I attended the ECP board meeting tonight and Tim did not disappoint. He was his usual smooth self.
The reason SME opted out of building HGS is because of the delays caused by the appeals. There is just no way the thing can be built in time for their needs and so it's time they took their eggs out of one basket. He always contemplated building a gas plant; it just wasn't supposed to be the first thing built.
He is by no means giving up on the idea that someday he may be able to proceed with HGS. He is not abandoning the work already done and anticipates that what has already been accomplished will transition over to the new project. This new plant should take about 36 months to complete.
He cleverly avoided any reference to the huge amounts of money already lost on this boondoggle. When he mentioned the city's "investment" was about $2 million, Larry Rezentes, CPA, reminded everyone that the total was more like $6 million. Nobody on the board said a word.
The merry-go-round never stops.
The reason SME opted out of building HGS is because of the delays caused by the appeals. There is just no way the thing can be built in time for their needs and so it's time they took their eggs out of one basket. He always contemplated building a gas plant; it just wasn't supposed to be the first thing built.
He is by no means giving up on the idea that someday he may be able to proceed with HGS. He is not abandoning the work already done and anticipates that what has already been accomplished will transition over to the new project. This new plant should take about 36 months to complete.
He cleverly avoided any reference to the huge amounts of money already lost on this boondoggle. When he mentioned the city's "investment" was about $2 million, Larry Rezentes, CPA, reminded everyone that the total was more like $6 million. Nobody on the board said a word.
The merry-go-round never stops.
6 comments:
I watched Tim Gregori for a short time at last night's ECP meeting and I think we need to listen to what he is saying and not saying. Nothing has really changed at the HGS site. Tim still plans to build a coal plant but since funding is scarce he will build a more modest gas fired plant until he can get money for his coal plant. Note: He said he plans to put in the railroad tracks confirming this plan.
We need to remember two main points:
1) Placing a heavy industrial site in the midst of 100 square miles of prime agricultural land is a bad idea - we need to support the local landowners' suit - this is critical for keeping our farmland in production.
2) Destroying the integrity of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Landmark is a national tragedy.
Mr. Gregori can now move his more modest project to the Billings area since his water needs are reduced (remember, contrary to Tim's claim in the EIS, the Yellowstone River basin is not closed to new appropriations) and perhaps he can get grant money for placing wind turbines on property owned by SME members.
Nothing has changed as far as the coal plant, but some interim gas-fired plant has been added to the mix. Do not be blindsides by Gregori's shady moves. The lawsuits and opposition must continue until he moves this monster to SME's own backyard or gives up on his ancient outdated coal ideas.........
Can hardly wait for elections this fall, maybe then we will install leaders who will follow the law and rules and clean house at silly hall!
Considering these are the ploys of timmy we are wondering about,
Could this manuver be a way of not reimbursing YVC or anyone for their “investment”?
The supposed “value” is in the air permit for a coal plant. As time passes the probability of building the plant decreases. With no coal plant being built is the “value” now zero?
Is it really “the producers” as predicted a long time ago?
Folks... the coal plant is over. Tim G. can delude himself into believing, someday, it'll be built (throw HGS into the "projects never built" pile - the ethanol plant, the VentureStar project, the coal-to-liquid plant at Malmstrom, the non-existent flying mission to keep Malmstrom's runway open, the ballistic missile defense bunker at Ledger). No one is going to lend Tim G. the money to build it, not now, not ever... unless, of course, SME wants to pay an outrageous finance charge for it. Throw in the loud local NIMBY crowd... it's over. Please note the boneheads on the city commission who threw away millions on this idiotic project. And remember that leadership when the mayor and city commission come begging for a mill levy increase in May to pay for "safety." The city would have the money for "safety" (and a lot of other things) if they hadn't spent the last 5 years throwing our tax money away on a project that's not going to built.
Tim Gregori stated that a gas plant was alwasy an option. Well Tim why did it not appear in your EIS? Very deceptive.......
actually the gas plant was mentioned as a non-starter in the EIS because it was not the right kind of power plant (according to tim)
Don't you remember there is no viable option to solve our brown-outs, our "crisis", other than coal? (how is that "crisis" doing anyway)
hey wait a minute,
remember the NWE gas plant sat north of town for years with an air permit, a foundation, a turbine and could have been purchased at a huge discount, that is untill montgomery energy came to town.
Always an option huh?
the pinical of honesty, little timmy, strikes again.
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