Designation of a Different Responsible Governmental Unit for the Environmental Review of the Fillmore County Solar Project

Kristin Mroz| Environmental Review Planner

www.eqb.state.mn.us

Fillmore County Solar Project

• Project

• Installation a 45 megawatt (MW) solar energy generation facility on approximately 558 acres of private agricultural land

• Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW)

• Minnesota Rules 4410.4300, Subp. 3, Electric generating facilities

• RGU is the Environmental Quality Board

D13 and D14Pages 95-103

Re-designation Request Process

Re-designation of Responsible Governmental Units (RGUs) for the proposed Fillmore County Solar Project

• Request

• August 30, 2019 from Savion, LLC

• “Fillmore County will be designated as the RGU, due to the County’s expertise and ability to analyze the potential impacts of the Project. With the submittal of this EAW, FCSP [Fillmore County Solar Project, LLC] respectfully requests that the EQB initiate and facilitate the re-designation process.”

9/23/2019 3

Findings

Fillmore County

• The County permits and approvals include:

• Conditional Use Permit

• Fill Permit

• Land Use Permit

• Variance Permit

• Road/ROW Permit

• Access Permit

• Wetland Conservation Act approval

Board Authority and Decision

Minnesota Rules 4410.0500, Subp. 6, Exception

“… the EQB may designate, within five days of receipt of the completed data portions of the EAW, a different RGU for the project if the EQB determines the designee has greater expertise in analyzing the potential impacts of the project.”

• A vote in the affirmative will designate Fillmore County as the RGU for the proposed Fillmore County Solar Project.

• A vote against the resolution will keep the Environmental Quality Board as the RGU for the proposed Fillmore County Solar Project.

D13 and D14Pages 95-103