The Haines Borough Assembly (meeting 3/13/12) unanimously endorsed the Mayor's draft of a comment to the Alaska Energy Authority regarding the draft Southeast Integrated Resource Plan (SEIRP). All comments submitted on the SEIRP can be viewed from AEA's website by clicking
here. The comment submitted by the Haines Borough Assembly follows in its entirety:
Dear AEA:
I am submitting the following comments on behalf of the Haines Borough Assembly
.
The Haines Borough Assembly takes note of the significance of the Southeast Alaska Integrated Resource Plan. The plan was requested by the Legislature and is characterized as “directional.” Although we have absolutely no argument with the finding that the energy needs of Southeast Alaska can best be met through a balanced portfolio of resources as opposed to a single-minded focus on building new hydro electric projects and transmission lines, we have concerns about several aspects of the direction suggested for Southeast Alaska and for the Upper Lynn Canal in particular. We would like to point out some omissions and possible errors that may, if uncorrected, mis-direct the development of a good plan to meet the energy needs for Southeast Alaska and specifically for the Upper Lynn Canal.
Overall, we find that the failure to seriously calculate the impacts of the mining industry and the cruise ship industry on the needs of residents and businesses in Southeast Alaska is a significant oversight. Additionally, we do not understand the rejection of an economic model for Southeast Alaska that includes transmitting our abundant hydro electric resources to consumers in Canada or the lower 48. We are also surprised at the off-hand rejection of solar as an energy source (11-9) as well as ground source heat pumps (15-1, 15-7). Although there are no commercial installations of solar panels in Southeast Alaska that we know of, we are aware of effective residential installations. The installations of ground source heat pumps for the AEL&P office in Juneau and for the Juneau Airport speak for themselves, and speak volumes. The IRP is “bullish” on pellet-fired space heat. Living as we do on the edge of the Haines State Forest, we are eager to help develop both a pellet plant and participate in biomass heat solutions. However, we find the off-hand dismissal of the resources under our feet (ground source) and beaming down (solar) as too complicated or too expensive a little patronizing. We want to see the numbers.
With respect specifically to the Upper Lynn Canal, the plan recommends that we take the following path, labeled “Near-Term implementation Action Plan” to take place between 2012 and 2014.
The Upper Lynn Canal is slated for Demand Side Management
and Energy Efficiency projects (DSM/EE) with a capital cost $32,700.00 as well as a biomass conversion program with a capital cost of $5,292,500.00.
This “path” is characterized as the path of
“Optimal DSM/EE, Biomass, and Other Renewable Resources”.
According to the analysis in the IRP, the Upper Lynn Canal will experience the most savings over a 50 year period, compared to the status quo, if it adopts this path.
Please correct us if we are wrong, but we understand from the IRP that this particular path does not include the construction of additional hydro electric energy projects.
The problem is that the savings realized by the recommended path differ only by 1% with another path! The competing path called a path of “Optimal Hydro and Transmission” (see 1-38, 39) promises a savings of 48% percent compared to the recommended path’s (Optimal DSM/EE, Biomass, and Other Renewable Resources) 49% savings. The path labeled “Optimal Hydro/Transmission for the Upper Lynn Canal” includes the following hydroelectric projects and transmission segments: Connelly Lake, Schubee Lake, Walker Lake, West Creek, and a transmission line from Haines to Juneau (10-12).
But we have another issue. No “Other Renewable Resources” have been identified for the Upper Lynn Canal (11.10.8). We believe that that is the case because no one has seriously looked at either our wind or tidal potential. Failing to do so would seem to contradict walking a path to energy security that includes “and Other Renewable Resources.”
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the document, the IRP reports that the electric utility serving the Upper Lynn Canal, Alaska Power & Telephone (APT) “does not have adequate firm hydroelectric power at this time to serve the peak demand” (8-63). The path recommended for the Upper Lynn Canal just makes no sense given this finding.
Finally, load forecasts for the Upper Lynn Canal may be erroneous, based as they are on the assumption of declining population in the Upper Lynn Canal. The IRP states that “Future load forecasts …are driven by projected population trends…(20-2) so it seems important to get these right. Although Southeast may be declining in population regionally (3-4), Haines is not. The IRP reports that the 2010 Census for Haines found the population to be 2,508 (4-7), but it does not observe that this is a 4.8% increase from the 2000 official census of 2,392. We are growing. The path designed for us by the IRP does not take this into account.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Stephanie Scott
Mayor, Haines Borough
Cc: Senator Albert Kookesh
Representative Bill Thomas
Randy Ruaro, Office of Governor Sean Parnell
Shelly Wright, Executive Director, Southeast Conference
Robert Venables, Energy Coordinator, Southeast Conference
There is a fundamental question. Is local government representing the people of the community or is local government listening only to industry?
ReplyDeleteThe mission of We the People, Haines, Alaska is:
"Through the process of having all voices heard, We the People of Haines, Alaska, seek to
reassert the people’s authority within our community, our state, our nation, and our world."
The following resolution represents the voices of We the People with regard to energy within the Haines Borough.
It's not too late to give this resolution serious consideration, considering the long-term economic and environmental consequences of these choices.
Chilkoot is a local, state, national, and world treasure. Keeping this watershed healthy should be our highest priority.
Resolution of We the People, Haines, Alaska regarding Local Energy Resources--passed November 11, 2011 and presented to the Haines Borough Assembly for their consideration.
"Whereas the Chilkoot Watershed is a community asset of the highest significance to the people of the Haines Borough for food harvesting, economic stability (fishing and tourism) and cultural continuity, and a fundamental component of our local quality of life;
Whereas the Chilkoot Watershed, being only 20 miles long and located in a narrow valley
between two glacial mountain ranges is a highly productive watershed in terms of fish
(sockeye, coho, chum, and pink salmon, eulachon, Dolly Varden) and wildlife (eagles, moose, bears, wolves, wolverine, otters, beaver, and more);
Whereas the access road to Connelly Lake would cut through the critical habitat of the Chilkoot Watershed above Chilkoot Lake that is part of the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve (cross-hatched area on attached map and specifics shown on AP&T Figure 1 map, p.16 Meeting Packet, also attached) with unknown consequences on the community values listed above;
Whereas the economic benefits of the Connelly Lake project to the Haines Borough remain undefined and there is no assurance at this time that the project will lead to reduced electricity costs for the Borough;
Whereas it is best to err on the side of caution with such significant community values potentially at risk;
Be it therefore resolved that We the People of Haines, Alaska, encourages the appropriate
agencies of our state and federal governments to proceed with studies of Schubee Lake and other potential sources of electricity (including sources from potential reduced demand through implementation of local weatherization, energy efficiency, and energy conservation projects) that could reduce our already less than one percent (AP&T records this past year) annual
dependence on diesel fuel and report the results of these studies to the Haines Borough
Assembly prior to any further funding or other action being taken on the Connelly Lake project."