Thought I would post the Sierra Club's comment letter submitted to MPRB concerning Crown Hydro. Thanks again to Annie Young, Vivian Mason, John Erwin, Rochelle Berry Graves and Walt Dziedzic for voting to stop this plan in this particular location.
Dave Stack Harrison ---------------------------------- May 13, 2004 To: The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board From: Sierra Club North Star Chapter Dear Commissioners: A year ago, the Sierra Club began a campaign to restore two magnificent natural resources in the heart of Minneapolis: the Falls of St. Anthony and the whitewater rapids of the Mississippi River Gorge. The campaign, called "Let the River Run," also calls for ending the taxpayer-subsidized barge traffic on the Mississippi within the city, where the river's flow is restricted by three sets of locks and dams built to facilitate commercial navigation. Put another way, more than 20,000 members of the Sierra Club's North Star (Minnesota) Chapter have a major stake in decisions by the Park and Recreation Board that would affect the Mississippi River. This includes the pending decision on the proposal by Crown Hydro to build a hydroelectric plant near St. Anthony Falls. As you know, the City of Minneapolis plans to eventually close the Upper Harbor. This will have broad and lasting consequences. Most notably, it has been estimated, commercial barge traffic will decrease by two-thirds within the city. That will raise further questions about the economic and environmental desirability of maintaining the three sets of locks and dams: those at Upper and Lower St. Anthony Falls and Lock and Dam No. 1 (the Ford Dam). The Sierra Club's North Star Chapter believes that any significant investment made in the Gorge area which assumes no change in the locks-and-dam system is ill advised. This includes the Crown Hydro proposal, the proposed whitewater park, and even a rumored University of Minnesota boathouse. We strongly urge the Park Board to take a broad view when considering Crown Hydro's proposal. For example, would the proposed power plant be dependent on continued operation of the lock-and-dam system? Please understand that the Sierra Club is not arguing against using the river to generate electrical power. However, if the locks at St. Anthony were breached or removed and the waterfall itself restored, could a hydroelectric plant be incorporated into such a restoration project without interfering with the esthetics and ecological integrity of the river? The first goal of our "Let the River Run" campaign is for independent studies to determine the financial cost and potential economic and environmental effects of restoring St. Anthony Falls and the whitewater rapids of the Gorge area. That would include a comprehensive review of the potential effects on industries along the riverway to ensure protection of the jobs and other economic benefits they provide. Toward that end, the Sierra Club is one of 18 groups that have endorsed a proposal by the Mississippi Corridor Neighborhood Coalition (MCNC) that seeks $100,000 from the Minnesota Legislature to study the effects of closing the lock-and-dam system in Minneapolis. Please consider these developments as you weigh Crown Hydro's request. Sincerely yours, Dean Rebuffoni, Minneapolis Water Committee Sierra Club North Star Chapter 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
