AFCL Scoping Comments filed today
January 3rd, 2018
Map of transmission — click for larger view
Just filed, Association of Freeborn Landowner Scoping Comments for the Environmental Assessment for the transmission line for the Freeborn Wind Energy wind project:
And tomorrow, on the wind project side, the Commission is going to make decision on whether to issue the Draft Site Permit — we’re number 7 on the agenda:
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Thursday, January 4, 2018, 9:30am |
|---|---|
| Where | Large Hearing Room 121 7th Place E, Suite 350 St. Paul, MN 55101 |
| Event Type | Agenda |
| Industry | Electric, Energy Facilities, Telecom |
| Details |
Letter in Albert Lea Tribune re: Freeborn Wind Farm
December 16th, 2017
On Tuesday, Commerce is having a wind project transmission scoping meeting (MPUC Docket 17-322):
6 p.m. on December 19, 2017
Room 124
Riverland Community College
Albert Lea, MN
The Albert Lea Tribune printed my Letter to the Editor about the Freeborn Wind Farm transmission scoping meeting:
Letter: Meeting on new wind farm is planned next week
At 6 p.m. Dec. 19 in Room 124 at Riverland Community College, the Minnesota Department of Commerce is holding a public comment and scoping meeting for the transmission line designed to serve the Freeborn Wind project. This is the opportunity for you to raise any questions and concerns about what issues should be investigated and reviewed in the Department of Commerce’s environmental review. This includes all of the things you know about the area, and any alternatives that should be in the mix.
Minnesota has a policy of non-proliferation of transmission corridors, which means that as a matter of law, transmission should be routed using existing corridors, such as transmission lines already in place or road right of way. This line, instead, is proposed to traverse cross country. That’s not non-proliferation.
Another problem is that Freeborn Wind developers claim they have land rights to all land needed for this transmission line, and then state that they’ll use eminent domain if they don’t. Well, which is it? And it’s troubling, because only public service corporations have the power of eminent domain, but Freeborn is a LLC, not a public service corporation. To make things more complicated, need has not been demonstrated, and there is no certificate of need. Need is a requirement for use of eminent domain. What’s their basis for saying they can use eminent domain?
This is yet another overreach by the developers — more infrastructure, which would forever change the landscape of this community. Dec. 19 at Riverland College — now is the time to speak up!
Carol A. Overland
Attorney for Association of Freeborn County Landowners
Freeborn’s MISO info for J407
December 15th, 2017
Here’s what I’ve been able to find about MISO J407, the number provided by Xcel Energy in their 16-777 Resource Acquisition docket that included the Freeborn Wind project:
And from Xcel’s Petition on interconnection (click for larger version):
And here’s what I could find from MISO:
miso-february-2015-initial-posting
20170117 IPTF Item 01f DPP Updates
There ya have it!
Commerce releases Freeborn Draft Site Permit
December 5th, 2017
Here it is:
17-410+Comments & Draft Site Permit
Now, get to work reading and doing a thorough mark-up!