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98. The city of Orono and residents of the Huntington Farms neighborhood have identified aesthetic impacts from the larger substation as a primary concern.95 99. The existing substation site is somewhat screened from the housing to the west by a rise along the west side of Xcel Energy's property. Xcel Energy has stated its intent to minimize vegetation clearing to the extent possible and to work with landowners to identify visual concerns related to the project and develop suitable mitigation measures.96 100. Xcel Energy's preliminary site layout and grading plan anticipates the addition of conifer trees along the grade on the western edge of the substation area and the addition shrubs and deciduous trees along the southern edge of the substation area. The landscaping plan also identifies the option of a berm along the western sides of the substation site.97 Although a berm along the western side of the substation site can be constructed within Xcel Energy's parcel, if residents prefer a larger berm, additional land would be required. 101. HVTL permits require permittees to minimize the number of trees to be removed to the extent that such actions do not violate sound engineering principles or system reliability criteria. Certain low and slow growing species that do not exceed a mature height of 15 feet can be planted in the right-of-way to blend the difference between the right-of-way and adjacent wooded areas. 102. The city of Orono recommends that Xcel Energy develop a landscaping plan that uses a combination of berms and vegetation along the west, south and southeast boundaries of the substation site to screen substation structures to the greatest extent possible from residents located to the west, south and southwest of the substation, from traffic along County Road 6, and from northbound traffic along Orchard Park Road.98 Noise 103. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has established standards for the regulation of noise levels. The most stringent noise standards are 60 A- weighted decibel (dBA) L50 during the daytime and 50 dBA L50 during the nighttime.99 95 Ex.22(Hearing comments) 96 Ex. 12 at p.25(EA) 97 Ex. 17 at p.5 and schedule?(Sedarski Direct) 98 Ex.22(Hearing Comments,city of Orono) 99 Ex. 12 at p.27(EA) 21