Damning comments about Mesaba boondoggle covered up; project faces new criticism from key federal agencies

The federal Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued comments last month in the matter of Excelsior Energy’s Mesaba Energy Project, a coal-gas power plant proposed for the Iron Range. I’ve declared this project a boondoggle that will produce neither electricity nor jobs before its “owners” walk away with bags of money. (OK, perhaps it won’t be literally in bags, but copious amounts of state and federal loans and grants are in the pockets of this so-called company).

Well, those comments were withheld from public view until late last week for no good reason, except that they are bad news for the project. Carol Overland, an attorney arguing against the project, issues a complete report on her blog, which I recommend you read.

In short, the EPA issued a statement that the project plan leaves numerous questions — both environmental and functional — and should not be approved unless those concerns are addressed (the company has refused to answer these questions because it would force them to discuss publicly that they have no customer and that the power they would produce would be prohibitively expensive).

The Army Corps of Engineers issued similar concerns about a lack of information about the practical operation of the plant. For specifics, see Carol’s blog. In summary, these comments were withheld from the public by the MN Dept. of Commerce — which works for Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a project supporter — and by the Bush U.S. Dept. of Energy, which is trying desperately to funnel money to coal projects at the behest of the president and U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman. And before you think I’m just writing this to attack Republicans, let me remind Range readers that many (though not all) DFL Range lawmakers have been willing or complacent conspirators in this terrible public policy.

This thing is finally unraveling and it’s time for our public officials to break away now while we can still preserve some of our funds and dignity.