Laserfiche WebLink
Assessment prepared by Xcel Energy Public comments on the proposed project <br /> were accepted by the ALJ until January 31, 2012.58 <br /> 60. The public hearing transcript was filed by the Office of Administrative Hearings <br /> designated court reporter on January 23, 2012.59 <br /> 61. During the public hearing, six members of the public presented their views <br /> regarding the proposed routing for the project. The ALJ received ten written <br /> comments by the January 31, 2012, submittal deadline.60 Staff from the MPCA <br /> also submitted comments during the comment period; these comments were <br /> inadvertently left out of the ALJ summary report and were filed separately by EFP <br /> staff.61 <br /> 62. The ALJ filed the Summary of Public Testimony on March 5, 2012. The ALJ <br /> report contains a summary of oral public comments provided during the hearing <br /> and, with the exception of a comment received from the Minnesota Pollution <br /> Control agency staff (Finding 61) written comments received by the close of the <br /> comment period.62 <br /> Summary of Oral Comments <br /> 63. Michael and Leena Kallivayalil, residents of the Huntington Farm neighborhood, <br /> assert that the Applicant's proposal for substation expansion relies too heavily on <br /> the fact that it already owns the underlying property, when, other nearby properties <br /> would be better suited to host the larger, upgraded station. Further, the Kallivayalils <br /> argue that the shielding techniques proposed by the Applicants are not adequate to <br /> address the visual and other impacts from an expanded substation.63 <br /> 64. Melissa Fogelberg, a resident of the Huntington Farm neighborhood, joins the <br /> Kallivayalils in arguing that the substation expansion should not occur at the <br /> existing substation site. Specifically, Ms. Fogelberg argues that the applicant's <br /> proposal is at odds with both the City of Orono's land use plans as well as the <br /> efforts of the Minnesota Department of Transportation to improve the aesthetics of <br /> the Highway 12 corridor. Further, she submitted that any uncertainty as to the <br /> impacts to human health from electromagnetic field emissions from such facilities <br /> should be resolved in favor of homeowners by siting such stations as far away as <br /> possible from residential areas. She urges the Commission to withhold approval <br /> until the Applicant "has adequately, vigorously and diligently pursued other <br /> 58 Ex.26 at p. 3 (AU Report) <br /> 59 Ex. 19(Public Hearing Transcript) <br /> 60 Ex.26 at pp.4-5(AU Report) <br /> 61 Ex.23 (MPCA Comments) <br /> 62 Ex.26(AU Report) <br /> 63 Ibid.at p. 3 <br /> 14 <br />