In Thursday's Morning Hot Dish, Star Tribune staff writer J. Pat Coolican reports in Hide Your Children:
Lobbyists have begun feting lawmakers: Flaherty/Hood, er, Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities will have one Jan. 30; Medical Alley, Feb. 6; Coalition for a Secure Energy Future, which is hard hat labor, Feb. 4.
Well: no. According to the Coalition for a Secure Energy Future's website About page, the group is a project of the Lignite Energy Council:
The Coalition for a Secure Energy Future works to educate businesses, policymakers, and residents in the Upper Midwest that retaining an all-of-the-above energy mix that includes coal as a regional energy resource will help keep electric rates low, jobs plentiful, and the economy robust.
The Coalition is a project of the Lignite Energy Council.
In short, a coal industry front group. The current director comes out of the world of rural electrical cooperatives, many of which are tied to long-term contracts with energy providers whose power comes from (wait for it) coal. Here's the bio on the About page:
Formerly with the Minnesota Rural Electric Association, Joel serves as the Minnesota director for the Coalition for a Secure Energy Future. His experience in energy and with Minnesota Legislature provide the necessary background required to be a voice for coal-based electricity in Minnesota.
One can reach the Coalition's webpage from the Public Relations and Marketing program page at the Lignite Energy Council. Walking back the cat, we find this description of a partnership between the Lignite Energy Council and the North Dakota Industrial Council's Lignite Research Council at the North Dakota Industrial Council's website:
The state/industry partnership includes the Industrial Commission, and the Lignite Energy Council which have entered into a partnership to administer the Lignite Research, Development and Marketing Program. Following is a quick explanation of how the program works:
The North Dakota Legislature enacts legislation and appropriates funding for the program. The Lignite Research Council recommends policies and funding for projects to the Industrial Commission. The Industrial Commission approves policies and funding for projects.
The Industrial Commission and the Lignite Energy Council administer the program and all Lignite Research, Development and Marketing Program projects.
In the past, Bluestem has explored how the North Dakota Industrial Commission funded the Coalition for a Secure Energy Future in posts back in 2015 and 2016 such as
Horse hockey: who's pushing the puck for new Coalition for a Secure Energy Future TV ad?
Is putting a smile on Tom Bakk's face the best thing ND lignite research fund has ever done?
ND state/lignite industry partnership continues funding for Coalition for Secure Energy Future
North Dakota's coal marketing campaign to give lignite sales pitch at MN electric co-op offices
We knew we were on to something with these investigative posts when a young reporter for a public broadcasting group that had gotten a $1.5 million grant asked us to talk on background about our research. We declined, suggesting that she simply cite our published material as Associated Press guidelines suggest. So it goes.
We'll be looking in more recent minutes of the North Dakota Industrial Commission to see if it continues to put the coal in the Coalition for a Secure Energy Future.
Minnesota lobbying records
The Lignite Energy Council is a registered association with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. Individuals currently active for the association include Council president Jason Bohrer and lobbyists Jonathan Fortner and John C. Reich.
Joel Johnson currently lobbies for the Intl Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 647 and the Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.
The Coalition for a Secure Energy Future isn't a registered association.
That February 2019 Energy and Labor Summit
Coolican is correct in stating that the February 4 meeting involves some hard hat labor unions. Here's the agenda from an email former state representatives Loren Solberg and Mike Beard sent out on Wednesday:
Good morning,
You are cordially invited to attend the 2019 Energy and Labor Summit hosted by the Coalition for a Secure Energy Future and our partners to hear directly from key stakeholders in the energy and labor sectors discuss their organizations and upcoming legislative priorities. [emphasis in original text]
Sponsored by: Coalition for a Secure Energy Future, Iron Mining Association of Minnesota, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Boilermakers 647, Minnesota Rural Electric Association, and North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters
Refreshments will be provided.
Energy & Labor 101 Summit
February 4, 2019 4:00 PM (or immediately following floor session)
North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters Regional Council Headquarters 710 Olive Street Saint Paul, MN 55130-9825
AGENDA
Introduction & Welcome – Former Legislators and Co-Chairs for the Coalition for a Secure Energy Future Loren Solberg (DFL- Grand Rapids) and Mike Beard (R-Shakopee) [oped commentary here]
The document doesn't note the lobbying connections for Beard (here), who now serves as a Scott County Commissioner. Beard's remarks on climate change were famously captured by Don Shelby in a 2011 MinnPost article. The same is the case withSolberg's lobbying clients (listed here, including the Coalition of Utility Cities, whose designated (chief) lobbyist is Timothy Flaherty (see Coolican's crack above).
But we digress:
Panel Discussion and Industry Overview –
Electricity Generation – Joel Johnson, Director for the Coalition for a Secure Energy Future (15 minutes)
Municipal Utilities – Kent Sulem, Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association (10 minutes)
Rural Electric Cooperatives – Joyce Peppin, Director of Government Affairs and General Counsel MREA (10 minutes)
Iron Mining – Kelsey Johnson, President of the Iron Mining Association of Minnesota (10 minutes)
Labor and Energy Workers – Jason George - IUOE Local 49, Andy Snope - IBEW, Adam Duininck - NCS Carpenters (15 minutes)
Q & A – Moderated by Joel Johnson (20 minutes)
Could Be Worse
Perhaps we'll just be grateful that the force behind this gathering of talent, the Lignite Council, controlled itself, refraining from inviting its April 2018 annual meeting Keynote Speaker of Lignite Energy Council Meeting: Tomi Lahren. Some gems:
Tomi Lahren: "Coal actually is, it's just ancient wood that's been under pressure for millions of years. Just like Hillary Clinton. MILLIONS of years." ....
Tomi Lahren: "I'm sorry guys but you can't power your lives on feelings and fairy dust. As much as you believe so. I see it in LA all the time. People that are driving their cars, powering their GIANT homes, they think they don't understand that comes from somewhere. Fossil fuels are God's gift to this nation. We should use it to it's fullest extent because that's how we become energy independent."
As for those in attendance.. they were glad to hear their views given a voice.
Perhaps those attending February's spectacle might do a bit more due diligence than Lahren about claims made by the marketing arm of a group that shares those views. For instance, Clean Technica reported in 6th Largest US Coal Company Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy:
The point of the chapter 11 bankruptcy is to restructure the debt with lenders to allow the company to continue operations. The company has almost 3,000 employees and reportedly does not expect to lay off any of them.
The Sierra Club released a statement about the filing, “Westmoreland’s declaration of bankruptcy is the latest clear signal that the coal industry is in an irreversible decline. With numerous coal companies facing bankruptcy in recent years, it is clear that further investments in coal are a mistake.”
The Kemmerer Gazette, a Wyoming newspaper, published an article about the possibility that retired workers from the company might have their pensions and healthcare coverage cut. “Because of their bankruptcy, Westmoreland now wants to throw out the contracts we’ve negotiated,” said Mike Dalpiaz, District 22 Vice President of the United Mine Workers of America.
Utility Dive reported that Westmoreland’s bankruptcy filing marks the 4th major US coal company to do so in the last several years.
One contributing factor to the bankruptcy was that several of the company’s key customers are not going to continue using coal, reported Wyoming Public Media.
North Dakota's lignite mining not so union friendly
According to a spokesman at the United Mine Workers of America's District 22 office in Price, UT, the only unionized lignite mine in North Dakota is Westmoreland's Beulah Mine. The Lignite Council notes this brief history of the mine:
As of June 1, 2016, the Beulah Mine serves only the Heskett Station. Prior to that time, it also served the adjacent Coyote Station.
More of this story is told by Lauren Donovan in the 2012 Bismarck Tribune article, Mine deal may spell end to union role in North Dakota:
Dan Neurohr has been a coal miner and a proud member of the United Mine Workers of America most of his working life.
Now, after decades, the mine where he’s working and the local union — once representing nearly every coal miner in North Dakota — are coming to an end.
Dakota Westmoreland Corp. has less than four more years to deliver coal to the Coyote Station power plant from its mine at the plant’s back door. It is the only coal mine still represented by UMWA in North Dakota. The union’s other mines, such as Indian Head at Zap and Glen Harold at Stanton, have all since shut down, their coal delivery contracts absorbed by North American Coal Corp’s Coteau Freedom Mine.
The Coyote Station is south of Beulah and Dakota Westmoreland is a “mine mouth” operation, meaning coal is fed from the mine pits and crusher right onto the plant’s conveyor belts.
Coyote Creek Mining Co. exists in coal lease documents for now. The Public Service Commission must issue a mining permit and North American won’t make application for the 13-square-mile reserve area until next year or possibly 2014, says its spokesman David Straley.
The contract would expire in 2040.
Neurohr, 61, says he doesn’t really understand how or why Dakota Westmoreland lost its contract. He knows it came down to the price of coal, which is what Coyote Station owners said in a press release when they announced their decision.
“We were mining at a cheap enough price. Our wages were the same or even a little less, but our benefits are better,” he said.
The Coyote Station has four owners. Otter Tail Power Co. based in Fergus Falls, Minn., is the operating partner.
Other owners include Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.which owns the Heskett Station), Northern Municipal Power Agency and Northwestern Energy, according the Lignite Energy Council's website. According to Minnkota's website:
Founded in 1976, Northern Municipal Power Agency (NMPA) is the wholesale energy supplier for 12 participating municipal utilities located in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minn., NMPA supplies the electric needs for more than 15,000 consumer meters in the same geographic area as the Minnkota member-owners.
Minnkota and NMPA operate together in what is referred to as the Joint System. This arrangement, which has been in place since 1981, essentially combines the revenues, expenses and wholesale electric rates for the two power suppliers.
NMPA owns a 30 percent share of the 427,000-kilowatt Coyote Station located near the town of Beulah in western North Dakota. NMPA also owns a load-ratio share (approximately 15 percent) of the Minnkota transmission system. Minnkota also serves as operating agent for NMPA.
According to the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board records, one of Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.'s lobbyists is the Coalition for a Secure Energy Future Minnesota Director Joel Johnson. Sweet work if you can get it.
Nothing says labor like non-union mines.
And there's another factor looming in North Dakota's energy future. In December, the Grand Forks Herald reported Wind, solar [are] growing in region's energy mix.
Photo: Children romping through a non-unon coal mine on one of the co-operative member junkets.
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I have to wear a hard hat every day for my job. So I can vouch that lobbying is not a hard hat labor. Though at times it's best if they wear them, too!
Posted by: W Langford | Jan 10, 2019 at 07:06 PM