The Public Service Commission (PSC) of Wisconsin and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have issued a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Glacier Hills Wind Park in northeast Columbia County.
The proposed wind project would consist of 90 turbines with a capacity of up to 207 MW within 17,350 acres of predominately agricultural land in the townships of Randolph and Scott. The final EIS is a thorough review and analysis of the proposed project, including the need for the project, the alternatives considered, its cost and the 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 from each wind 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.
The hearing to take testimony from technical witnesses is scheduled to begin on Nov. 2 at the PSC. A hearing to take testimony from the public on the proposed project is scheduled for Nov. 4 at the Randolph Town Hall.
The PSC has the authority to approve, deny or modify any proposed electric construction project. To ensure a full and complete record, the PSC follows a process outlined by state law for every case. Part of this process is to perform a thorough environmental review and to gather input from the public.
To review the final report, visit psc.wi.gov, click on the Electronic Regulatory Filing System button and enter docket number 6630-CE-302.
SOURCE: Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
