Minnesota 8th District Candidate Rick Nolan - Picking Winners And Losers

EPA rules don't make a difference?  How it affects power and mining.

Here is how a vote might make a difference in Minnesota in regards to your current or future line of employment: Electric plants in the Northland produce electricity for our mining industry in this area and provide local jobs.

Hoyt Lakes Mayor Marlene Pospeck said she is equally concerned about the state Public Utilities Commission’s threat to close Minnesota Power’s Laskin Energy Center in Hoyt Lakes and Taconite Harbor Energy Center by 2016.

http://www.looktruenorth.com/72-elections/us-congressional/20250-nolan-will-fight-for-mining-jobs-who-knew.html 
 
The closing would affect 40 jobs in Hoyt Lakes. And Pospeck said it would have a devastating effect on the city’s property taxes. “Laskin is about 70 percent of Hoyt Lakes’ tax base,” she said.

Those seem to be real jobs we are talking about here.

The state Commerce Department, which intervenes in utility cases, has urged the PUC to require Minnesota Power to shut down by 2017 both units of its Laskin Energy Center and one of three units at its Taconite Harbor Energy Center, and replace their power with new wind farms and natural gas-fired power plants.

But the Duluth-based utility, whose 144,000 customers in central and northeast Minnesota include the power-thirsty mining industry, says the three generators still produce power economically and that the idea of retiring them needs far more study. The three units represent about 13 percent of the utility's coal-based generating capacity.

http://www.startribune.com/business/165526916.html?refer=y

How about the mining industry?

Will there be the jobs if these regulations (BART) are implemented? Does it make some operations cost prohibitive to continue? Good questions, have a look at the Tilden Mine in Michigan for a cost to industry to get an idea of how this would effect mining facilities. It appears to be 35 - 38 Million at that facility along with annual costs.

Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; States of Minnesota and Michigan; Regional Haze Federal Implementation Plan
Full Report Link:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-08-15/pdf/2012-19789.pdf

The PCA rules approved in April were looser than the state agency's staff originally proposed. They were eased after Cliffs Natural Resources officials said the Hibbing Taconite and United Taconite plants would have trouble complying with proposed nitrogen oxide limits. Critics have said that any tougher haze rules could hurt the state's taconite industry, even forcing some lower-margin operations to close.

Does this sound like it might affect some jobs?

But those tougher limits are now back on the plate, and supporters say the EPA was forced to act because Minnesota regulators "shirked their responsibility."

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_21338933/iron-range-epa-calls-tougher-air-pollution-rules

Who does this affect regionally?
Minnesota .... U.S. Steel, Minntac .......................................... Grate-Kiln Lines 3–7.
Minnesota. Northshore Mining Company-Straight-Grate Furnaces 11 and 12.
Minnesota . United Taconite ................................ Grate-Kiln Lines 1 and 2.
Minnesota... ArcelorMittal Steel ............................................ 1 Straight-Grate.
Minnesota ... Hibbing Taconite .......................... Straight-Grate Lines 1–3.
Minnesota.... U.S. Steel, Keetac ........................................... 1 Grate-Kiln.
Michigan..... Tilden Mining .................................................... Grate-Kiln Line 1.

Some estimated costs:

Cost of Control

Minntac estimated the annualized pollution control cost of installing and operating WWESPs on Lines 3, 4, and 5 to be between $20,000 and $24,000 per ton of SO2 removed. The cost of installing and operating a secondary wet scrubber on these lines was estimated to be between $14,000 and $16,000 per ton of SO2 removed. The annualized pollution control cost of installing and operating WWESPs on Lines 6 and 7 was estimated to be approximately $18,000 per ton of SO2 removed. The cost of installing and operating a secondary wet scrubber on these lines was estimated to be between approximately $12,000 per ton of SO2 removed.

Cost of Control
ArcelorMittal estimated the annualized pollution control cost of installing and operating WWESPs to be about $116,000 per ton of SO2 removed.The cost of installing and operating a secondary wet scrubber was estimated to be approximately $83,000 per ton of SO2 removed.

Cost of Control
Northshore estimated the annualized pollution control cost of installing and operating secondary WWESPs ranged from roughly $180,000 to $540,000 per ton of SO2 removed. The cost of installing and operating a secondary wet scrubber was estimated to be between $140,000 and $420,000 per ton of SO2 removed.

Cost of Control
Hibbing estimated the annualized pollution control cost of installing and operating WWESPs to be about $37,000 per ton of SO2 removed. The cost ofinstalling and operating a secondary wet scrubber was estimated to be between $57,000 and $67,000 per ton of SO2 removed. Given the space limitations and equipment additions that would be required to modify the existing wet scrubber, Hibbing determined that it would be more cost effective toconstruct a new, secondary scrubber; therefore, no cost estimate was provided for modifications to the existing wet scrubber.

The following table illustrates the SO2 emission reductions projected by Tilden with the technically feasible technologies.

TABLE V–B.37—PROJECTED ANNUAL SO2 EMISSION REDUCTIONS
SDA     90 0.03 $38,403,000
Wet Scrubber  80 0.05 7,448,000
WWESP  80 0.05 15,733,000
Dry Scrubber  55 0.11 35,381,000

More Information:
Potential Impacts of the Federal Regional Haze and Best Available Retrofit Technology
Rules on the Taconite Industry in Minnesota
Final Report for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
September 30, 2003
Barr Engineering Company
Project No. 23/62-833
CFMS Contract No. A45712
Report from 2003:
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=2235

(See Attachments I through M for annualized cost figures:)

Minnesota Regional Haze Plan - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/air/air-quality-and-pollutants/general-air-quality/state-implementation-plan/minnesota-regional-haze-plan.html

We end up with this quote from Candidate Rick Nolan in the eigth congressional district of Minnesota.

Rick Nolan: "These [EPA] rules and regulations are not job killers. Quite frankly, they are job creators.”

How so Rick, one industry like wind energy wins, while others in Minnesota who work in these industries lose miserably in the end??   Are you supporting all of the people and jobs in the 8th district Rick and would you be acting responsibly if you were given the chance? Minnesota's mining industry is ranked number one in gross product output - adding more than $3.1 billion annually to the regional economy. Why should we throw this industry away?

http://www.taconite.org/campaign.php

Rather than a win lose approach promoted by Rick Nolan and the democratic party leadership, wouldn't we be better off with a win win approach using all of our natural resources in an effective and common sense manner that allows our business to stay in business? This is after all, real jobs we are talking about now.

Oh, but Rick would support us anyhow right?  Lets have a look at the last pretty much party line vote on the land exchange to support our school children in all of Minnesota.
So, how did the parties vote?

House Vote 568 - H.R.5544: On Passage
Mainly Republican For And Democratic Against.
http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/112/house/2/568

Rick is a good democratic trooper along with the best or worst of them. You can count on his vote against the people,communities and jobs of Minnesota.

Let's just not allow that failure to occur.

Minnesota Politics In The 8th District, Democratic Party Memory Loss At Large

There are a some good stories to have a chuckle with in the 8th district this year regarding how politicians change their tune to fit the situation.

First up would be Jeff Anderson's post primary support of Rick Nolan. Here is this story from the Princeton Union Eagle during the democratic primaries.

http://unioneagle.com/2012/06/former-duluth-concilor-in-three-way-primary-race/

Anderson argues that he, among the DFL candidates, best matches up with Cravaack on the issue of mining — Cravaack has become a very pro-mining congressman, Anderson said.
“I know we’ve mined for a 130 years and I want to see us mine for another 130 years,” Anderson said.
“I want to see us do it safely, I want us to do it the right way,” he said.
“And I believe we can,” he said.

Now I like Jeff in general, he is local and has a good understanding of the area. Too bad he didn't win the primary as he was a viable candidate if a person looks at things from the democratic perspective.


Jeff's take on Nolan during the primaries:

Full Article:
http://www.virginiamn.com/news/article_b5f33326-d152-11e1-848b-001a4bcf887a.html

Anderson argues Nolan is out-of-step with the times.
“A very nice man,” Anderson said of Nolan.
But two years ago voters rejected a Democratic congressman, former Congressman James Oberstar, who was first elected in 1974, explained Anderson.


Duluth City Councilor Jeff Anderson last week challenged his two opponents to take a definitive stand on a recently-passed House measure, which he supports, that would accelerate the permitting process and also delay a decision on a permanent sulfate standard until a Minnesota study is completed. An amendment to that bill, the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012, to speed up the permitting process was steered through by Cravaack.

On Wednesday, party-endorsed Rick Nolan of the Brainerd area said he would not have voted for the measure. “If the bill was for the purpose of expediting the process I’d be very supportive. But it would gut health and safety standards,” he said.

Anderson said both Nolan and Clark are badly out of touch on the copper/nickel/precious metals issue.

“The question is simple. Do Rick Nolan and/or Tarryl Clark believe that we need to streamline the permitting processes and normalize the allowable sulfate discharge levels, or do they not?

“One answer will create jobs. The other will allow them to continue pandering on this vitally important issue,” Anderson said Wednesday.

Cravaack's take on things?

“The bill only waives federal permitting standards when the state standards for permitting exceed the federal standards, thus eliminating extremely time consuming duplication. If state standards already in place exceed federal standards, a waiver could be granted,” a Cravaack spokesman said on Wednesday. In addition, a news release from Cravaack’s office last week said:

“H.R. 4402 maintains full compliance with existing environmental regulations. The bill gives the lead agency the ability to waive duplication if the agency determines the state and federal safeguards are sufficient. Specifically, all existing environmental regulations must meet current federal standards, although certain state standards currently exceed federal standards. In such instances, the federal permitting process could be waved to avoid duplication.”

So how have things changed for Jeff since: 

He is definitely standing behind his man in his series of Facebook photo shots.

https://www.facebook.com/JeffAndersonMN/photos_stream

https://www.facebook.com/JeffAndersonMN/photos

So who exactly is the man he is standing behind? If his previous words are any indication I'd have to go with Congressman Cravaack on this one as his views seem to align more with him than Rick Nolan. ????? Strangely, that does look like Rick Nolan in those photos though.

Jeff should have stuck to his guns, I can't blame him though being a career democratic politician. Guess he is hoping everyone has a short memory about what he did support and who was in touch on things...

Moving along we have Tom Rukavina:

He stands behind his man with this video: He even uses the good old Packsacker insult to indicate that Congressman Chip just isn't one of us. He seems to conveniently forget all the good things Cravaack has done for economic development in this region it seems.



But how do his ideologies stack up with Chip Cravaack? Have a look at this editorial excerpt:
http://www.letfreedomringblog.com/?p=13865

Chip Cravaack’s legislation mirrored the bill that Gov. Dayton signed into law. In fact, Chip’s legislation includes this language:

“(7) The Legislature of the State of Minnesota, meeting in its 87th Legislative Session, passed (and on April 27, 2012, the Governor of Minnesota approved) S.F No. 1750 (Chapter 236), section 4 of which adds section 92.80 to the Minnesota Statutes to expedite the exchange of a portion of the State trust lands located within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
(b) LAND EXCHANGE REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall consummate a land exchange with the State of Minnesota pursuant to section 4 of S.F No. 1750 (Chapter 236) of the Legislature of the State of Minnesota (section 92.80 of the Minnesota Statutes) to acquire all right, title, and interest of the State in and to certain State trust lands identified as provided in such section in exchange for all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to National Forest System land in the State for inclusion in the State trust lands.

Tom Rukavina voted for S.F.1750. Chip Cravaack authored legislation that made S.F.1750 federal law.

And then we have this opinion from Tom in the Timberjay, a little paper up north where he straightens out a environmental extremist :http://www.timberjay.com/stories/Rangers-dont-want-to-become-sherpas,10578

Next, let’s talk about this absurd statement in Mr. Carron’s letter claiming the bill is “a giveaway to multinational mining companies.” The 93,000 acres of school and University trust land in the BWCAW will become federal land, and the 93,000 acres of federal land in the Mesabi Purchase portion of the Superior National Forest will become state trust land and will be managed in perpetuity to raise income for public education. What bogeyman do you see under your bed here, Mr. Carron? An acre for acre exchange where state land becomes federal land and federal land becomes state land will result in no net loss of public ownership. Why is this such a hard concept for the environmental community to grasp? It certainly isn’t a giveaway to any mining company.

Ely, tower, Winton, Cook Grand Rapids, and the North Shore couldn’t exist without our taconite industry. And the truth is, we are currently mining in the Superior National Forest, and we haven’t harmed it, have we? Minntac, Arcelor Mittal, North Shore Mining, and Mesabi Nugget are all currently operating in the Superior National Forest and it’s their taconite taxes that keep all our communities, including Duluth, alive.

Tom just doesn't seem to agree with the environmentalists that control the Twin Cities led DFL party and the ideology behind that group. The environmentalists want de facto wilderness in Northern Minnesota whether it is called that or not. No mining at all is their intent even if it can be done safely.
You probably won't see this link on the extremist websites:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/polymet-reports-successful-water-treatment-121101047.html

The NorthMet Project''s potential impact on water quality is a key issue in the environmental review and permitting process. The successful pilot plant test is a significant accomplishment, demonstrating that water with elevated sulfate levels can be treated to meet Minnesota''s 10 parts-per-million sulfate standard for waters used for the production of wild rice.

Here is the environmental statement from Rick Nolan's political website who is a product of the Minnesota democratic party machine:   http://nolanforcongress.org/issues

The Environment

The environment, our air, lakes, rivers and forests, are crucial to our 8th district economy.  The degradation of our air and water, along with global warming, threaten the very survival of our species here on mother earth.  We must protect the environment in order to preserve our way of life and our tourism industry.

This sounds all good and nice doesn't it? It is simply a wink and a nod to the environmental extremists that he will back them in all future legislation. 

So if Rick Nolan is to protect the workers in Minnesota they have to have jobs don't they? Seems he kind of forgot about that simple detail. It seems that we should spend 250$ Million to make up for that lack of understanding and as a sideline note, kill any mining and job projects by studying them to death.

How in the end do Tom Rukavina and Jeff Anderson support Rick Nolan.? Not very well it would seem as it looks as though they agree more with Chip Cravaack on what is important to this region.

Nolan Campaign Misinforms Voters, Minnesota 8th District Politics

Article Link: http://chipcravaack.com/2012/09/fact-check-nolan-accuses-cravaack-of-stealing-from-mn-counties/

September 14, 2012

Rick Nolan is saying that because Chip Cravaack did not increase Thye-Blatnik monies to the counties, he is stealing from them.  If passed, H.R. 5544 would keep the Thye-Blatnik payments the exact same.
Claim:

• H.R. 5544 steals federal Thye-Blatnik monies from St. Louis, Lake, and Cook Counties

Fact:

• Thye-Blatnik is a law from 1948 that pre-dates Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) in order to compensate three counties in Northern Minnesota who lost over a million acres of land to the federal government in the creation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and later the Wilderness Area.

• All payments under this formula are offset from PILT payments.

• These payments are similar to payments received by the States of Arizona and New Mexico under the Act of June 20, 1910 (36 Stat. 557).

• H.R. 5544 contains an amendment that would ensure the land transfer would not increase these payments, but it does not decrease current payments. The text of H.R. 5544 does not increase the federal budget or contain any earmarks.

• Payments to Lake, Cook and St. Louis Counties remain unchanged.

Background:

• Rep. Grijalva offered an amendment in committee to prevent increased Thye-Blatnik payments. The amendment was rejected because it also added NEPA back in. Hastings later added in similar language to keep H.R. 5544 from increasing the federal budget through Thye-Blatnik payments.

• Grijalva sent intimidating letters to Lake, Cook and St. Louis Counties asking them what they used their Thye-Blatnik payments for and implying the committee was investigating the validity of those payments:

• “The basic question is why should three counties get special treatment?  In addition, Congress has adopted strict rules against the use of earmarks and amendments have been adopted in the House that would eliminate such targeted use of federal funds.  While it is over 60 years old, Thye Blatnik is an earmark — one that would have likely gone undetected without this legislation.”)

• Then, he had the gall to come to the floor and say he was concerned that the Hastings amendment, which had the same effect as his amendment, would cutpayments by $1 million to those three counties.

• Unbelievably, Grijalva’s state of Arizona has a similar arrangement through the Act of June 20, 1910 (36 Statute 557). Both Thye-Blatnik (1948) and the Act of 1910 predate Payment in Lieu of Taxes (1976), which compensate states or counties for the federal government taking vast amounts of land from the states.

Political Fundraiser For Congressman Chip Cravaack, 8th District, Minnesota

Where: Semer's Beach, Ely, Minnesota When:  6:00pm until 8:00pm

Monday, Sept. 17th, 2012 Semer's Beach Ely, MN Brats & Beans Congressman Cravaack has OUR back Come show that we have HIS back! Directions: Coming to Ely on Hwy 169, at the first stop light turn left on Central Ave and go to stop sign on Camp St. N Central Ave becomes N Pioneer Rd. Continue driving past Wilderness Outfitters, turn left on W Shagawa Rd. Drive .3 miles, turn right on N Lakeview Ave. Drive .1 mile and turn left on W Lakeview Pl.Semer's Beach pavillion straight ahead. Hwy 21 from Babbitt, it becomes Central Ave. At the stop light at Sheridan St, keep going straight to the stop sign on Camp Street. Attend this fundraiser and thank Congressman Cravaack for getting HR 5544 passed in the House. This will swap out the School Trust Fund lands in the Boundary Waters for Forest Service lands outside of the Boundary Waters.

Minnesota 8th District Politics - DFL Candidate Rick Nolan And Fuzzy Math

Does the national democratic party voting record support our economy and the funding of our schools and communities? One might argue exactly the opposite if these mining projects are not brought to fruition.

$1 million a year over the next 6 years vs. the facts below: Here is an interesting type of convoluted logic by Minnesota DFL activist Shelly Mategko:

http://www.ironcountryfreepress.com/?p=246

http://www.ironcountryfreepress.com/?page_id=67

So, how did the parties vote?

House Vote 568 - H.R.5544: On Passage

Mainly Republican For And Democratic Against.

http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/112/house/2/568

Here is where the fuzzy math with Rick Nolan comes in:

Economic Impact Of Mining Which Rick Should Have A Good Handle On:

To date, Twin Metals Minnesota has invested more than $150 million in exploration and project development activities, supporting more than 160 direct and consultant/contractor jobs. Capital investment to develop and build the mine in Minnesota is anticipated to exceed $2 billion. http://ws-wr.com/twinmetals/newsletter/2012/July/article1.html

Employment data show the continuing importance of the mining sector.

Minnesota Mining Employment and Payroll, NAICS Sector 21 2007

Source: MN DEED CEW

Year Average Number of Employees Annual Wages

2000 7,204 $350,473,934

2001 5,923 $294,987,664

2002 5,517 $273,016,618

2003 5,139 $279,122,837

2004 5,219 $295,623,992

2005 5,132 $311,659,581

2006 5,147 $335,058,894

2007 5,224 $342,887,555

2008 5,611 n/a

https://lsbe.d.umn.edu/departments/bber/projects/2009MNMiningImpact.pdf

Twin Metals’ David Ulrich said that these mines will bring in around 5,000 high paying jobs. The average pay for industrial work is $46,000 he said, while the average pay for above-ground mining is $70,000. These jobs will have an average pay of $84,000.
Many of the metals that will be mined are not available in the United States. They have to be imported. This project could make the U.S. self-sufficient for many of these strategic metals.

http://northeastrange.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/twin-metals-underground-mine-plans-could-mean-thousands-of-jobs/

Do very little math and the conclusion is obvious.

Now, which party would steal millions from northeastern Minnesota residents, our economic livelihood, communities and schools if these projects don't get underway?  If one were to follow Shelley’s logic through to a normal conclusion one would be inclined to say the democratic party. They seem to be more interested in locking up state lands in the boundary waters to satisfy the environmental extremist groups.

I don’t believe one can make this type of argument for our local DFL legislators in the State Of Minnesota but one can make this argument at a national level in government. The locals get the big picture, I wish I could say the same for the rest of the national DFL.

Now then, Mr. Nolan. Would you have voted for us or against us on H.R. 5544?

A yes or no answer will do.

Senators Franken and Klobuchar: I’d really like to see successful passage of effective bills supporting the land exchange and streamlining the environmental process. Congressman Cravaack has shown the way, it is up to you to take up the lead now in the Senate.

According to Shelley: http://www.ironcountryfreepress.com/?p=270

Here is Rick’s statement: I strongly support the school trust land swap proposal passed on a bipartisan basis by the Minnesota Legislature, signed into law by Governor Dayton and supported by the entire Iron Range Legislative Delegation. I applaud this leadership. It is long overdue and will be good for increased school funding and for increased growth in the natural resources economy of our district.

I am disappointed that Rep. Cravaack tried to rush a bill through Congress to capitalize on this, however, then stood by while his tea party Republican friends took out provisions that would have provided up to $1.0 million in annual payments to Cook, Lake and St. Louis Counties. These federal payments were originally agreed to when these lands were permanently taken out of the local tax base many decades ago. Local taxpayers will suffer and it is directly due to Chip Cravaack’s actions.

Rush a bill through? Hmmm, that's a stretch in the federal government with any type of bill.

Now if only Rick Nolan had been able to do what Congressman Cravaack has already done he could have taken credit for it, at least he applauds his leadership. This won’t bode well for Rick though with the democratic environmental radicals. What would you rather have Rick, 1 million a year or a multi million dollar economic impact to our district? I have to say his statement for 1 million a year gets Rick Nolan the Fuzzy Math Award for 2012.

This is about trust and who will do right by we the people in the 8th district and who will actually do the hard work to get us there. Rick Nolan has yet to make that case in my mind and he has a big anchor attached with the Friends Of The Boundary Waters and the other extremists associated with that party. Good job Congressman Cravaack, keep up the good effort, you are doing us right.

Environmentally Responsible Mining In America - Minnesota 8th District Politics

This is an excellent read considering mining in Minnesota and how it relates to the politics of mining and jobs in Minnesota and in particular the 8th District. Environmental extremists such as the "Friends of the Boundary Waters" and Conservation Minnesota would have us believe the world is ending when it is just not the case. Jeff Anderson and Chip Cravaack believe it can be done safely. The article below seems to bear this out.

Environmentally Responsible Mining Operations: The Norm

It is important to emphasize that the sulfide mining operations singled out for discussion in this paper in no way detract from the environmentally responsible operations of the dozens of other metallic mining operations reviewed and, in some cases, visited during this survey. In many instances, the mines not specifically described in this paper display even higher levels of environmental awareness and proaction than those discussed. The vast majority of these mines have been in operation between five and ten years. During their operating periods, many have not exceeded any environmental standards and have maintained sparkling compliance records. Some, while excellent examples of environmentally sensitive operations, have had unexpected, and mostly minor, system upsets causing short-term exceedences of standards for which they were issued regulatory notices. This situation is not atypical for all industries, municipalities, and indeed, even U.S. natural resource regulatory agencies. Without exception, the operators at these sites responded aggressively and effectively to correct the noted problems. In most of these cases, the identified issues created regulatory compliance problems (i.e., an arbitrary standard may have been exceeded) but did not result in significant impairment of environmental resources (e.g. wildlife, air, soil, water, etc.) or jeopardy to public health and safety. 

Full Article:  http://technology.infomine.com/enviromine/publicat/enviroresponse.html

Full Site: http://www.infomine.com/