6.1. ERMUSR 10-13-2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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A Minnesota Route Permit application was filed October 1 for the Fargo-St. Cloutl 345-kV project. Bemidji-Grand Rapids 230-kV • The Office of Energy Security (OES) continues work on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and expects it to be issued in early November. Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is collecting federal agenry comments for incorpora- tioninto the EIS. RUS' scoping document, however, must be issued prior to issuance of the EIS. • Judge Eric Lipman is the administrative law judge assigned to the contested case hearing by the OES. Apre-hearing conference is scheduled for October 2. Brookings County-Hampton 345-kV • The project team is reviewing direct testimony, which is due October 13. Anticipated witnesses are Craig Poorker, Kevin Lennon and Dr. Peter Valberg. Intervenors' direct testimony and OES comments are due November 9. • Ten OES-sponsored public meetings on the draft EIS are scheduled for November 12-19 in locations along the proposed routes. • Seventeen public or evidentiary hearings will take place November 30 to December 11 in locations along the proposed routes and December 15-18 in St. Paul. Public comments will be accepted until January 15, 2010. • The project team is working with OES and Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MN PUC) staff to notify landowners on proposed route options by mail with dates and locations of upcoming meetings and hearings. Fargo-St.Cloud-Monticello 345-kV • Monticello-St. Cloud project: - The administrative law judge's first pre-hearing confer- ence was September 25; a schedule has been determined. - Comments are being prepared on the project task force's proposed routes. A discussion with the OES on what options could potentially be removed from the scope will follow. - Direct testimony is due January 2010, with contested case public hearings in early February. A June 2010 MN PUC decision is anticipated. Hampton-Rochester-La Crosse 345-kV • The project team met with staff from the MN PUC, Minnesota Department of Commerce and OES, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW), and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and RUS on August 31. • MN PUC and PSCW chairs have directly discussed the project. An interstate coordination strategy was developed with a focus on Alma as the preferred river crossing. A phased approach to state filings will be used, which will allow the Minnesota Route Permit scoping process to conclude before a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) application is submitted to the PSCW. • RUS representatives met separately with the project team and state and federal agencies regarding the EIS. • The project team met with PSCW staff September 28 to review anticipated Wisconsin routes. continued _SEPTEM6ER 2009