It seems to me there are really a bundle of issues to consider, the two most prominent of which are financial and environmental.
Financially, the project is what it is. You can run the numbers, make fairly accurate projections and figure out the impact on the Park Board's finances. In my view, the Park Board takes a huge risk for a pittance - but reasonable minds can differ. The environmental issues are much more difficult to analyze. Yes, we all love green power, but at what cost? Project advocates paint a picture of no meaningful impact. Opponents paint a dire picture of a river reduced to a trickle. Experts weigh in on both sides. Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to actually try it for a while and then make up our minds, a way that wouldn't waste millions of dollars? Wouldn't that be better than rolling the dice and being unable to take it back for 100 years? Maybe there is such a way. Everyone acknowledges that Xcel's hydro plant right across the river generates less power than it is capable of producing because they can't take more water from the river under their current permit. Why couldn't we test the impact by permitting Xcel to take more water, enough to replicate the impact of the current Xcel useage plus the projected Crown Hydro useage. This continues for 90, 180 or 360 days. We have a chance to see what actually happens. It could be that project opponents are correct, the falls dry up, the river turns into a stagnant sewer, tourists and businesses flee and all those expensive condos are converted to massive mini-storage rentals. Or the proponets could be right - there won't be any difference, the river banks will be covered with frollicking hordes celebrating green power and being educated all at the same time, Ralph Nader sweeps to victory and the Park Board sits back and watches the old Mazuma roll in. Or, perhaps somewhat more likely, somewhere in between. If it's really somewhere in between, we will have lived with it, we will know how well it works and can make a rational decision as to whether to proceed and what modifications to the current plan might be appropriate. Why take a 100 year gamble when you have the opportunity to figure out what you're getting into? Barry Clegg REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
