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on May 15, 2020
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Benjamin Zycher: Earth Day 2020: The Exhaustion of the Climate Left

Written by Isaac Orr
in Coronavirus, Energy, Environment

The following article originally appeared in RealClearMarkets and was written by Benjamin Zycher: “Climate Action” is the theme of this 50th Earth Day, and it is useful to note that these five decades of apocalyptic warnings truly are amazing in their consistency: Not one actually has come to pass. The juxtaposition of two news stories, respectively from 1988 and from last January, is among the more amusing tidbits from decades of climate fearmongering. The former: “A gradual rise in sea level is threatening to completely cover” the Maldives. The latter: “Maldives to open four new airports in 2020.” Amusement aside, the theme this year is a clear sign...

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on April 13, 2020
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Montana Regulators Approve New Copper Mine

Written by Isaac Orr
in Mining

Montana regulators have approved a new copper mine, known as the Black Butte Copper Project, in Central Montana. The mine is owned by Sandfire Resources America Inc., and the company expects this environmentally-responsible mine to deliver a big economic boost into the local community. According to the company's website, the company expects to employ 240 full-time employees and an additional 50 full-time contractors with annual average wages estimated to be $65,000 per year. If these projections hold true, the company would be the largest employer within a 50 mile radius of the mine. Urban liberals often roll their eyes at the economic...

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on October 30, 2019
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Good News on Polymet! Minnesota Court of Appeals Rules Environmental Groups Can’t Move the Goalposts

Written by Isaac Orr
in Climate, Energy, Environment, Greater Minnesota, Minnesota Economy

There is good news on the Minnesota mining front, as the Minnesota Court of Appeals has rejected a challenge by anti-mining groups seeking to invalidate Minnesota's rules for non-ferrous mining. This is a big deal, because anti-mining groups, including the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, were trying to overturn the entire regulatory framework for how Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources evaluates and regulates mines that produce copper, nickel, platinum, cobalt, and other metals we depend upon every single day. Had this challenge succeeded, it would have been a massive blow to Minnesota's economic future, and a loss for the environment, as well. Minnesota...

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on July 09, 2019
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My Trip To the White House

Written by Isaac Orr
in Climate, Energy, Environment

Yesterday I made my first ever trip to the White House to hear President Trump talk about the great progress the United States has made on making sure we have clean air and clean drinking water. This point is incredibly important to make because most Americans seem to think that the environment is always getting worse, when if fact just the opposite is true. The environment in the United States has been improving for decades. https://youtu.be/4XrHi1ldxso?t=2048 President Trump mostly stayed on script, letting several cabinet secretaries talk about the achievements that have been made since the President took office. Despite claims that the...

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on June 04, 2019
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Appeals Court Ruling Will Delay Line 3 Replacement, Again

Written by Isaac Orr
in Energy, Environment, Minnesota Economy

On Monday the Minnesota Court of Appeals stated an environmental review of Enbridge’s controversial Line 3 oil pipeline was “inadequate” because it did not consider the effects of an oil spill in Lake Superior’s watershed, according to the Duluth News Tribune. The ruling is the latest delay in replacing aging oil pipeline, which is operating at half of its potential capacity due to safety concerns. The ruling is bizarre because new pipelines, like new cars, are much safer than their older counterparts. In fact, according to data from the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), since 2010 there have been 1,300...

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on April 30, 2019
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One Korean Nuclear Reactor Would Produce As Much Electricity As All Minnesota Wind Turbines at a Much Lower Cost

Written by Isaac Orr
in Climate, Energy, Environment, Minnesota Economy

Last week, Korean Electric Power (KEPCO) connected its second advanced pressure reactor (APR) 1400 nuclear reactor to the grid. This is significant because these power plants, with a generation capacity of 1,400 megawatts (MW), would be able to generate about as much electricity as the combined output of all the wind facilities in Minnesota, for a fraction of the cost. Nuclear power plants are incredibly efficient, with capacity factors of 90 percent or higher. This means nuclear plants will generate about 90 percent of their theoretical output during the course of a year. As a result, building just one APR1400 reactor...

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on March 04, 2019
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Walz Embraces Energy-Illiterate Green New Deal for Minnesota

Written by Isaac Orr
in Climate, Energy, Environment

DFL Governor Tim Walz is making Mark Dayton look  downright moderate. Just this morning the newly-elected governor held a press conference stating his goals for making Minnesota's electricity sector 100 percent free of carbon dioxide emisisons by 2050. Walz's Minnesota Green New Deal is straight out of the radical, energy-illiterate playbook. This policy, which would require Minnesota electric facilities to use only carbon-free energy resources by 2050, would cause massive increases in electricity prices for no measurable environmental benefit. Governor Walz should actually ‘follow the science,’ and realize this proposal is all pain and no gain for Minnesota’s families and communities....

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