SMUD, Sacramento Muni Utility District, Pull Out Of Transmission Project.. Puts TANC in the TANK, we pray_Green Earl

Solar, Wind, Bio, Energy News And Commentary By_Green Earl, 30 year Pioneer In Conservation & Solar Energy

Live Link To This Redding Record Searchlight Article Above


* July 2, 2009
* 12:18 a.m.
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pipewoman writes:

'fraid I don't believe this is the end of this issue; why else keep scoping period open? TANC just found a way out of facing the opponents to this project; nothing to stop SMUD climbing back on board later or who ever else and things are off and running again. We can't back off now, keep the pressure up!

* July 2, 2009
* 12:29 a.m.
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elvirabarker#205849 writes:

I do hope that REU is smart enough to pull out too.

* July 2, 2009
* 12:54 a.m.
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DURKADURKA writes:

Still have to find a way to get the "green" energy you hippies voted for......the next solution will probably make people unhappy as well.

* July 2, 2009
* 1:24 a.m.
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maxx233 writes:

"It really comes down to what's best for our customer owners," said Brinton.
*****
Holy cow-cheese! What a freakin concept, obviously that didn't come out of Redding.

On a side note, I love how almost anything labeled as 'green' really is no better (or actually worst!) for the environment when all things are factored in. I think the only thing I can recall in recent memory as actually making real environmental sense were some 5x6 picture frames made from scrap construction wood (if in fact it was actually scrap wood) - but then their $35 price tag reaffirmed that it's all really just marketing BS.

* July 2, 2009
* 3:16 a.m.
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blacksheep writes:

didn't take the last article long to disappear. started rolling with some good info for the movement. quick link to the last one....

http://www.redding.com/news/2009/jul/...

* July 2, 2009
* 3:37 a.m.
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citizenactivist writes:

TANC had nothing at all to do with green energy and everything to do with Big Green Bucks...

we call this Green Washing in the Industry.

REU and the city, plus Stillwater need to Green Wash Redding and Shasta County..but for real. Green Earl

http://yeswecansolveit.blogspot.com
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* July 1, 2009
* 8:19 p.m.
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Julz writes:

Why do they think have to cancel our meeting??? I have to say thats BS!
It took waaaaaayyyy to long to get them up here and now they want to cancel!
They have another plan. They are stopping the meeting, But keeping the scoping period open.

There is a new game plan. What is it???
Who is the new backer?

The Rally is still on!!!
We still need to be there!!!!
nsloc@yahoo.com

* July 1, 2009
* 8:25 p.m.
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IG writes:

Chalk one up for the little guy...and Citizenactivist, don't hold yer breath on the powers that be using that money they wanted to raise for this project going anywhere except to the folks that were set to make a killing off this for thier next next project...Corruption never stops...

* July 1, 2009
* 8:36 p.m.
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Julz writes:

Just because Smud says they are backing out does not say the project is stopping!!!!

We have to keep moving forward.

* July 1, 2009
* 8:37 p.m.
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coachlisacmt#276273 writes:

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not buy this.
1) TANC cancelled it's meeting up here because they heard - today - how much opposition they are going to face when they get up here from the rally ,walk, and meeting.

2) Why are we letting TANC out of the meeting on the 8th. REU is still involved along with 3 other utilities and the biggest one of all WAPA is still involved - THE FEDS.

3)They are still going ahead with the EIR and EIS process which means the project is still on.

4) So again - why do they get to get out of coming to the Cascade on the 8th - because they don't want to face the northstate.

5) This is a ploy to get us to stop our meetings. WE WON'T!!!! We are still having our rally on the 8th. - We are still having our walk on the 8th. PLEASE PLEASE JOIN US!!! email me at coachlisacmt@hotmail and come to the rally at the Holiday Inn from 2-4 pm on the 8th where Carol Overland will be there to help us understand this game. If we need a bigger room we will get one and show them we are not going away.

6) Call all of you local officials and pressure them to keep the meeting on the 8th. Unless TANC and WAPA both pull out of this project they still need to answer to us. CALL - CALL - CALL!!!!!!

* July 1, 2009
* 8:53 p.m.
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edatoakrun#280359 writes:

The Rally will go on.

I doubt TANC can proceed if SMUD is truly "out". But we need to keep on top of the Redding City Council, to put TANC on the Agenda, and pull out also.

I don't see how TANC can cancel the meetings, and continue the project.

Let's hope TANC is just botching the project cancellation notice, same as everything else they have done.

* July 1, 2009
* 9:07 p.m.
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lillybodeb writes:

GOOD-DEAL-!!!

* July 1, 2009
* 9:24 p.m.
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canaan writes:

Wonderful news! FYI, CEO and general manager of SMUD, John DiStasio, graduated from Enterprise High School and you won't find a nicer guy.

* July 1, 2009
* 9:54 p.m.
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aregisteredvoter writes:

Awesome!

* July 1, 2009
* 9:59 p.m.
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randy writes:

We definately need to rally and continue on. This is not just about stopping this project, this is about taking part in the design of our energy future. Through this process we have all learned very well that a good part of the people designing our energy plan are completely unaware of what they are actually creating and are just simply following someone else. We cannot afford to take our eyes off this ball and if TANC does not have the time and committment to follow through with this meeting then we should have it without them.

* July 1, 2009
* 10:11 p.m.
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blacksheep writes:

if Sac needs electricity, then maybe they can recommission the nuke plant they didn't want in their backyards and caused to be shut down.

they are worried about their "air" and "power", they can use a solution in their own area to fix their own problems.

not step on everyone elses' toes and create problems for us just for their benefit.

there is no net gain when one problem is "fixed" but yet another is created in its place.

* July 1, 2009
* 10:37 p.m.
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BkPkers2 writes:

Wait - what's that I hear. . . The voice of reason??? Maybe if enough of us keep the pressure on lawmakers, city, county and state officials, we can take back control and beat down land grab projects like this. It's not over yet, folks - all concerned should still attend any and all public meetings about TANC - for the moment, things look good - but as we all know, that could change with the insertion of another utility to take SMUD's place. Keep your fingers crossed.

* July 1, 2009
* 10:50 p.m.
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randy writes:

I see no reason to cancel the July 8th meeting. We have very important questions to ask and possibly Mr. Hauser and the Redding City Council can answer them for TANC. Certainly they are all very well educated about all details of this project, I mean they didn't even have to take time to vote on it right? This meeting needs to go on.

* July 1, 2009
* 11:10 p.m.
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davenjan writes:

Don't stop the fight!!!!!!!!!!!! We need to literally drive a stake through the heart of this electrical vampire that will suck the blood out of the northstate.

* July 1, 2009
* 11:11 p.m.
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blacksheep writes:

for those involved in fighting this, add this to your arsenal.

the powers that be will not likely change, unless YOU do the leg work for them. YOU do the job for free that they would pay engineers, etc, millions of dollars to figure out.

the worst part, they are not in it for the benefit of people. they are in it for their own profit. so the solution must also have financial gain for them.

employ the same grappling pull and spin reversal tactic on them, that they do to the people when the people start to push too strongly.

the push for nuclear power is coming from above anyway. there are even new plants in the works of being built in texas.

the motion of more nuke plants coming should be recognizable as so, by what has been in the media and the various attitudes and ideas that have been slowly being injected. one can also look up all of the articles on the CFR website in promotion of nuke power. it's coming and we should use it to our advantage here.

as many people are against nuclear power, they may just have to suck it up and make the choice. do they want all of the things that go with line project in their area, or do they want Sac to provide its own power via the idle nuke plant in their area.

nuke fuel is about the cheapest out there and it causes no "green house gasses". there is the profit factor for the boys on top still and Sac, etc. still get their electricity.

people can, and must, use the environmental argument that stringing those lines will cause more environmental upset than the nuke plant.

use the reversal and use all their own ploys against them.

i also surmise it will be far cheaper to restart that nuke plant than to construct this line project. our nuke plants are safer than chernobyl. sure, we had three mile island scare. but notice it did not escape. newer plants are even safer. especially the ADS plants= accellerator driven system.

again, i also say to put the responsibility back to the people to come up with ways to fix their own problem.

then let's just hope they don't later shoot for the line project again so they can sell nuke power to nevada.

- i believe there is a much better energy plan to support our needs. but that is another agenda. i think in this case, we have to do what we have to do for now, until the other alternative gains ground.

* July 1, 2009
* 11:14 p.m.
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gfnelson writes:

Our congress just passed a monstrous bill (Cap and Trade)that has buried in it monies for installing new transmission lines from renewable resources. It will more than likely pass in the senate and we can kiss our freedom, our property and our ability to get to town and back goodbye. As coachlisa has mentioned this is far from over. The feds are going to ram their misguided concepts down all of our throats and laugh all the way to the bank. Thank Waxman and Markey for putting the screws to us. This fight will only end when our politicians listen to the people who elected them and not go off on their own tilting at windmills. We need to find a way to stop any and all additional powerlines that have no direct benefit to the people of Shasta County and the North State.

* July 1, 2009
* 11:21 p.m.
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whatthehuh writes:

great ,,,glad to hear and again how much has our city also waisted on this?

* July 1, 2009
* 11:31 p.m.
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blacksheep writes:

in response to gfnelson:

Our congress just passed a monstrous bill (Cap and Trade)that has buried in it monies for installing new transmission lines from renewable resources. It will more than likely pass in the senate and we can kiss our freedom, our property and our ability to get to town and back goodbye. As coachlisa has mentioned this is far from over. The feds are going to ram their misguided concepts down all of our throats and laugh all the way to the bank. Thank Waxman and Markey for putting the screws to us. This fight will only end when our politicians listen to the people who elected them and not go off on their own tilting at windmills. We need to find a way to stop any and all additional powerlines that have no direct benefit to the people of Shasta County and the North State.

essentially there could be a root wisdom in what you say?

that politicians from all parties have decade after decade pulled the people deeper into the pit. and they mainly produce laws and regulations that have continually proved detramental and few if any have been repealed.

so basically this system of politicians and corporate lobbies is a sickness. and instead of fighting the symptoms, we should instead look for the cure. a better way for our society to function?

get rid of the disease and the sickness and symptoms will disappear for good?

* July 2, 2009
* 1:17 a.m.
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aroundhere writes:

Coachlisa is right, the fight is not over. This is simply a ploy. If the scoping is continuing so is the project. If you read the articles in the SAC Bee it does not say that the project is stopped only on hold. WAPA has enough money to do the entire project on their own, they simply were using TANC as the frontman because TANC has no oversight. We need to continue what we have been doing and put pressure on electeds including local, state and federal. The people of Redding and the north area deserve answers from TANC and WAPA and they need to come on the 8th to answer to the people. Do not think for a minute this is over. IT HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN!


SMUD will withdraw from power line project

* By Record Searchlight staff
* Posted July 1, 2009 at 6:56 p.m.


The Sacramento Municipal Utility District, (SMUD), the largest participant in a proposed 600-mile long high voltage power line, plans to withdraw from the project, according to a spokesman for the Transmission Agency of Northern California.

The TANC power line has stirred fierce opposition from property owners who fear they may be in the path of the proposed line. Opponents from Round Mountain to Davis have organized against the line since TANC started the environmental review process this winter.

SMUD was the largest shareholder in the power line, fronting 35 percent of the planning costs. Redding was by far the smallest, financing just 1.5 percent of the planning costs.

In light of SMUD's decision to withdraw, TANC has said it will postpone public outreach meetings planned in July, including the one scheduled at the Cascade Theatre on Wednesday. But the environmental review process will continue, said spokesman Brendan Wonnacott.

"TANC believes it is important to keep the 'public scoping' period open during this time," Wonnacott said in a press statement. "Allowing the scoping process to proceed will help determine where to put the transmission lines needed to ensure reliable and affordable electric service for the residents and businesses throughout northern California and to expand access to clean energy sources such as solar, geothermal and wind energy."

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Comments » 6


mtntop writes:

YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!

* July 1, 2009
* 7:57 p.m.
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rickrail writes:

Someone out there IS listening! Let's make sure that ALL of the TANC members hear us. STOP TANC NOW!
NO TTP IN ROUND MOUNTAIN, NO TTP ANYWHERE!

* July 1, 2009
* 8:08 p.m.
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waterfairy3#262213 writes:

OKAY NEIGHBORS, CONTINUE WRITING YOUR LETTER TO NEPA DOCUMENT MANAGER, DAVID YOUNG. WAPA IS STILL INVOLVED AND REU IS STILL INVOLVED, DO NOT BEGIN TO GIVE A SIGH OF RELIEF UNTIL EXPLANATIONS ARE ANSWERED! THE RALLY IS STILL SCHEDULED PLEASE ATTEND AND HEAR THE SPEAKERS, WE STILL HAVE UNITY, AND WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR PEACEFUL MARCH FROM CYPRESS TO THE CASCADE AS PLANNED. PLEASE ATTEND SHOWING OUR UNITY! OUR BASIC FOCUS, UNITY, LETTER WRITING, AND PUBLIC VOICE!
DO NOT CELEBRATE JUST YET!

* July 1, 2009
* 8:12 p.m.
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edatoakrun#280359 writes:

Great news!

Keep a look out.

The next Power line proposal may not be on your land-but it will be on a lot of other people's property.

* July 1, 2009
* 8:12 p.m.
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citizenactivist writes:

This is great news...now maybe we can budget the money $45 Mil and the annual fees that would have been used to fund this misguided project,into conservation and solar renewable energy leases and financing bonds..

* July 1, 2009
* 8:14 p.m.
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mtntop writes:

in response to waterfairy3#262213:

OKAY NEIGHBORS, CONTINUE WRITING YOUR LETTER TO NEPA DOCUMENT MANAGER, DAVID YOUNG. WAPA IS STILL INVOLVED AND REU IS STILL INVOLVED, DO NOT BEGIN TO GIVE A SIGH OF RELIEF UNTIL EXPLANATIONS ARE ANSWERED! THE RALLY IS STILL SCHEDULED PLEASE ATTEND AND HEAR THE SPEAKERS, WE STILL HAVE UNITY, AND WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR PEACEFUL MARCH FROM CYPRESS TO THE CASCADE AS PLANNED. PLEASE ATTEND SHOWING OUR UNITY! OUR BASIC FOCUS, UNITY, LETTER WRITING, AND PUBLIC VOICE!
DO NOT CELEBRATE JUST YET!

Thanks for letting people know that the march is still on and the cascade...can't wait. One down....
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* July 2, 2009
* 5:40 a.m.
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Patrecia_Barrett writes:

pipewoman - excellent points.

If TANC "believes it is important to keep the PUBLIC scoping period open during this time", why is it cancelling its scheduled public meetings? Shouldn't the public be allowed the opportunity to help determine where to put these transmission lines if this project eventually goes through?

In fact, shouldn't the public be allowed to help determine whether the City of Redding should continue to be involved in this project at all?

And REU Director Paul Hauser's statement that REU will TRY to "keep rates low" either way is a joke.

Hauser and Company pushed through what will amount to rate increases of at least 60 percent for REU ratepayers, all while secretly being involved in the TANC project - an involvement they masterfully kept hidden from the public by sliding it through on the City Council's in-house "consent calendar", which is reserved for items of little importance to be passed with NO public discussion.

* July 2, 2009
* 5:44 a.m.
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randy writes:

Our focus has to stay on our local officials to answer the many questions TANC has just avoided. Much of the TANC plan does not add up. Since the Redding City Council bought into this plan without discussion or a vote, they all must be very well educated about all the details we have questions about and should be happy to stand in place of the TANC board to answer these crucial questions. The meeting should go on.

* July 2, 2009
* 6:21 a.m.
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secondclass writes:

Look at the California Energy Commission's web page. The map of geothermal potential shows high potential near Mt. Lassen. Geothermal is the most economical of the renewable energy sources. (Although energy conservation gives a better return on investment than any energy production project).

The money REU is throwing away giving grants to put up solar on libraries and schools is one more reason its governance needs to be changed. What a waste of money to spend 25 K up front plus continuing expenses for maintenance, liability and replacement costs to generate power they could buy from PG&E for less than 900 dollars per year.

* July 2, 2009
* 6:53 a.m.
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edatoakrun#280359 writes:

in response to Patrecia_Barrett:

pipewoman - excellent points.

If TANC "believes it is important to keep the PUBLIC scoping period open during this time", why is it cancelling its scheduled public meetings? Shouldn't the public be allowed the opportunity to help determine where to put these transmission lines if this project eventually goes through?

In fact, shouldn't the public be allowed to help determine whether the City of Redding should continue to be involved in this project at all?

And REU Director Paul Hauser's statement that REU will TRY to "keep rates low" either way is a joke.

Hauser and Company pushed through what will amount to rate increases of at least 60 percent for REU ratepayers, all while secretly being involved in the TANC project - an involvement they masterfully kept hidden from the public by sliding it through on the City Council's in-house "consent calendar", which is reserved for items of little importance to be passed with NO public discussion.

"We obviously felt the TANC transmission project would have kept rates lower," Hauser said. "But we'll adapt and leverage whatever assets we have to try to keep rates lower for ratepayers."'

REU has perhaps the highest kWh rates in the western US for low-use customers. After the next rate hike kicks in in four months, A REU ratepayer buying 300 kWh a month (about what I use) will be paying 23.3% more, $8.07 more every month, than a PG&E customer buying the same 300 kwh of electricity.

REU has, in the past, kept rates low for it's high-use residential customers. This discount pricing of energy for people who waste it, has been at the expense of most REU ratepayers, a disaster for REU finances, and has caused great environmental harm.

And the final victims will be the REU high-use homeowners themselves, who, as their rates rise exponentially in the future, find that their investment was based on a promise of low energy rates that REU cannot keep.

* July 2, 2009
* 7:02 a.m.
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wildwoman7 writes:

in response to elvirabarker#205849:

I do hope that REU is smart enough to pull out too.

Not likely since Paul Hauser works for TANC also.

* July 2, 2009
* 7:06 a.m.
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citizenactivist writes:

in response to secondclass:

Look at the California Energy Commission's web page. The map of geothermal potential shows high potential near Mt. Lassen. Geothermal is the most economical of the renewable energy sources. (Although energy conservation gives a better return on investment than any energy production project).

The money REU is throwing away giving grants to put up solar on libraries and schools is one more reason its governance needs to be changed. What a waste of money to spend 25 K up front plus continuing expenses for maintenance, liability and replacement costs to generate power they could buy from PG&E for less than 900 dollars per year.

If REU, makes a profit, than conservation and solar generation projects on Redding owned buildings and
residents makes perfect sense...Second Class

I just went up to Weed to view a solar generation project
installed nearly 28 years ago, still operating like it did then. You need to become a little bit more educated in this
industry before you make such statements.

There have been no continuing expenses, only savings,there has been no maintenance cost involved, there has been no liability, except what exist with any structure that people inhabit and that is covered by the owners policy anyway. After inspections and pictures, I am proud to tell you, no replacement cost are involved either. Perhaps you should re-examine your position on this and do me another favor, stop popping off here about things you know nothing about.

One thing I can assure you is, the cost of electricity in the area, and ours rose on average, 10% per year, each and every year the system has operated...still think this was a bad investment? funny since someone that made it, my customer, still, after 28 years, feels just the opposite_Green Earl (In Weed, CA..at the foot of Mt. Shasta)