Legalectric

Association of Freeborn County Landowners has filed a Petition for Environmental Assessment Worksheet on Freeborn County Wind. Minn. R. 4410.1100. It’s HUGE, my server was over quota, so it’s been going out just one piece (of 10) an hour, should be done in about half an hour. Times like these it sure would be good to have minions. AFCL did a tremendous job, getting over 380 signatures for the Petition over just 3 days. WOW!

Here it is:

And the Exhibits – here’s the Table of Contents to make it easier to find them:

Whew – emailing one per hour takes WAY too long, but even zipped, Exhibit E was still over 100 mb, no way to send that. Posting this took all of 20 minutes with interruptions. Technology…

An odd notice came out today — an extension of the Power Plant Siting Act Annual Hearing comment period, “due to late-filed materials…”

Late filed materials??? Whatever could that be… SNORT!

Naaaah, more likely than not it’s the Comments I’ve filed in all the related wind dockets, plus the PPSA dockets, regarding “ground factor” an inappropriate use of anything but 0.0 as a ground factor:

That’s all about the many wind projects that are improperly using 0.5 and 0.7 ground factor. 0.0 is the only ground factor because the turbine is elevated, and from the source to the “receptor” it is a DIRECT hit! It’s really not hard to understand.

There are so many projects, ALL of the wind projects listed in this year’s Commerce-EERA handout for the PPSA:

These projects were all permitted using bogus noise modeling with GIGO input assumption of 0.5 or even 0.7 for ground factor!!! REALLY! These:

And these:

Guess somebody is wanting time to rebut! May it means we need a contested case, eh?!?! SNORT!

But then, even developer’s expert Mike Hankard agrees that 0.5 is not appropriate for an elevated source like a wind turbine:

It’ll be interesting to see what they have to say.

To look at the PPSA Annual Hearing docket go HERE and enter docket 19-18, using 19 (year number)- 18 (docket number).

This round is for comments on Xcel’s Permit Amendment Request:

Here’s what we (Association of Freeborn County Landowners) filed:

Quite a few comments were filed.

Reply Comments due November 19, 2019, one week from today!

Here we go, deja vu all over again. Xcel Energy has taken over Freeborn Wind and has asked for a permit amendment, the Permit Amendment filings are here:

STAY, Freeborn Wind!

The Public Utilities Commission has just issued notice of the Comment period on the Permit Amendment:

Initial comments accepted through November 12, 2019 at 4:30 PM.
Reply comments accepted through November 19, 2019 at 4:30 PM.

Here is what they want to hear about:

Topics for Public Comment:
• Should the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission amend the Freeborn Wind Farm Site Permit to change the number, type and layout of the turbines to be used, as well as additional participating land?
• Should the Commission accept the supplemental environmental impact analysis?
• Should any permit conditions be modified or added if the requested amendments are approved?
• Are there other issues or concerns related to this matter?

Oh yes, there are plenty of other issues, and you’ll hear all about it, PUC! But it’s nothing you don’t know already.

To view all the filings, go HERE – DOCKET SEARCH and search for 17=410 (17 = year, 410 = docket).

How to Submit Comments:
Online Visit mn.gov/puc, select Speak Up!, find this docket, and add your comments to the discussion.
Email Comments can be emailed to publicadvisor.puc@state.mn.us
U.S. Mail Charley Bruce, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, 121 7th Place E, Suite 350, Saint Paul, MN 55101-2147
eFiling Visit mn.gov/puc, select eFiling, and follow the prompts (you’ll need to register, and it’s EASY and fast).

And we SCORE! Association of Freeborn County Landowners had a win earlier today when the Minnesota Court of Appeals granted our Motion for Stay of the Freeborn Wind Appeal as the Xcel Request for Amendment goes forward. YES! Sure glad we’re not having to do two things at once!

And FYI, here’s Xcel’s Amendment Request:

Ex 1_Xcel Site Permit Amendment Application_Part 1 of 4_20198-155331-01Download

Ex 2_Xcel Site Permit Amendment Application_Part 2 of 4_20198-155331-02Download

Ex 3_Xcel Site Permit Amendment Application_Part 3 of 4_20198-155331-03Download

Ex 4_Xcel Site Permit Amendment Application_Part 4 of 4_20198-155331-04Download