NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING

Transcription

1 NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING Issued: September 8, 2017 In the Matter of the Application of Freeborn Wind Energy LLC for a Site Permit for the up to 84 Megawatt Freeborn Wind Farm in Freeborn County, Minnesota PUC Docket Number: IP-6946/WS (Site Permit) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and the Minnesota Department of Commerce will hold a public information meeting on the site permit application by Freeborn Wind Energy, LLC, for its proposed 84 megawatt Freeborn Wind Farm in Freeborn County, Minnesota. Date: Wednesday, September 20, 2017 Time: 4 p.m. Location: Riverland Community College, Lecture Hall Room Riverland Drive, Albert Lea, To find out if a meeting has been cancelled due to bad weather call or visit mn.gov/puc. The purpose of the meeting is to provide information about the proposed project and the state's review process, and to accept verbal or written comments on potential issues for the draft site permit that will be prepared. Project Description Freeborn Wind Energy LLC, has filed a site permit application with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for an up to 84 megawatt large wind energy conversion system. The proposed large wind energy conversion system would be comprised of 42 wind turbines, each being two (2) megawatts in size. Associated facilities include a project substation, an operation and maintenance building, access roads, meteorological towers, underground communication and electrical collection lines, and necessary modification to existing roads. The proposed 85 7th Place East Suite 280 Saint Paul, P: F: mn.gov/commerce An equal opportunity employer

2 project area is approximately 26,273 acres of land located in Hayward, London, Oakland, and Shell Rock townships in Freeborn County, Minnesota. Written Comment Period Comment Period: Written comments will be accepted through Monday October 9, Please include the Commission's Docket Number (17-410) in all communications. Please focus your comments on information that will help answer the following questions: What potential human and environmental impacts of the proposed project should be considered in the draft site permit? What are the possible methods to minimize, mitigate, or avoid potential impacts of the proposed project? Are there any unique characteristics of the proposed site or the project that should be considered? Are there any items missing or mischaracterized in the Site Permit Application? Comments may be submitted via: U.S. Mail: Richard Davis, Minnesota Department of Commerce, 85 7th Place East, Suite 500, St. Paul, Online: efiling: Visit mn.gov/puc, select efiling and follow the prompts. Important: Comments received after the comment period closes may not be considered. Comments will be made available to the public via the Public Utilities Commission s and the Department of Commerce s websites, except in limited circumstances, consistent with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. Personally identifying information is not edited or deleted from submissions. Process Information The Public Utilities Commission must approve a site permit before the project can be 85 7th Place East Suite 280 Saint Paul, P: F: mn.gov/commerce An equal opportunity employer

3 built. The Commission accepted the Freeborn Wind Farm site permit application as complete on August 31, This means the company submitted all the information required to begin the review process. The Commission s decision-making process typically takes nine months. Department of Commerce Energy Environmental Review and Analysis staff will prepare a draft site permit for this project. The draft site permit identifies conditions that will avoid, minimize, and mitigate human and environmental impacts of the proposed project. The deadline for submitting comments to be considered in development of the draft site permit is October 9, After the draft site permit is issued, an Administrative Law Judge will hold a public hearing. You may speak at the hearing, ask questions, and submit written comments about the project. After the public hearing, the Commission will review all of the information in the record, including written comments and comments received at the public hearing. The Commission s final decision on the site permit for this project is expected in May or June Learn More Full Case Record: The site permit application and other documents filed in this matter are available at: mn.gov/puc, select edockets, enter the year (17) and the docket number (410), select Search. Department of Commerce Website: Subscribe to the Docket: To receive notification when new documents are filed in this matter visit: mn.gov/puc, select Subscribe, and follow the prompts. Project Mailing List: Sign up to receive notices about project milestones and opportunities to participate in meetings and comment periods. Contact docketing.puc@state.mn.us or with the docket number (17-410), your name, mailing address, and address. Community Locations: Copies of the site permit applications are available for public review and inspection at the following locations: 85 7th Place East Suite 280 Saint Paul, P: F: mn.gov/commerce An equal opportunity employer

4 Albert Lea Public Library, 211 East Clark Street, Albert Lea, Freeborn County Auditor s Office, 411 South Broadway, Albert Lea, Hayward Township Board, th Ave, Hayward, Shellrock Township Board, River Rd, London Township Board, th St, Oakland Township Board, th St, Austin, Hayward City Council, th Avenue, Hayward, Minnesota Statutes and Rules: This project is reviewed under Minnesota Rules chapters 7829 and 7854, available at Contacts Public Utilities Commission Bret Eknes, Public Advisor: bret.eknes@state.mn.us; or Michael Kaluzniak, Project Analyst: mike.kaluzniak@state.mn.us; Department of Commerce Richard Davis, Environmental Review Manager: richard.davis@state.mn.us; or Freeborn Wind Energy LLC Dan Litchfield, Senior Manager, Project Development: dlitchfield@invenergyllc.com; This document can be made available in alternative formats (e.g., large print or audio) by calling (voice). Persons with hearing loss or speech disabilities may call us through their preferred Telecommunications Relay Service. Individuals with a disability who need reasonable accommodations to participate in these meetings please also contact the Public Utilities Commission at at least one week in advance of the meeting. 85 7th Place East Suite 280 Saint Paul, P: F: mn.gov/commerce An equal opportunity employer

5 Proposed Project Location

6 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I, Sharon Ferguson, hereby certify that I have this day, served copies of the following document on the attached list of persons by electronic filing, certified mail, , or by depositing a true and correct copy thereof properly enveloped with postage paid in the United States Mail at St. Paul, Minnesota. Minnesota Department of Commerce Notice of Public Information Meeting Docket No. IP6946/WS Dated this 8 th day of September 2017 /s/sharon Ferguson

7 First Name Last Name Company Name Address Delivery Method View Trade Secret Service List Name Julia Anderson n.us Office of the Attorney General-DOC 1800 BRM Tower 445 Minnesota St St. Paul, Christina Brusven Fredrikson Byron 200 S 6th St Ste 4000 Ian Dobson Residential.Utilities@ag.sta te.mn.us Sharon Ferguson sharon.ferguson@state.mn.us Dan Litchfield DLitchfield@invenergyllc.co m Office of the Attorney General-RUD Minneapolis, BRM Tower 445 Minnesota St St. Paul, Department of Commerce 85 7th Place E Ste 280 Saint Paul, Invenergy LLC One S Wacker Dr Ste 1800 Chicago, IL Carol A. Overland overland@legalectric.org Legalectric - Overland Law Office LauraSue Schlatter LauraSue.Schlatter@state. mn.us Office of Administrative Hearings 1110 West Avenue Red Wing, PO Box St. Paul, Daniel P Wolf dan.wolf@state.mn.us Public Utilities Commission 121 7th Place East Suite 350 St. Paul,

8 First Name Last Name Company Name Address Delivery Method View Trade Secret Service List Name Dean and Sherry Adams th St Rodger Baseman th St Dan Belshan N/A James Benesh N/A rd St Austin, Cheryl Brandt N/A Oakland Township th Street Austin, Dawn Broitzman th Ave Gary Buchanan oo.com th St Tammy and Aaron Cech N/A th St Holly and Chuck Clarke N/A th Ave glenville, Gene Davis th Ave Lance Davis State Line Road

9 First Name Last Name Company Name Address Delivery Method View Trade Secret Service List Name Clark Ericksen th St Wayne Fett N/A th Ave Sean Gaston th Ave Lisa Hajek th Street Nancy Hajek th Ave Dorenne Hansen Avenue David Harbert N/A KAAL-TV 1320 Salem Rd SW Rochester, Janice A. Helgeson th St Erin Hornberger N/A Rena Langowski Oakland Township th Ave Austin,

10 First Name Last Name Company Name Address Delivery Method View Trade Secret Service List Name Mike and Christine Lau N/A th St Abby K. Leach m 205 S Washington Ave Albert Lea, Sue Madson sue_madson@hotmail.com th Ave Steve Martinson N/A KIMT TV 112 N Pennsylvania Ave Mason City, IA Erik Nelson enels86@yahoo.com th St Tyler Nelson N/A th Ave Kathy Nelson gregandkathynelson@gmai l.com glenville, th Ave Allie Olson aa_olson@hotmail.com th Ave Gary Richter ggrichter55@gmail.com th Ave Stephanie Richter srichter12033@gmail.com th Ave 3

11 First Name Last Name Company Name Address Delivery Method View Trade Secret Service List Name Kristi Rosenquist etel.net th Avenue Mazeppa, Michelle Severtson th Ave Gary and Marcia Sola th St Brad Struck N/A th St Henry Tews N/A th Ave Robert VanPelt N/A th Ave Austin, Mary VanPelt N/A th Ave Austin, Mike and Sue VanPelt N/A 4