MPRB likely had to file as intervener in the FERC docket by a date certain in order to establish legal standing as the project progresses before FERC. No sinister plot.
Michael Hohmann Linden Hills > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Behalf Of Chris Johnson > Sent: Monday, May 03, 2004 4:35 PM > To: Mpls Forum > Subject: [Mpls] Crown Hydro bullies Park Board? > > > I've been reading through the numerous filings in the electronic library > provided by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regarding the Crown > Hydro project (FERC, http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/docket_search.asp, > search for docket P-11175). This has been highly interesting, downright > astonishing and depressing all at the same time. > > I was initially undecided about this project. I am in favor of > distributed energy generation and renewable power sources. But I had > some qualms. As I learned more, I began to become more opposed to this > project. I finally decided I was completely opposed, but my reasons were > all related to risk/benefit analysis -- that is, I did not think the > benefits of this project were worth the risks and impact to the St. > Anthony Fall's neighborhood and environment. > > I always believed that Crown Hydro was an honest, straight-ahead > business who were simply pursuing their goal of building a successful > and profitable business for themselves. I have no objection to such an > effort; I am a capitalist myself. > > The Minneapolis Park Board commissioners are supposed to vote this > Wednesday evening on whether to lease the Mill Ruins Park land to Crown > Hydro or not. But all is not right in this world. > > I just read a filing at FERC (part which I have included below), which > casts this whole project in a very different light. Residents along the > river only just heard about this project recently in the last few weeks. > Even Park Board followers such as myself only heard about this project > for the first time at the end of one of the Park Board's trademark "late > night" new business meetings a few months ago. > > But lo and behold -- the Park Board has been negotiating with Crown > Hydro for years. In fact, the Park Board took the extraordinary step on > March 6, 2003 (last year) of filing a Motion to Intervene with FERC, > strongly stating their OPPOSITION to this project! (the filing below) > > What in the blue blazes has changed since this strongly-worded > opposition statement was made? > > Now is the time to take action if you are opposed to this project. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > --------- > > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION > > Crown Hydro Company Project No. 11175-016 > > MOTION TO INTERVENE > and > COMMENTS > > SUBMITTED BY THE > > MINNEAPOLIS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD > > INTRODUCTION > > Pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and > Procedures (18 C.F.R. * 385.214) and the Notice of Application issued on > January 22, 2003, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board ("Park > Board") files this Motion to Intervene and these Comments in this > proceeding involving the application of Crown Hydro LLC ("Crown") for > amendment of license for the Crown Mill Project. > > > I. DESCRIPTION OF MOVANT > > The Park Board is a municipal body consisting of nine > independently-elected commissioners in the City of Minneapolis, State of > Minnesota, and files this Motion to Intervene on its behalf pursuant to > Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure. > > Communications in connection with this matter should be sent to: > > Rachel B. Ramadhyani, Project Manager > Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board > 200 Grain Exchange, 400 South 4th Street > Minneapolis, MN 55415-1400 > (612) 661-4814 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > II. GROUNDS FOR INTERVENTION > > The Crown Mill Project is located in the historic milling district of > the City of Minneapolis and will use water from St Anthony Falls ("the > Falls"). The Falls and the Mississippi River are highly significant > aspects of the historic and natural environment of the City of > Minneapolis and the State of Minnesota. The area around the Falls, > including the site of the Crown Mill Project, is listed on the National > Register of Historic Places as the St. Anthony Falls Historic District. > The Park Board has acquired a substantial amount of property within the > Historic District, including the site of the Crown Mill Project, and is > in the process of (1) design and construction of "Mill Ruins Park" on > this site, in cooperation with the United States Government, (2) > planning improvements to the Great River Road adjacent to the Project > site, with the intention of providing cultural, recreational, and > aesthetic benefits to the public, also in cooperation with the United > States Government, and (3) furthering other plans to preserve the > historic and natural environment of the Falls as it exists in the City > of Minneapolis. These activities involve the expenditure of significant > capital resources on the part of the Park Board, the City of > Minneapolis, and the United States Government. > > At the present time, substantial strides have been made toward the > implementation of these plans. The first phase of development of Mill > Ruins Park was completed and opened to the public in October 2001, and > the next phase of park construction, which also involves improvements to > the Great River Road, will be undertaken during the upcoming > construction season of 2003. Both park construction phases have received > substantial Federal Highway Administration funding, along with funds > from various State of Minnesota and local sources. > > The Crown Mill Project as originally licensed requires the use of > parkland (portions of Mill Ruins Park) owned by the Park Board to convey > water from the river to the hydroelectric equipment and to then return > the spent water to the river. The amendment of license requested by > Crown would additionally locate the powerhouse and ancillary facilities > on parkland owned by the Park Board. This parkland was acquired by the > Park Board for its historic and natural significance and for the purpose > of developing a system of parkways, trails, and interpretive and > recreational features intended to provide public access to and > interpretation and preservation of the significant natural, historic, > and scenic values of the location. The parkland is protected by the > National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C.A * 4321 to > 4370b) and falls within the Mississippi National River and Recreation > Area (MNRRA) (1988 Public Law 100- 696), the Upper Mississippi reach of > the federally-d > esignated American Heritage River (1998), and the National Millennium > Trail designated by the United States Department of Transportation (1999). > > The Park Board, the City of Minneapolis, and the public are therefore > strongly impacted by the activities of the Crown Mill Project. Any > change in the conditions of the project license, and, in particular, the > proposed amendment, will have a significant impact on ability of the > Park Board and its many partners, including the United States of > America, to successfully implement the recreational and preservation > goals discussed above. In addition, significant archaeological resources > which are contributing features to the St. Anthony Falls Historic > District will be impacted by the proposed amendment. The Park Board's > motion to intervene is made in the public interest, in that the Park > Board is the provider and protector of parks and historic and natural > sites within the City of Minneapolis. > > The interest of the Park Board and the City of Minneapolis will be > directly affected by the outcome of this proceeding. Based on the > foregoing, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board requests that its > Motion for Intervention be granted. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > --------- > > The full text of the above Park Board filing at FERC can be read here > (http://www.mplsparkwatch.org/node/view/69) or here > (http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/OpenNat.asp?fileID=9653710) in > text format, or you can view images of the original documents at this > location > (http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/File_list.asp?document_id=4080706). > > > Chris Johnson > Fulton > > 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 > 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
