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CONDITIONAL USE PERIMIT REQUEST • METRO WIND,LLC INTRODUCTION Metro Wind LLC ("Metro Wind") is a Minnesota limited liability company which proposes to construct and install one commercial size wind energy turbine on a parcel of land described as that portion of the West %, SE '/,, Section 3, Township 33 North, Range 26 West of the Fifth Principal Meridian, lying north and westerly of 225`h Street (the "Site"). Metro Wind is applying for a conditional use permit to construct and operate the turbine and related facilities for a period of 30 years after construction is complete and the turbine becomes operational. Metro Wind is submitting the required application and fees; ten sets of drawings depicting the site and the proposed facilities; and this discussion of the information required by Section 900.42 of the Elk River Zoning Ordinance. I. THE DEVELOPER Metro Wind is an affiliate of Northern Alternative Energy, Inc. ("NAE"), a Minnesota company headquartered in Minneapolis, which develops, owns and operates commercial wind energy facilities. In Minnesota, NAE owns and operates two large windfarms in Lincoln County with a combined capacity of 23.13 megawatts (MW) and a 600 kilowatt (kW) facility in Marshall. NAE also operates projects in Iowa and has constructed projects for others in • Wyoming and Wisconsin. Through affiliates, NAE is constructing 32.91 MW of new wind generation this year in Minnesota. NAE was selected in April by Northern States Power Company ("NSP") to construct an additional 50 MW of wind generation and 300 MW of natural gas generation in 2001. Among wind developers in the United States,NAE is not the largest,but is of medium size and growing at a moderately rapid rate. NAE was founded in 1992 by Greg Jaunich, who remains President. Since its creation, NAE has added professional accounting, project management and engineering capabilities, and has established relationships with outside experts to assist in construction (M.A. Mortenson Company, Inc.) and environmental analysis and permitting (HDR Engineering, formerly known as Braun Intertec). Mr. Jaunich serves on the Board of Directors of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), and AWEA recently recognized NAE's accomplishments by bestowing it with an award for Outstanding Commercial Achievement. NAE's purpose as a company is to promote the environmentally responsible development of wind energy facilities in order to increase the use of wind energy as a component of the country's power supply resources. By doing so, NAE hopes to provide significant environmental benefits by replacing other forms of electric generation which create pollutants and other adverse environmental impacts. In the course of developing its wind facilities,NAE is also committed to avoiding adverse environmental impacts to the fullest extent practicable and to cooperation with landowners and local residents to minimize concerns and impacts. •