Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Site Permit Application for a Large Wind Energy Conversion System Freeborn Wind Farm Freeborn County, Minnesota June 14, 2017 Docket No. IP6946 / WS-17-410 Freeborn Wind Energy LLC c/o Invenergy LLC One South Wacker Drive, Suite 1800 Chicago, IL 60606 Project Name: Freeborn Wind Farm Project Location: Freeborn County, MN Applicant: Freeborn Wind Energy LLC, c/o Invenergy LLC Address: One South Wacker Drive, Suite 1800, Chicago, IL 60606 Authorized Representative: Dan Litchfield, Senior Manager, Project Development Signature: Phone: 312-582-1057 Email: [email protected] Freeborn Wind Farm: Site Permit Application June 14, 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................ vii 1.0 Applicant Information ......................................................................................................... 1 2.0 Certificate of Need .............................................................................................................. 2 3.0 State Policy ......................................................................................................................... 3 4.0 Project Description, Overview, and Public Outreach ......................................................... 3 4.1 Project Description and Overview .......................................................................... 3 4.2 Public Outreach ....................................................................................................... 4 5.0 Project Design ..................................................................................................................... 6 5.1 Description of Layout ............................................................................................. 6 5.1.1 General Setback Considerations .............................................................. 6 5.1.2 Wind Access Buffer Setback ................................................................... 8 5.1.3 Additional Layout Considerations ........................................................ 10 5.2 Description of Turbines and Towers ..................................................................... 12 5.2.1 Wind Turbine Design and Operation .................................................... 12 5.2.2 Turbine Model Selection and Types ..................................................... 13 5.3 Description of Electrical and Fiber Optic Communication System...................... 15 6.0 Description and Location of Associated Facilities ........................................................... 15 6.1 Collector Lines and Feeder Lines ......................................................................... 16 6.2 Transmission and Project Substation .................................................................... 16 6.3 Additional Associated Facilities ........................................................................... 17 6.4 Access Roads ........................................................................................................ 17 6.5 Permitting for Associated Facilities ...................................................................... 18 7.0 Wind Rights ...................................................................................................................... 18 8.0 Environmental Impacts ..................................................................................................... 18 8.1 Demographics ....................................................................................................... 19 8.1.1 Description of Resources ...................................................................... 19 8.1.2 Impacts .................................................................................................. 21 8.1.3 Mitigative Measures .............................................................................. 21 8.2 Land Use ............................................................................................................... 22 8.2.1 Local Zoning and Comprehensive Plans ............................................... 22 8.2.2 Conservation Easements ....................................................................... 26 8.2.3 Impacts .................................................................................................. 27 8.2.4 Mitigative Measures .............................................................................. 27 8.3 Noise ..................................................................................................................... 28 8.3.1 Description of Resources ...................................................................... 30 8.3.2 Impacts .................................................................................................. 32 8.3.3 Mitigative Measures .............................................................................. 34 8.4 Visual Impacts ...................................................................................................... 35 8.4.1 Existing Aesthetics ................................................................................ 35 8.4.2 Visual Impacts on Public Resources ..................................................... 35 8.4.3 Visual Impacts on Private Lands and Homes ........................................ 35 8.4.4 Shadow Flicker ...................................................................................... 36 8.4.5 Impacts .................................................................................................. 37 8.4.6 Mitigative Measures .............................................................................. 39 i Freeborn Wind Farm: Site Permit Application June 14, 2017 8.5 Public Services and Infrastructure ........................................................................ 40 8.5.1 Description of Resources ...................................................................... 40 8.5.2 Roads ..................................................................................................... 41 8.5.3 Telecommunications ............................................................................. 43 8.5.4 Communications Systems ..................................................................... 43 8.5.5 Television .............................................................................................. 45 8.5.6 Other Infrastructure and Services .......................................................... 46 8.6 Cultural and Archaeological Resources ................................................................ 48 8.6.1 Description of Resources ...................................................................... 48 8.6.2 Impacts .................................................................................................. 52 8.6.3 Mitigative Measures .............................................................................. 52 8.7 Recreation ............................................................................................................. 53 8.7.1 Description of Resources ...................................................................... 53 8.7.2 Impacts .................................................................................................. 55 8.7.3 Mitigative Measures .............................................................................. 55 8.8 Public Health and Safety ....................................................................................... 56 8.8.1 Electromagnetic Fields and Stray Voltage ............................................ 57 8.8.2 Air Traffic ............................................................................................. 58 8.8.3 Safety and Security ................................................................................ 60 8.9 Hazardous Materials ............................................................................................. 61 8.9.1 Description of Resources ...................................................................... 61 8.9.2 Impacts .................................................................................................. 62 8.9.3 Mitigative Measures .............................................................................. 62 8.10 Land-Based Economies ........................................................................................ 62 8.10.1 Agriculture/Farming .............................................................................. 62 8.10.2 Forestry .................................................................................................. 65 8.10.3 Mining ................................................................................................... 65 8.11 Tourism ................................................................................................................. 65 8.11.1 Description of Resources ...................................................................... 65 8.11.2 Impacts .................................................................................................. 66 8.11.3 Mitigative Measures .............................................................................. 66 8.12 Local Economies ................................................................................................... 66 8.12.1 Description of Resources ...................................................................... 66 8.12.2 Tax Payments and Property Values .....................................................