Freeborn Wind Noise Again!
November 9th, 2021
The Xcel Energy Freeborn Wind post-construction noise modeling equipment is up, this time at the tree line, not behind it.
Just filed today at the Public Utilities Commission:
Xcel Energy has 14 days to respond, and then off to the Public Utilities Commission for consideration. The Commission needs to take a hard look at what they’re doing, because these wind projects sited without rules and too close to people is harming those living in the project footprint.
Noise remains a problem for those trying to live in the middle of a wind project. No surprise when the owner uses a 0.5 ground factor to model bigger, louder turbines, several hundred feet above the ground (these have rotor diameter of 120 meters, or 393.701 feet!). This has been ongoing for so long, going on 5 years, I find I’m forgetting crucial details. But what’s happened in this docket, and what has happened in other dockets, all adds up, particularly with the Bent Tree noise exceedences demonstrated, and resulting settlements, and the Blazing Star noise issues going on right now.
Noise was a problem in Bent Tree with Vestas V-82 for the Hagens and Langruds.
Bent Tree Noise report confirms permit violations!
Wind turbine noise is a problem for the Blazing Star wind project with these bigger and louder Vestas V-120:
Blazing Star Wind NOISE!
More on Blazing Star noise
Freeborn Wind noise has long been an issue. Noise was a problem when the Freeborn Wind ALJ recommended denial of the permit because they had not demonstrated, using 0.0 ground factor, that they could comply. Yes, do not forget that we won that round, first recommendation of denial of wind permit application ever:
WE WON!!! ALJ Recommend Freeborn Permit be DENIED, or…
So then the PUC changes the rules, moves the goal posts, and allows use of 0.5 ground factor in modeling to predict noise, and don’t forget, these are now Vestas V-120 turbines, bigger and louder.
Freeborn? PUC upends ALJ’s Freeborn Wind Recommendation
Can you spell U-N-D-E-R-E-S-T-I-M-A-T-E ?? GI-GO???
Tried for an Environmental Assessment Worksheet and got the gong:
PUC Freeborn Mtg 2-6-2020
Filed a MERA claim (Minn. Stat. 116B.03) and we were booted out of court:
Association of Freeborn County Landowners v. Public Utilities Commission
And we appealed the Commission’s final decision on Freeborn:
Freeborn Wind appeal – we lose…
We are persistent. The noise numbers are too high, and they’re higher than pre-construction noise modeling predicted. Yeah, well, DOH, using the wrong ground factor.
The Commission needs to address this obvious problem and deal with the consequences. Avoidance just doesn’t cut it. This is real, and it’s not going away.
ONWARD!
Camping at Camden State Park, etc.!
June 17th, 2018
Back from camping with a friend this week. Last fall, a friend from Northfield mentioned that she’d like to visit Pipestone National Monument, it was on her bucket list, but there’s no campground at Pipestone, just an RV park (UGH!) nearby, sooooo, have pop-up, will travel, and we booked it in October! Alan and I have the routine down, and it’s very different with a friend who hasn’t been camping in decades, and never in a pop-up!
Getting there… CapX 2020 and other transmission was EVERYWHERE!
The weather was bizarre. Got set up, but had to do it quickly, as it dribbled a bit of rain not long after (whew, good timing). But the WIND! WHEW! It was SO windy. Tied down the awning right away, and ultimately had to use an emergency blanked clamped to the awning as a windscreen to be able to cook! Put the camper’s stove on the table, set up as another wind screen, and propped up the Coleman in that, kinda precarious, but needed the shelter. It rained all day and all night and the next day too, and most of the next night!!! Waterlogged, for sure!
Hard to keep everything under the awning, and very hard to keep that emergency blanket “rain fly” in one place. On the stove there is the makings of wild rice (and sweet peppers, corn, green onions, mushrooms, and a dash of cream!), to go with the turkey (so easy when we have electricity, the hardest part is fitting it in the convection oven). Got the hang of this now, first one was Thanksgiving in Arkansas, and this was worry free, no way the wind could blow away that oven.
The next day, we hit Pipestone National Monument, which was cool, actually hot but windy to make it OK, and there was a class meeting in the grass near the building when we arrived, and the next day, we learned that the Minnesota Historical Society had a group that had been there the day before, I think it was part of the American Indian Museum Fellowship program. Pipestone National Monument is a sacred site,and in many places, there are remnants of prayers and offerings.
There are active quarries, and inside, three stations for pipestone carvers. The carver I talked with had been wanting a spot there for over a decade, and it’s a long-term family thing, with ties going back generations, with the next generation waiting for someone to retire before they can take a place there as a carver. Throughout, I thought of Robert Rosebear — I’d commissioned a piece decades ago, and he put a lot more into it than I’d bargained for, much more, the detail was amazing, priceless. How he planned and pieced that together was amazing. Rosebear had mined the pipestone for his carvings from the quarries here. It struck me that natives have to go through a permitting process to mine pipestone, but how does that work? How is it that the Pipestone National Monument got into the hands of the feds, and the feds are in charge of determining who gets to mine at this sacred site? Seems a bit off…
But this… GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
The following day, we went over to the Jeffers Petroglyphs:
It was impossible to get reasonable photos because it was at early afternoon, and the sun disappeared the petroglyphs, but staff tricks with boards and mirrors, and an occasional squirt bottle revealed them. Here’s a depiction:
Thursday, it was off to Albert Lea for some pretty monumentous real estate closings — the Bent Tree buyouts are DONE! What an intense day! And over 300 miles!
It’s good to be home!!
Bent Tree Order filed by PUC
June 5th, 2018
The settlement agreements for Minnesota’s first landowner buyouts were approved by the Public Utilities Commission at its agenda meeting on May 17, 2018. Today, it’s REAL, the written order has been filed.
Thanks to Alliant/Wisconsin Power & Light for their work in getting this done. Now, time for a couple of closings!
And at the same time, let’s whip this wind siting process into shape!
It’s been a busy week. First the release of the ALJ Recommendation for the Freeborn Wind Proect:
OAH+80-2500-34633+Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Recommendation
In the STrib today, on both Freeborn Wind and the Bent Tree project!:
Administrative Law Judge says PUC should reject Freeborn County wind project
A couple of choice snippets from STrib article:
and:
Methinks they’re getting the message that wind projects can no longer steamroll communities. It’s time for rulemaking, it’s time for revision of “standards” to something people can live with, it’s time to use proper, applicable, siting criteria, DOH!.
And today was yet another big day, because the Public Utilities Commission approved settlement agreements for two families who have been living under the Bent Tree wind project. This is the first time in Minnesota that landowners within a wind project have been bought out.
It’s real.
Here are the Staff Briefing Papers:
The room was packed, and I hope that the this “first” wasn’t lost on the audience. Wind has shifted direction. Are you paying attention?
Seen on I-35 last night, right across from Cabelas
Last week, I saw the above sign on I-35 across from Cabelas. Today, Sunday, I saw another, just north of the Clarks Grove/251 exit, between the 19 and 20 mile markers. I’d guess with these two, there’d also be ones along I-90. There’s another one on Main in Albert Lea, near the lake; and another eastbound on I-90 near Hwy. 46 exit by Austin. Anyone see other billboards?
Where is Center of the American Experiment getting the money for this disinformation campaign? You may ask why I say “disinformation campaign.” Read on…
Check this out, the “report” they keep recycling:
Legalectric post from October:
Adding Power Purchase Agreement cost AND overnight cost (cost of developing and constructing) will of course be higher — you can’t have it both ways — pick one or the other!
Who benefits by CAE making arguments that don’t hold up to 30 seconds of research? CAE does of course, they’re filling their coffers. But they’re just on this because the funders want this result. The funders? I don’t presume that it’s as simple an answer as “The Koch Bros.” The false claims they use tells me it’s more nuanced, because they’re setting people up. Those who are sucked in to these arguments, who buy into these false claims, will be shot down by regulators and legislators who know the truth of what goes into rates, and who understand that CO2 reduction only happens by reducing burning, DOH! (not by increasing wind, increasing wind only changes the percentages). They’re sabotaging legitimate issues with wind siting, and they’re ignoring the groundbreaking recent demonstrations that wind projects DO violate the noise related permit conditions and Minnesota’s noise rule (Minn. Ch. 7030). They’re ignoring that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission HAS ordered the violators to take action (too late, not enough, but a start). When there are legitimate issues, why would they ignore them and go for fake news? Why release the bogus CAE report a month after the Bent Tree Phase I report comes out? Hmmmmmmmm…
REAL NEWS:
Bent Tree_Noise Monitoring Phase I_20179-135856-01
Bent Tree Post-Construction Noise Monitoring Report Phase II Report
REAL NEWS: Freeborn Wind project is first ever wind siting contested case! For info, go HERE and search for docket “17” (year) “410” (docket number). Good reading!
These Minnesota Public Utilities Commission actions should be well known to CAE if they’re going to be doing a campaign like this. CAE should be spreading this info far and wide… but noooooo….
An example — the day before yesterday at the legislature, there they are touting this report again:
American Experiment Testifies in Front of MN House of Representatives Committee on Job Growth and Energy Affordability Policy on Wind Energy
Soooo, who benefits? Who benefits from CAE’s big PR push? Who benefits from uninformed people jumping on the CAE bandwagon, only to lose their credibility by spewing these CAE bogus arguments? I think this is a very well crafted disinformation campaign. Who is paying for it? Usually the Wizard is Xcel Energy, manipulating behind the scenes, spreading money far and wide to whoever will take it. Here? We shall see… And is any of this related to Senate File 3504/House File 3708 (they are identical) introduced on March 15th and 12th 2018?? Circumventing the PUC to get instant rate recovery for rehab of Prairie Island nuclear plant? We know how Monticello came in at twice the cost. How would that go here? PUC review of that might hamper Xcel. Can’t have that, can we… and we know CAE loves nuclear.
Registrant ContactName: Peter ZellerOrganization: Center of the American ExperimentStreet: 8421 Wayzata Blvd., Ste. 110City: Golden ValleyState: MNPostal Code: 55426Country: USPhone: +1.6123383605
Email:@americanexperiment.org