
The writer is Republican leader of the Montana House of Representatives.

(Originally published in The Washington Post, Saturday, February 2, 1985 on page A17)
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In 1985, Ted Schwinden (D) was Governor of Montana. Today, his son Dore is stepping aside as head of the Montana Department of Commerce to make way for Governor Bullock's appointment, Meg O'Leary.
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Two letters in the 85' Washington Post show yet once again that certain things within Politics are timeless ...

(Click on picture above to read)

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Legislate! (And Other Ramblings)

With the biennial Montana legislature starting their 63rd session next week, we in the cheap seats are trying to find time to check through the current 1700 or so proposed bills that may be on tap.

Many twitter feeds and facebook pages will be spewing out what they think you should be watching, some with great and useful information. One blog to check, depending on your political persuasion, may be badbills.com.


Meanwhile, in Oregon, increased fuel efficiency standards in cars are causing gas tax revenues to stall.

Surprise, surprise ...

Bill may recoup lost gas tax revenue Jan 2, 2013

"Drivers of certain fuel-efficient vehicles who skirt paying a gas tax at the pump may have to pitch in to fund the state’s roads.

The state Legislature is expected to consider a bill that would require drivers with a vehicle getting at least 55 miles per gallon of gasoline or equivalent to pay a tax per mile after 2015. Drivers would also have the option of paying a flat amount annually.

Exactly what the rate per mile would be is up to lawmakers to decide in the upcoming legislative session. That part of the bill was intentionally left blank.

Oregonians currently pay 30 cents per gallon, a tax that is automatically added at the pump. But as cars become more fuel efficient and alternative fuel sources are identified, state officials project gas tax revenue will decline."
...

And in the great Rockin' On The Right Side fashion we turn it over to a classic Sammy Hagar from his 1984 VOA released I Can't Drive 55 ...



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Side notes and such ...

Regarding the upcoming Montana legislature... remember, it's not unconstitutional unless it's PROVEN to be unconstitutional and even then, if the media doesn't continue to report on it, people don't know it ever happened ...

"After District Judge Jeffrey Sherlock of Helena ruled in February that the governors’ line-item veto was unconstitutional, Sheridan has been awarded ...."

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Keep an eye on the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC). I have a feeling you won't have to look far for an article about how "CRAZY" the Montana PSC is acting by the Montana Press. An all Republican anything just cannot stand and how this ever happened in 2012 must have the Montana Press and liberal talkers believing they shirked their duties somehow at the end of the day.

Good luck to all of the existing and new members of the Montana PSC. If the Chairman of the MT PSC does happen to get replaced, both outgoing and possible incoming Chair are highly regarded IMO.

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One last thing. I've been presenting my belief that the whole "one year" PTC extension for wind energy facilities is a ruse. An article out today, which has likely been sitting in a drawer/folder for some time, highlights the many ways Big Wind could be allowed by the Government to circumvent the laws and draw projects out in the "construction" phase for years ...

"As written, Burton says, the act does not include an end date. Therefore, savvy project developers could theoretically bank tax credits well into the future. For example, a wind farm owner could incur $5 million to purchase wind blades in 2013 and use those blades in a $100 million project that is completed in 2017. As currently written, the wind project would be eligible for 10 years of PTCs beginning in 2017."

{emphasis added}

Say what?!?

Wind Energy Subsidies Continue, With A Twist

Although the "for only one year" meme will surely light up the local Montana newspaper and TV promotions of the wind industry Production Tax Credit extension articles, the twist of a project simply having to start in 2013 rather than complete is important and will likely be glossed over.

'Fiscal cliff' deal includes extension to tax credit for wind industry Jan 1, 2013

'A one-year extension of a key tax credit for the wind industry made it into the fiscal cliff deal the U.S. Senate and House passed on Tuesday.

The tax credit, which has been a major driver for wind development across the U.S. over the past two decades, is worth 2.2 cents per kilowatt-hour of energy produced by new wind installations for their first 10 years of operation.

A White House news release confirmed that the production tax credit extension is included in the Senate package that the House also passed. According to industry insiders, it would allow any project that begins construction in 2013 to claim the credit, even if it goes online in 2014. The tax credit that expired on Monday could only be claimed for projects that went online in 2012.'

Chinese companies such as Goldwind, who are already placing turbines here in the Treasure State, fought hard for the extension, winning over Senators like Max Baucus for many jobs in China and very few long term jobs here in Montana.

Stories leading up to the PTC extension explained the big money and lobbyist actions most will hear little of ...

'General Electric in 2002 inherited Enron's wind energy business and is now the top U.S.-based supplier of wind turbines and a leading lobbying force for extending the PTC. The company is famously cozy with the Obama administration. CEO Jeffrey Immelt has served as Obama's jobs czar for two years.

GE spent more on lobbying Washington in Obama's first term -- $120 million from January 2009 through September 2012 -- than any other company. GE's hired guns lobbying on the PTC include the K Street firm McBee Strategic Consulting.'
...
'China-based Goldwind, the second-largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world, is also paying McBee to lobby on the PTC, federal lobbying filings show.'

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As other states and countries are seeing the true damage wind farms can cause to human health and wildlife, and the true cost versus benefit of wind farms are uncovered, one might think that their spread may be weaning in breathtaking and unique places like here in Montana.

However, as long as the media promote them, politicians continue to support using your money to keep them subsidized, and faux environmental groups hide behind a climate change veil, the true costs won't be realised until it is too late and the damage has already been done.

Feverishly Untangling Resistance To The PTC

Currently unknown to most Montanans, Senator Max Baucus is pushing feverishly for renewing the federal Production Tax Credit for Big Wind.

Most of the media can't even approach negative news against Big Wind,  from Illinois Homepage where turbine blades evidently get, um, tangled ..

Wind turbine gets tangled (video) Nov 29, 2012

'A blade from a wind turbine got tangled up in itself Wednesday morning. It's near Potomac just off Route 49.

It's one of 134 turbines owned by Invenergy. The company said they shut down all the turbines until they can get it fixed and find out what happened.'

Local reports provide more details ...

Blade breaks on wind turbine near Armstrong Nov 29, 2012

'Invenergy has not officially declared the start of full commercial operations at the California Ridge Wind Farm, but a company official said that will happen soon.

It was the second turbine blade to break at wind farms in East Central Illinois this year. In June, the blade of a turbine at the Settlers Trail Wind Farm near Sheldon in Iroquois County broke. That wind farm is operated by E.On Climate & Renewables North America, based in Chicago.'

It's likely that the PTC will be extended, money and the media talk.

Just off of an election and long before the next, big environmentalists no doubt have a tighter grip on Washington purse strings, no matter what is reported back home in Montana.

Targeted press releases go out to certain national locations ...

Baucus Working Feverishly To Extend Wind Energy PTC This Year Nov 29, 2012

'With the production tax credit (PTC) for wind energy set to expire on Dec. 31, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., says he is working feverishly in lame-duck Congress to extend the tax incentive this year.

Securing a deal in the near term helps keep the wind industry afloat, Baucus tells NAW. According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and a study by Navigant Consulting, more than 37,000 jobs will be lost if the PTC is allowed to expire. In fact, thousands of wind energy jobs have already been lost.

"There is no question that uncertainty over the PTC makes it difficult for the wind industry to plan and build new projects, and that means every day we fail to act is another day American jobs are on hold," Baucus says. "That is why I am fighting so hard to make sure the PTC is extended. Plain and simple: Investing in wind power is investing in good-paying American jobs - I've seen it firsthand in Montana."

We've no doubt seen Senator Baucus supporting the Chinese wind turbine manufacturing sector here in beautiful Montana, these details in this press release article were coincidentally left out.

"I understand that it takes time to plan and develop a wind farm,” he says, “and that's why I specifically designed our extension so that wind developers just need to start construction by the end of 2013 to qualify for the credit. That's important, because it means companies then have up to two years to take advantage of the credit - through the end of 2014 and, in some cases, potentially even spilling partially into 2015."

See how only extending the PTC for the short term, with stipulations on "start construction" versus "full commercial operations", can mean years of subsidies?

Never mind where your money goes.... it's jobs, don't cha know.

Thank You Veterans: Eleven-Eleven-Twelve

Just a couple pictures from today here in the City of East Helena, Montana, and a warmhearted Thank You to all U.S. Veterans and their family.

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Did U of M Prof Steve Running "Win The Nobel Prize"?

It didn't take long for the Montana media to drag out one of their favorite local global warming champions to link the causes of terrible Hurricane Sandy.

In an October 30 NBC News article (with video) University of Montana Regents Professor Steve Running explains how a variety of factors caused the massive hurricane, including the rise of the ocean due to the melting of the Greenland ice sheet.

With an NBC ad, "Getting The Facts RIGHT" next to the internet article, the title and video caption make for a dramatic lead ...

Nobel Prize winning scientist breaks down natural elements of Hurricane Sandy Oct 30, 2012

Contained within the written article, yet again, a third assertion that the Professor 'won the Nobel Prize' ...

"The University of Montana ecologist won the Nobel Prize in 2007 with fellow scientists on the inter-governmental panel on climate change."

The morning after the NBC article appeared, I sent a short email to the reporter of the story pointing out that it is not factually correct to call Professor Steve Running a 'winner of the Nobel Prize' ...

"The headline and story are factually incorrect. The story states that Mr. Running 'won the Nobel Prize in 2007 with fellow scientists', when actually the 2007 Peace Prize was awarded to Al Gore and the IPCC. Factually speaking, Mr. Running may have contributed to the Award of the Nobel Prize to Al Gore and the IPCC, but it is not true that he is a Nobel Prize winning scientist."

Although I've yet to receive a reply to my email, not knowing if it was ignored or even received at all, little did I know the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change had written a response of their own to an unfolding incident about another 2007 Nobel Peace Prize "contributor".

From the IPCC web site (PDF) ...

Statement about the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Oct 29, 2012

Contained in the written IPCC statement, a tidbit that all Montana reporters and editors should take note of ...

"The prize was awarded to the IPCC as an organization, and not to any individual associated with the IPCC. Thus it is incorrect to refer to any IPCC official, or scientist who worked on IPCC reports, as a Nobel laureate or Nobel Prize winner. It would be correct to describe a scientist who was involved with AR4 or earlier IPCC reports in this way: “X contributed to the reports of the IPCC, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.”"

{emphasis added}

But alas, who is a lowly reader of NBCMontana.com to tell a reporter what is factually correct.

At the time of this post, the NBC Montana article appeared as originally titled and written.(Oct 30 - 6:41PM).
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Although one could assume that the "natural elements" in the title of the NBC article and the lack of specific global warming references is a step forward when it comes to climate change hype, IMO the media is pushing hard that there's an "understood" link between sea level rise due to melting anything and man-made emissions.

For example, just one day after the NBC article, NPR came out with a Fresh Air report highlighting a scientist who believes there may be strong connections between Hurricane Sandy and climate change.

Sandy Raises Questions About Climate And The Future Oct 31, 2012 (with audio)

If you happen to listen to the NPR audio, notice how the scientist swerves the interviewer from her "polar ice caps" melting meme north to the Arctic. Well, because, as the Artic was shrinking, the Antarctic was growing and of course an explaination of how this is proof of global warming might be required.

Make no mistake, with the Montana media and environmental groups pushing the global warming hype, the masses will be much easier to control.
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Big hat tip to Anthony Watts for the IPCC Statement link.

Montana Wind Energy Update Oct 2012: Shawmut, Neodymium, and Jawbone

Musselshell Magic

With all of the key players assembled, the 20MW Shawmut Wind Farm ground breaking ceremony took place last Thursday hailing yet two more renewable energy projects in Montana and

two more feathers in Brian Schweitzer's cap for his rumored upcoming presidential bid.

Montana Senator Max Baucus, who is proudly credited with the projects, landowner Roy O'Connor, and Goldwind representative Tom Rosenzweig were just some of the dignitaries in attendance to show off the ongoing construction of the two projects totaling 14 Xinjiang Goldwind turbines.

Coincidentally just a day after a group of pro-wind environmentalists and Government officials met in Helena, a host of media from around Montana reported on the groundbreaking event. The story was also dutifully picked up by certain national outlets.

Although most of the reports highlighted the fact that these are Chinese turbines, they generally read like a combined press release for Production Tax Credit extension and Max Baucus.

Who could expect more from the current media ...

Shawmut wind farm to spin by year's end (with pics) Oct 18, 2012

Wind Farm Groundbreaking Ceremony (with video) Oct 18, 2012

Groundbreaking ceremony held for Montana wind farm Oct 21, 2012


Scourge

Perhaps one of the more interesting quotes from Senator Baucus at the groundbreaking came from KTVQ, with the Senator insinuating that the area was just a scourge anyway ...

"I think it's an ideal location," Senator Max Baucus said. "We've got some wind and it's been said before that we're turning something that's a bit of a scourge to something that's positive."

Now, I'm not sure that the Senator meant to call the Musselshell River area a 'source of widespread dreadful affliction and devastation' (source), but his scourge comment is in stark contrast to a Wade Fredenberg article in a 1989 Montana Outdoors magazine titled Musselshell Magic, which I highlighted in a previous Goldwind post.


Wildlife, Public Land & Noise

One very popular Montana environmentalist recently highlighted detrimental noise aspects of coal-train traffic near sensitive areas, the sound (no pun intended) of wind turbine wildlife impacts on Montana public and private lands from the media and environmentalists is basically non-existent.

I highlighted the close proximity of the Shawmut turbines to Montana public lands in the previously mentioned post, public lands are in light blue with only some associated wind farm equipment highlighted by red circles ...

The future surprise by these same "press release" reporters about turbine infrasound damage to wildlife, and the obvious damage to avian and bat populations from strikes and barotrauma, surely won't catch me off guard.

Neodymium

No doubt that the Shawmut turbine installations are good for short term jobs here in the state, but are they really clean energy?

The Xinjiang Goldwind turbines being installed next to the Musselshell river near Shawmut are 1.5MW Permanent Magnet Direct Drive turbines.

This type of magnetic use turbine design contains the element neodymium, and the extraction of this rare earth metal in China has been known to cause major environmental damage for some time.

Among others, the German TV station NDP has looked into the connection between direct drive wind turbines and the environmental destruction of the extraction of the rare earth metal neodymium. In a 2011 video report, available here (in German), the press release explains (English translation)...

"Neodymium is mined almost exclusively in Chinese mines. In the separation of neodymium from rocks subsidized produce toxic waste products, as well as radioactive uranium and thorium are released during the degradation process. Such substances are at least partially into the ground water, flora and fauna thus contaminate considerably and are classified as harmful to humans.

Baotou in north China, for example, according to research by "People and Stories" and of "Panorama" the polluted environment around the factories that separate the neodymium from ore. Residents are partially seriously ill, the water is contaminated sustainable. Studies have reported a significant increase in cancer rates."

In 2011, at least one group of financial portfolio managers removed Xinjiang Goldwind from their environmental fund because of the related environmental damage of neodymium. More recently, wind turbine direct drive designs are shying away from the use of such rare earth metals because of the obvious environmental impacts.

Jawbone

So what of other current wind farm plans for Montana?

Just last week, on the same day as the Senator Max Baucus appeared near Shawmut, and the media giddily responded, the Montana DNRC announced that the proponent for the Jawbone Wind Farm requested that the DNRC indefinately suspend work on the environmental review of the project. This announcement didn't come about through use of the internet, who could ask this of the DNRC, but rather a snail mailing with not many details ...

Although this announcement may be an indication that the 12 turbines evidently destined for public trust land are nixed, the fate of the planned 174 turbines on private land are unknown to most. The Jawbone Wind Farm has been designed in close proximity to the Shawmut project, as laid out in the DNRC scoping report currently available here.

Readers of the Billings Gazette opinion page may remember a late August letter to the editor by Tom Hayden deriding the DNRC for rapid collection of public comments to the new wind farm and viewshed degredation.

Just a few miles north-west of the Shawmut project, the Jawbone Wind Farm has received nearly zero media coverage, gosh forbid they publish wind farm public comment collection. IMO Mr. Hayden has a point regarding the collection period for such an important project that effects Montanans' land, wildlife, and viewshed.

I'm proud to point out that the Montana Fish and Wildlife and the Montana Audubon submitted scoping comments about the Jawbone project. All of the comments submitted are currently available here, nothing from the Natural Resourcez[SIC] Defense Council.

What did-in the Jawbone Wind Farm on public trust land? Was it the close proximity of the Musselshell project, or simply the state of the current production tax credits? Or something else?

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Side notes ...

I surely don't begrudge the workers involved in building projects such as this, they are just doing their jobs IMO and I respect them immensely for what they do. My problems lie more with the media that promote these projects through a press release prism that allow policy makers and politicians to sway public opinion in their favor. I also have much disdain for large local and national environmental groups, like Earthjustise[SIC] and the Natural Resourcez[SIC] Defense Council, that claim they are for protecting the environment but have fallen into the global warming sink hole. In a way, I believe that the Montana Audubon has also fallen in this trap but at least speaks up when appropriate, kudos to them.

Writer and blogger Richard Gibson, who concentrates much of his effort into writing about Butte, has a good post about Neodymium here.

Resources for the Future has a 75 page report on rare earth metals and the role China plays. Released in Feb 2012, the report is titled The Supply Chain and Industrial Organization of Rare Earth Materials, Implications for the U.S. Wind Energy Sector.

Much is left out of this post regarding the mentioned Goldwind executive and his ties with First Wind, Roy O'Connor, Susan Engelhard O'Connor, and planned Hawaiian wind farms. Additionally, much is left out regarding the related Illinois wind farm and their relationship with Goldwind. Thanks for reading.

Following China's Solar And Wind Models (Over A Cliff)

China’s Solyndra Economy Sep 13, 2012
by Patrick Chovanec
Government subsidies to green energy and high-speed rail have led to mounting losses and costly bailouts. This is not a road the U.S. should travel.

"On Aug. 3, the owner of Chengxing Solar Company leapt from the sixth floor of his office building in Jinhua, China. Li Fei killed himself after his company was unable to repay a $3 million bank loan it had guaranteed for another Chinese solar company that defaulted. One local financial newspaper called Li’s suicide “a sign of the imminent collapse facing the Chinese photovoltaic industry” due to overcapacity and mounting debts.

President Barack Obama has held up China’s investments in green energy and high-speed rail as examples of the kind of state-led industrial policy that America should be emulating. The real lesson is precisely the opposite. State subsidies have spawned dozens of Chinese Solyndras that are now on the verge of collapse.

Unveiled in 2010, Beijing’s 12th Five-Year Plan identified solar and wind power and electric automobiles as “strategic emerging industries” that would receive substantial state support. Investors piled into the favored sectors, confident the government’s backing would guarantee success. Barely two years later, all three industries are in dire straits.'
...
'Wind power is seeing similar overcapacity [as solar]. China’s top wind turbine manufacturers, Goldwind and Sinovel, saw their earnings plummet by 83% and 96% respectively in the first half of 2012, year-on-year. Domestic wind farm operators Huaneng and Datang saw profits plunge 63% and 76%, respectively, due to low capacity utilization. China’s national electricity regulator, SERC, reported that 53% of the wind power generated in Inner Mongolia province in the first half of this year was wasted. One analyst told China Securities Journal that “40-50% of wind power projects are left idle,” with many not even connected to the grid."
...

{emphasis added}

Read the entire post here.

Patrick Chovanec is an Associate Professor of Practice at Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management in Beijing, China, where he teaches in the school’s International MBA Program.