Update on the Big Stone II Hearing
October 16, 2006THANK YOU to everyone who attended the Big Stone II hearings at the Public Utilities Commission yesterday. An overview of the room indicated a count of over 100 people at both the afternoon and evening sessions — the evening hearing definitely more packed with the DOC staff adding chairs to accommodate the crowd. Some folks wore their bright yellow Sierra Club Walk for Wind T-shirts, others Sierra Club Wind Power stickers, as person after person filed up to testify.
It was tremendously inspirational, filling everyone with pride at the number of people who took the time to come, and to provide such thoughtful comments. This is the result of our weeks of preparation phone calls, meetings, reading materials, radio interviews, and outreach to our communities.
Several concerns were raised again and again by the public, covering toxic pollutants like mercury coming from the plants, environmental justice implications, environmental degradation, and strong support for clean alternatives that are better for our health, environment, and economy. Everyone's comments were impressive, detailed, provided valuable perspective, and represented the Sierra Club, the environmental community, and a large cross-section of a concerned public with remarkable strength and passion.
Nearly everyone who testified raised global warming as a serious concern for our time, connecting Big Stone II to the climate crisis we face. This seems to be a major sign for movement of the public on addressing global warming, and a hopeful step for encouraging decision-makers to reflect the public's concerns in their ruling on Big Stone II and the Transmission Lines.
Don't forget to send written comments to the ALJ and Department of Commerce by October 31st!
