Public Utilities Commission Route Permit Application for a 345 kV Transmission Line Plum Creek Wind Farm, LLC Docket No. IP6997 / TL-18-701 November 2019 Public Utilities Commission Application for Route Permit for a 345 kV Transmission Line Plum Creek Wind Farm, LLC Cottonwood, Murray, and Redwood Counties, Minnesota Docket No. IP6997 / TL-18-701 November 2019 7650 Edinborough Way Suite 725 Edina, MN 55435 Application for Route Permit Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 HVTL Project Ownership ........................................................................................... 1 1.2 Permittee ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Certificate of Need Process ......................................................................................... 2 1.4 State Routing Process .................................................................................................. 2 1.5 Request for Joint Proceeding with Certificate of Need Application ........................... 3 2.0 HVTL PROJECT INFORMATION ...................................................................................... 4 2.1 HVTL Project Proposal ............................................................................................... 4 2.2 Route Width ................................................................................................................ 7 2.3 Transmission Structure and Conductor Design ........................................................... 8 2.4 Transmission Line Right-of-Way .............................................................................. 10 2.5 Switching Station ...................................................................................................... 11 2.6 HVTL Project Schedule ............................................................................................ 11 2.7 HVTL Project Costs .................................................................................................. 11 2.8 Design Options to Accommodate Future Expansion ................................................ 12 3.0 ROUTE SELECTION PROCESS ....................................................................................... 13 3.1 Summary of Statutory and Rule Factors ................................................................... 13 3.2 Route Development Process ...................................................................................... 14 3.2.1 HVTL Project Termini ................................................................................ 15 3.2.2 HVTL Project Study Area .......................................................................... 15 3.2.3 Routing Opportunities and Constraints....................................................... 16 3.2.4 Public Open House Meetings ..................................................................... 18 3.2.5 Initial Agency Outreach .............................................................................. 18 3.3 Route Refinement and Route Adjustment Process .................................................... 18 4.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ROUTE SEGMENTS ................................................... 20 4.1 Green Segment .......................................................................................................... 20 4.2 Yellow Segment ........................................................................................................ 20 4.3 Blue Segment ............................................................................................................ 21 4.4 Red Segment .............................................................................................................. 21 5.0 RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION, CONSTRUCTION, RESTORATION, AND MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES .................................................................................. 24 5.1 Right-of-Way Acquisition ......................................................................................... 24 5.2 Construction Procedures ............................................................................................ 25 5.3 Restoration and Clean-up Procedures ....................................................................... 27 5.4 Maintenance Procedures ............................................................................................ 28 6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION: ALL SEGMENTS .............................................. 29 6.1 Description of Environmental Setting ....................................................................... 31 6.2 Human Settlement ..................................................................................................... 32 6.2.1 Emergency Services and Public Health and Safety .................................... 33 6.2.2 Electric and Magnetic Fields ...................................................................... 34 6.2.3 Displacement .............................................................................................. 42 Page i Application for Route Permit Table of Contents 6.2.4 Noise ........................................................................................................... 43 6.2.5 Aesthetics .................................................................................................... 48 6.2.6 Socioeconomics .......................................................................................... 48 6.2.7 Cultural Values ........................................................................................... 52 6.2.8 Recreation ................................................................................................... 53 6.2.9 Land Use and Zoning .................................................................................. 56 6.2.10 Public Services ............................................................................................ 65 6.2.11 Radio, Television, Cellular Phone, and Global Positioning System .......... 67 6.2.12 Transportation ............................................................................................. 68 6.3 Land Based Economies ............................................................................................. 72 6.3.1 Agriculture .................................................................................................. 72 6.3.2 Forestry ....................................................................................................... 76 6.3.3 Tourism ....................................................................................................... 76 6.3.4 Mining ......................................................................................................... 78 6.4 Archaeological and Historic Architectural Resources .............................................. 78 6.4.1 Previously Recorded Archaeological and Historic Architectural Resources .................................................................................................................... 79 6.4.2 Impacts and Mitigation – All Segments ..................................................... 82 6.5 Natural Environment ................................................................................................. 83 6.5.1 Air Quality .................................................................................................. 83 6.5.2 Geology and Groundwater Resources ........................................................ 85 6.5.3 Soils ............................................................................................................ 86 6.5.4 Surface Waters and Floodplains ................................................................. 90 6.5.5 Wetlands ..................................................................................................... 97 6.5.6 Flora .......................................................................................................... 100 6.5.7 Fauna ......................................................................................................... 102 6.6 Rare and Unique Natural Resources ....................................................................... 105 6.6.1 Threatened and Endangered Species ........................................................ 105 6.6.2 Natural Resource Sites .............................................................................. 109 7.0 FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ........................................................................................................... 114 7.1 Agency Involvement in Pre-application .................................................................. 114 7.1.1 Federal Agencies ....................................................................................... 116 7.1.2 State Agencies ........................................................................................... 117 7.1.3 County Agencies ....................................................................................... 118 7.1.4 Local Government Units ........................................................................... 118 7.2 Public Open Houses ................................................................................................ 119 8.0 REQUIRED PERMITS, APPROVALS, AND CONSULTATIONS ............................... 120 9.0 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................