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A public hearing last week at the Performing Arts Center at Chisago Lakes High School gave locals a chance to learn about a plan that would give Chisago County a major role in alternative energy generation in coming years.
The hearing was one of six that the state Public Utilities Commission and Dept. of Commerce are holding to help determine whether or not there’ll be solar farms in Chisago County and elsewhere in the state.   
The timeline calls for a PUC decision in May 2015 or six to nine months from when the permit application was received.
But, the public comment period is open only until Sept 30 on this early scoping phase of permitting.  
Your comments will help state regulators and project developers get a handle on considerations specific to local sites.
The Aurora Distributed Solar  Project PUC permit application seeks four locations in Chisago County. The sites are all close to electric substations, allowing the solar energy to be most efficiently fed into the grid at periods of peak demand.
About the company
It was explained at last week’s hearing that Aurora Distributed Solar LLC is part of Enel Green Power North America Inc.    Enel has 750 operating power plants in 16 countries and has been providing utility scale photovolatic plant operation experience since 1994.  EGP-NA is involved in solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower generation.  
Geronimo Energy, based in Edina,  is the sites’ developer.  The hearing shared details about construction, including there will be pile driving equipment used for sinking posts for racks holding the panels. There will be small access roads built into the array site. The construction will involve drainage improvements and trenches will be dug for underground equipment.  The sites will all be re- planted.

The statewide plan, for 24 possible solar array projects in 16 Minnesota counties, is dubbed “Aurora” and will be part of a system to provide peaking power to Xcel,  meeting long range needs from about 2017 to 2023.  
The Chisago County sites  range in size from about 23 acres south of Lindstrom at the “Scandia Substation” to 62 acres around the perimeter of the Maranatha Church, Wyoming.  
The hearing was facilitated by the state Dept of Commerce and the PUC, in order to produce an objective review and collect information related to public energy projects under state regulation.  
The Environmental Assessment is still being worked on.   Before administrative law hearings take place the assessment must be finished, according to Tracy Smetana, PUC Public Advisor.  The EA gets published and the hearings are expected in February 2015.

Meanwhile, citizens have until September 30 to comment on what’s proposed so far.   Issues and concerns you submit are important to this scoping process.  Some concerns voiced at the hearing included:
~ Are solar farm sites lighted at night. No.  They do have security fencing.
~ Can crops or livestock share the site with the equipment?  No. There’s a vegetation management system the solar power company uses and mainly ground cover like clover are planted.
~ Is a site buffered from view by anything? Not usually;  because the most height that a solar panel racking array requires is 10 feet and installations are usually 7 to 8 feet above ground.  
Nathan Franzen, a developer spokesperson,  said each site is evaluated --if there’s no shade resulting from screening that’s going to impact the sun hitting the panels--  trees or other plantings might be optional around the perimeter.
~ Do panels impact birds?  
The panels proposed in Chisago County are not reflective. Issues elsewhere with birds and injury are related to a reflective panel model.  The DNR is involved in reviewing these sites too.
~ What are Aurora’s plans to expand local sites?
There are no plans for enlarging sites. The permit being sought and the contract under negotiation with Xcel for Aurora to generate power for Xcel distribution,  is for 20 years.  
Franzen said there’s escrow money as part of the permit to reclaim or decommission sites and most materials/equipment are recyclable.

The state is holding these hearings and is responsible for the permit review because the multi-county Aurora plan has been designated a “large power generating plant” defined in state law.  
But, Suzanne Steinhauer, Dept of Commerce Environmental Review Manager,  stressed that local officials and the public are encouraged to comment during this scoping process.  
Steinhauer offered some areas of interest that people may want to comment on.  
The state needs to hear any environmental aspects in a location, specialized habitat or rare plants and species.  
The state wants to hear if there’s historic considerations to avoid, landmarks, etc.  And, local planning officials should let state regulators know if there’s a future land use proposed that a solar farm might not be compatible with.

If you oppose a location of a site, Steinhauer said comments  need a reason why the proposed sites aren’t desireable.   Stenhauer said, “The more specific the better.  It helps to develop our information.”
Also, any comments submitted asking for new boundaries or relocating an array,  should take into consideration the fact that Aurora doesn’t have power of condemnation, and needs a willing seller.  
 
To comment
The docket number must accompany what you submit  GS-14-515.
Sept. 30 is the end of this comment period.
E mail address:  [email protected]  or FAX written comments to 651-539-0109 with GS 14 515 in the subject line.
Mail goes to Steinhauer,  at MN Dept of Commerce
85 7th Place Suite 500
St. Paul, MN 55101-2198.

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