HOME | CALENDAR |  33133 STORE |  AD RATES
Welcome to the Grapevine

News you can use. - Sunlight is the best disinfectant

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Meetings to discuss FPL's new power lines

The issue of FPL's new transmission lines is coming up again. FPL wants to run new transmission lines though South Miami and up US1 from new nuclear plants 18 miles away at Turkey Point. There is a meeting July 18 to discuss the issue. Again.


FPL’s “Eastern Preferred Transmission Line Corridor” would enter South Miami along SW 80th St, then turns up US 1, runs past South Miami Hospital and City Hall, and continues on through the heart of the South Miami into Coral Gables. Lines would be strung along monstrous concrete towers 105 feet tall.

Urban transmission lines are bad for the economy, and may harm your health

In recent studies, mortality from Alzheimer’s disease doubled in people residing within 165 feet of a transmission line and childhood leukemia is twice as common within 600 feet of a transmission line 2. Properties within sight of a transmission lines lose 10% off their real estate value, with similar consequences for the local economy and tax base. UM economist, Dr. Richard Weisskoff, characterized FPL’s proposed transmission lines as: “…both the assassin and graveyard of economic activity and growth”.

If you want to know more about economic costs and health hazards of transmission lines, look here:
http://tinyurl.com/transmission-lines

Sea level rise makes Turkey Point a really bad place for nuclear plants. The new transmission lines are tied to development of 2 new nuclear reactors at Turkey Point, situated between two national parks on a hurricane-swept coastline subject to storm surge and inundation from sea level rise. Remember Fukushima?

FPL has projected only one foot of sea level rise over the life of the plants (until 2080). Scientists are projecting 2-4 feet over this period, and it could be higher.

The storm surge model (SLOSH) used for safety calculations on FPL's nuclear application is out of date and underestimates potential surge heights. NOAA has a new model but FPL is still using the old model’s figures for their safety calculations.
It is prefered that the lines be shielded and be placed underground or not built at all, but the Transmission Line Siting Act (written by the utilities) gives only one way to fight new lines: propose an alternate corridor. Pinecrest and Coral Gables have proposed an alternate corridor that adds another set of lines to existing power line assemblages to the west. The City of South Miami is supporting these alternate corridor proposals.

PUBLIC MEETINGS - Please come and speak out. This is your last chance.

FPL always stacks the speaker’s roster and we need OUR voices heard.
The meeting is Thursday, July 18, 6:30 - 9:30 pm at the Coral Gables Youth Center (405 University Drive).

If you are busy or out of town that evening, here are three alternate dates:
Wednesday, July 17, 2:00-6:00 pm and 7:00-9:00 pm, Keys Gate Golf and Country Club Banquet Hall, 2300 Palm Drive, Homestead, Florida.

Tuesday, July 23, 3:00-6:00 pm and 7:00-9:00 pm, Miami Airport Convention Center, Room MACC1, 711 NW 72nd Ave, Miami, FL

Thursday, July 25, 6:30-9:00 pm, Miami Airport Convention Center, Room MACC1, 711 NW 72nd Ave, Miami, FL

Here is a link to a set of talking points you can use to support the Alternate Corridor Proposals and oppose new nuclear plants at Turkey Point: http://tinyurl.com/talking-points-2013

Tropical Audubon Society is hosting a reception and preparation session, Monday July 1st, 5:30-8 pm at the Doc Thomas House, 5530 Sunset Drive. Optional, but fun.

If you plan on speaking at one of the public testimony sessions, do me a small favor and contact South Miami citizen activist Antoinette Fischer who is coordinating South Miami’s grass-roots turnout. Let her know you are coming and to which session. Antoinette's email is toinettefsh@gmail.com

YOU MAY NOT LIFT THE PHOTOS & TEXT. IT'S COPYRIGHTED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. YOU CAN HOWEVER SHARE A STORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY USING THE LINKS HERE.
For linking to this one story, just click on the time it was posted & just this story will open for sharing - only through social media. Not copying and pasting.

11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

To even propose a plan such as this demonstrates the arrogance of FPL. They believe that their bought and paid for representatives will push this through. The only way to stop it is to demonstrate that we will not allow it to move forward. Speak, contact your representatives at every level, and show them that we are not willing to be sacrificed for their profit.

July 02, 2013 11:50 AM  
Anonymous Marc said...

With more power demand, an upgrade of Power plants and the grid in needed.

Dollar for dollar, nuclear is the cheapest way to produce electricity.

Marc

July 02, 2013 12:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree.keep it up and they will spike up are bills.this is in the name of progress so it will pass anyways.people need to stop complaining about every little thing that happens.what has happend to us americans? we cry about everything

July 02, 2013 1:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We live in Florida the Sunshine State, Solar power, wind power, smart electricity production, that is the way forward, not outdated seventy year old dangerous technology.

July 02, 2013 2:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Marc - that is technically incorrect. If Florida had followed California's model at the end of the last decade, which I really pushed for, we could have seen similar results - the creation of a renewable energy market in the existing infrastructure, and a boon to business. For example, check out the business model used by many profitable california corproations, whereby they lease factory and retail rooftops, taking on their maintenance, and can generate enough revenue through the engergy buy-back they are putting into the system, to pay a handsome lease payment, as well as a sizeable profit. The reason there isn't a similar system in Florida - FPL owns the state. and they don't want anyone else making money from selling energy.

July 02, 2013 4:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Outrageous. We have to live with unsightly powerlines just to FPL doesn't have to spend money to bury them. They are given the rights to a monopoly. We shouldn't feel bad about asking them to correspond just a little bit.

July 02, 2013 5:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Burying transmission lines is VERY expensive. Plus if they did that, people would complain about the construction and the resulting rate hikes to cover the expenses (which would be localized and not spread across the state)

July 02, 2013 6:33 PM  
Anonymous That Guy said...

@6:33 - Your parenthetical begs the question.

July 03, 2013 11:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why not bury them and do it right the first time around? Why do we have to visit the same problem over and over, because of the more expensive excuse? Our decision makers all the time sacrifice our health, efficiency, environment and aesthetics just because it is easier for them to get the job finished their way.

July 03, 2013 2:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Have you ever saw those monsters that produce the wind power? You do not want to live close to them!

July 03, 2013 11:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would prefer to have 4 of them on my property than have one more nuclear bomb at sea level waiting to go off when the next Andrew hits.

July 10, 2013 4:18 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home