The Public Service Commission (PSC) of Wisconsin has issued the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Glacier Hills Wind Park in northeast Columbia County.
The proposed project would consist of a 90-turbine facility with a proposed capacity of up to 207 MW within 17,350 acres of predominately agricultural land in the townships of Randolph and Scott.
The draft EIS is a thorough review and analysis of the proposed project, including the need for the project, the alternatives considered, its cost, and short- and long-term potential impacts of building the facility.
In October 2008, Wisconsin Electric Power Co. filed an application with the PSC for permission to build the facility. The facility would consist of the turbines, access roads to the turbines, an underground 34.5 kV system to collect the power produced at each turbine, a new substation to connect to the existing electric transmission system and an operations and maintenance building that would house a supervisory control and data acquisition system to monitor turbine operation.
Comments on the draft EIS are due by Sept. 4. Comments received on the draft EIS will be considered when the final EIS is prepared. A public comment period regarding the proposed project and the final EIS is expected to be held the fall.
SOURCE: Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
