on September 01, 2018

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Minnesota’s Rich Mining Tradition Still Runs Deep

Written by Tom Steward

Phil Warwas has punched in for the last time after more than half a century in the mining industry. But his story in the Duluth News Tribune points to the bright future ahead for thousands of younger Minnesotans just starting out, if and when the state finally allows environmentally responsible development of our world-class mineral resources. He's endured layoffs and yearlong strikes during that time, but stuck around to pursue his passion. Machining isn't something he plans on giving up in retirement either — he'll be doing plenty of it from his shop at home as a hobby. "The machine shop held...

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on August 31, 2018

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Confessions of a Former Xcel Energy Employee- Can Minnesota Avoid Wreckage Seen in Colorado?

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

A tell-all from Duane Richards, a former Xcel Energy employee, who plainly states that the company's "Steel for Fuel" agenda is an attempt to bolster shareholder profits at the expense of Colorado ratepayers, who will be stuck footing the bill. We can learn a lot in Minnesota from our friends in the west about the wisdom of pushing for greater renewable energy mandates, as some candidates for public office are advocating....

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on August 30, 2018

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Two Dozen Anti-Pipeline Protesters Arrested in Bemidji: They Aren’t The Heroes They Think They Are

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

Anti-pipeline activists forget that engineering is a science, and that it allows us to transport oil and natural gas safely through pipelines more than 99.999 percent of the time. These people are not defenders of science or the environment. They're a sideshow movement that has deluded themselves into thinking they are somehow saving the planet, when in reality the policies they advocate put the environment at greater risk....

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on August 30, 2018

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Bemidji Police Break Up Pipeline Protest

Written by Tom Steward

in Energy

It's still not clear which route the recently approved Enbridge 3 replacement pipeline will take through northern Minnesota. It doesn't really matter. Regardless of the pipeline's ultimate path, activists will be there to create havoc and disrupt the $3 billion project, despite its critical economic and environmental benefits. The usual suspects got a head start this week in Bemidji, disrupting traffic and making a general nuisance of themselves, according to a report in the Pioneer. More than two dozen people were cited as about 100 people gathered and blocked streets in downtown Bemidji on Wednesday, Aug. 29, in opposition of the Line 3...

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on August 28, 2018

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Company Proposes Building 71 Wind Turbines in Dodge County at a Whopping $4.3 Million A Pop

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

NextEra Energy is seeking to build 71 wind turbines in Dodge County, Minnesota. The turbines would have a maximum capacity of up to 170 megawatts. Each turbine will be up to 88 meters tall from the ground to the hub in the center of the blades. The project is expected to cost around $300 million. Or roughly $4.3 million per wind turbine....

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on August 27, 2018

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Duluth News Tribune: DNR Denies Petition for Additional Polymet Environmental Review

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

The Duluth News Tribune ran an interesting story explaining that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has denied a petition for another environmental review which was sought by the environmental advocacy group WaterLegacy. However, this does not mean the DNR is not doing their due diligence on the project. In fact, the proposed PolyMet mine is the longest and most in-depth environmental review for any project in the history of the state....

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on August 26, 2018

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Center Report Ramps Up Debate Over Benefits of Environmentally Responsible Mining

Written by Tom Steward

in Energy

American Experiment's newly released report on the statewide benefits of environmentally responsible mining of Minnesota's world-class mineral resources continues to attract media attention. Over the weekend, Forum Communications newspapers all over the state published a column highlighting our ground-breaking report, along with a Harvard paper on the benefits of tourism. A conservative Minnesota think tank says copper and nickel mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is safe and good for the economy, while a Harvard professor says that economic boost would sour in a few years. A pair of reports that came out in recent days arrived as political campaigns...

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on August 25, 2018

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Future of Wind “Uncertain” After Federal Subsidies Expire

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

Wind power capacity in the United States continued to experience strong growth in 2017. Recent and near-term additions are supported by the industry’s primary federal incentive—the production tax credit (PTC)—as well as a myriad of state-level policies." So much for "Free market" renewable energy, eh?...

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on August 21, 2018

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Environmentally Responsible Mining Will Boost MN’s Economy $3.7 Billion a Year and Create 8,500 Jobs

Written by Tom Steward

in Energy

Environmentally responsible mining will provide a $3.7 billion annual boost to Minnesota’s economy, create 8,500 jobs and generate nearly $200 million a year in tax revenue for state and local governments, according to a new report by Center of the American Experiment. The report, Unearthing Prosperity: How Environmentally Responsible Mining Will Boost Minnesota’s Economy, evaluates the mining potential of the state’s largely untapped world-class mineral resources. “Mining is often framed as an ‘either or’ proposition—jobs or the environment, tourism jobs or mining jobs. But this is an inaccurate portrayal of modern mining,” said Isaac Orr, a policy fellow at Center of the...

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on August 21, 2018

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Trump Administration Releases Revised Clean Power Plan

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

The Trump Administration has released its revised version of the Clean Power Plan (CPP), which was considered to be the signature climate change regulation of the Obama Administration. The new rule, called the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, would give individual states more authority to make their own plans for regulating greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants rather than imposing a set of top-down policies from the federal government. The CPP was designed to fundamentally transform electricity markets by forcing coal plants to retire and require the use of wind and solar to replace. As we've already seen in Minnesota, this comes...

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