Application to the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission for a Facility Permit North Bend Wind Project Hyde and Hughes Counties, South Dakota June 22, 2021 NORTH BEND WIND PROJECT, LLC 3760 State Street, Suite 200 Santa Barbara, CA 93105 Applicant: North Bend Wind Project, LLC Address: 3760 State Street, Suite 200 Santa Barbara, CA 93105 Authorized Representative: Casey Willis, Senior Advisor, Project Development Signature: Phone: 805-569-6185 Email: [email protected] Application for Facility Permit Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 Project Overview .................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Names of Participants (Administrative Rules of South Dakota [ARSD] 20:10:22:06) ............................................................................................................ 1-2 1.3 Name of Owner and Manager (ARSD 20:10:22:07) .............................................. 1-3 1.4 Facility Permit Application Content and Organization .......................................... 1-3 1.4.1 Completeness Check ................................................................................. 1-3 2.0 PURPOSE OF, AND DEMAND FOR, THE WIND ENERGY FACILITY (ARSD 20:10:22:08, 20:10:22:10) ................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1 Renewable Power Demand ..................................................................................... 2-1 2.1.1 National Energy Demand .......................................................................... 2-2 2.1.2 Regional and State Energy Demand .......................................................... 2-3 2.1.3 Local Benefits ............................................................................................ 2-4 2.1.4 Consequences of Delay ............................................................................. 2-4 3.0 ESTIMATED COST OF THE WIND ENERGY FACILITY (ARSD 20:10:22:09) ....... 3-1 3.1 Capital and Operational Costs ................................................................................ 3-1 4.0 GENERAL SITE AND PROJECT COMPONENT DESCRIPTION (ARSD 20:10:22:11, 20:10:22:33:02, 20:10:22:35) ............................................................................................ 4-1 4.1 Site Location and Overview ................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Wind Farm Facility ................................................................................................. 4-1 4.2.1 Wind Turbines ........................................................................................... 4-2 4.2.2 Meteorological Towers .............................................................................. 4-4 4.2.3 Access Roads and Crane Paths .................................................................. 4-4 4.2.4 Temporary Laydown/Staging Area/Temporary Concrete Batch Plant ..... 4-5 4.2.5 O&M Facility ............................................................................................ 4-5 4.2.6 Aircraft Detection Lighting System .......................................................... 4-6 4.2.7 Electrical Collector System ....................................................................... 4-6 4.2.8 Fiber Optic Communication System ......................................................... 4-6 4.2.9 Project Collection Substation .................................................................... 4-7 4.2.10 Interconnection Facilities and Switching Station ...................................... 4-7 4.3 Land Requirements ................................................................................................. 4-7 4.3.1 Right-of-way or Condemnation Requirements (ARSD 20:10:22:33.02 and 20:10:22:35) ........................................................................................ 4-8 4.4 Wind Farm Facility Construction, Restoration, Operation and Maintenance Procedures ............................................................................................................... 4-8 4.4.1 Mobilization and Site Preparation ............................................................. 4-8 4.4.2 Roadwork .................................................................................................. 4-9 4.4.3 Installation of Turbine Foundations .......................................................... 4-9 4.4.4 Installation of Electrical Collector and Communication Systems ........... 4-10 4.4.5 Tower Deliveries and Erection ................................................................ 4-10 4.4.6 Construction of Project Collection Substation ........................................ 4-10 4.4.7 Installation of Permanent Meteorological Tower .................................... 4-10 4.4.8 Restoration Procedures ............................................................................ 4-11 4.4.9 Operation and Maintenance ..................................................................... 4-11 North Bend Wind Project iii Application for Facility Permit Table of Contents 4.4.10 Decommissioning .................................................................................... 4-11 5.0 ALTERNATIVE SITES AND SITING CRITERIA (ARSD 20:10:22:12) ...................... 5-1 5.1 Site Evaluation Process and Project Area Refinement ........................................... 5-1 5.1.1 Wind Resource .......................................................................................... 5-1 5.1.2 Ready Access to Transmission Interconnection ........................................ 5-2 5.1.3 Land Use and Environmental Compatibility ............................................. 5-2 5.2 Site Configuration Alternatives .............................................................................. 5-2 5.3 Lack of Reliance on Eminent Domain Powers ....................................................... 5-4 6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION (ARSD 20:10:22:13) ......................................... 6-1 7.0 EFFECT ON PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT (ARSD 20:10:22:14) ................................ 7-1 7.1 Geological Resources ............................................................................................. 7-1 7.1.1 Existing Geological Resources .................................................................. 7-1 7.1.2 Impacts to Geological Resources .............................................................. 7-4 7.1.3 Mitigation Measures for Geological Resources ........................................ 7-5 7.2 Soil Resources......................................................................................................... 7-5 7.2.1 Existing Soil Resources ............................................................................. 7-5 7.2.2 Impacts to Soil Resources ......................................................................... 7-9 7.2.3 Mitigation Measures for Soil Resources ................................................... 7-9 8.0 EFFECT ON HYDROLOGY (ARSD 20:10:22:15) ......................................................... 8-1 8.1 Groundwater Resources .......................................................................................... 8-1 8.1.1 Existing Groundwater Resources .............................................................. 8-1 8.1.2 Impacts to Groundwater Resources ........................................................... 8-2 8.1.3 Mitigation Measures for Groundwater Resources ..................................... 8-3 8.2 Surface Water Resources ........................................................................................ 8-3 8.2.1 Existing Surface Water Resources ............................................................ 8-4 8.2.2 Impacts to Surface Water Resources ......................................................... 8-6 8.2.3 Mitigation Measures for Surface Water Resources ................................... 8-8 8.3 Water Uses and Rights ............................................................................................ 8-8 8.3.1 Existing and Planned Water Uses and Rights ........................................... 8-8 8.3.2 Impacts on Current or Planned Water Uses .............................................. 8-9 8.3.3 Mitigation Measures for Existing and Planned Water Uses and Rights . 8-10 9.0 EFFECT ON TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS (ARSD 20:10:22:16) ............................ 9-1 9.1 Vegetation ............................................................................................................... 9-1 9.1.1 Existing Terrestrial Ecosystem .................................................................. 9-1 9.1.2 Impacts to Vegetation ................................................................................ 9-4 9.1.3 Mitigation Measures for Vegetation .......................................................... 9-5 9.2 Wildlife ................................................................................................................... 9-5 9.2.1 Existing Wildlife ........................................................................................ 9-5 9.2.2 Impacts to Wildlife .................................................................................. 9-17 9.2.3 Mitigation Measures for Wildlife ............................................................ 9-21 10.0 EFFECT ON AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS (ARSD 20:10:22:17) ..................................