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The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted 3-1 on a resolution that opposes the proposed battery energy storage project near Glenville after hearing several comments both in favor and against.

Commissioners Dawn Kaasa, Lukas Severson and Brad Edwin voted to oppose the project, while Commissioner Chris Shoff abstained from voting. Fifth District Commissioner Nicole Eckstrom was absent from the meeting.

Shoff said he did not recall the board making a blanket statement previously about a project reviewed by the Public Utilities Commission and said in the past he thought commissioners could voice their opinions individually if they chose.

Shoff said while he would have been in favor of drafting something that said the board was concerned about factors such as the proximity of the project near the Shell Rock River and Glenville-Emmons School, he was against jumping forward and flat-out saying the board was opposed to the project as a whole.

The action comes as discussion about the proposed project, called the Midwater Energy Storage Project, has been heated in the community. As the state reviews the project, many Glenville residents have questioned the safety of the project for wildlife and for residents, particularly with the location, and what would happen in the event of a fire with the system.

The 150-megawatt battery energy storage system proposed by Florida-based Spearmint Energy would be off of U.S. Highway 65 south of Glenville on land adjacent to the ITC Midwest substation.

The storage system is designed to take energy off the grid that is coming from various sources, whether that be wind, solar, gas or other carbon-based resources. According to the project application to the state, the system would have the potential to store enough energy to provide electricity for approximately 100,000 households for up to four hours, based on an average household’s electricity consumption.

Third District Commissioner Lukas Severson said the board’s resolution was a tool for the commissioners to make a statement about the project and acknowledge the citizens who have voiced their concerns. He referenced over 100 letters.

The resolution states that based on the review of the information available regarding the project, the commissioners have identified concerns regarding potential adverse impacts on the local community, residents, wildlife and the environment adjacent to the proposed site. It also pointed to potential health and safety risks associated with the system’s technology.

“Based on available information, such events, if initiated at this location, could pose substantial risks and challenges for emergency response, potentially impacting human safety, wildlife, property and the environment adjacent to Glenville and the Shell Rock River,” it stated. 

The river is a DNR-designated state water trail and is enjoyed by kayakers, canoers and fishing enthusiasts, and the resolution states because of this, the project warrants careful consideration of potential impacts on water quality and recreational use. 

It also referenced noise emissions from the proposed project and concerns about the effects on residences and natural areas, as well as concerns about fire, explosions and hazardous material runoff in the event of inclement weather. 

The resolution states the project as currently proposed and reviewed, is “inconsistent with the county’s goals and responsibilities regarding the public health, safety and welfare and the promotion of responsible and compatible land use in this specific area.” 

Second District Commissioner Dawn Kaasa said there were vast areas the project could be built on and questioned why the company could not research and choose another location.

She said she took offense to comments made by former 3rd District Commissioner John Forman, who compared the resolution to the story of Chicken Little, who stated that the sky was falling, as a means to sway the rest of the county against the project and green energy.

Forman, the father of Mariah Lynne, owner of Good Steward Consulting, who has represented Spearmint Energy, said the board’s resolution would be seen as negative by other green energy companies and other businesses looking to relocate to the county.

Regarding speculation that the project was being kept secret until more recently, Forman talked about a meeting he had been asked to attend with former Administrator Ryan Rasmusson and Trevor Bordelon with Environmental Services with the county. At the time, Forman served on the Planning Commission and a few other boards dealing with similar topics and it made sense for him to attend.

During the public forum, a handful of employees of Good Steward Consulting spoke in favor of the project as individuals.

Emma Thompson said battery energy storage projects help stabilize the grid and said the system would have 24/7 monitoring and internal sensors.

She said thermal events are rare and compared the opposition to the project to banning cars or bridges because of the possibility they could fail.

Tiffany Paino described the amount of misinformation that has been out there about the project and said it was imperative to depend on reputable sources rather than fear-mongering.

Holly Rahn said she has lived in Albert Lea her whole life and said she believed the board’s vote was premature.

She said by investing in solar, wind and battery storage projects, it can position the county as a forward-thinking leader.

Theresa Nicholson, who spoke on behalf of the company, said Good Steward has worked on 100 energy projects in over 20 states, and Minnesota has the most stringent permitting process. She pointed to the myriad of studies required and the transparency and public participation that the Public Utilities Commission has undertaken.

Cole Pestorious read a letter on behalf of Lynne, who was in Seattle, which also referenced a rigorous permitting process and review by numerous agencies.

Greg Olson, who lives on South Shore Drive, said he had some concerns about what was being proposed and was concerned about the effect it could have on wildlife.

He said the Shell Rock River should be treated with the same respect as the lakes in Albert Lea, noting a system like this would never be built that close to Fountain or Albert Lea lakes.

Tim Kaasa of rural Glenville, said the Shell Rock Township also recently passed a resolution against the system being at that location and said there were multiple other locations near substations that could be considered.

Jeff Jackson, a representative with Spearmint Energy, asked the board to reconsider their vote and also referred to the comprehensive evaluation that is conducted on the state level that details environmental and human impacts.

He said the Public Utilities Commission is undergoing an environmental assessment of the project.

The PUC oversees the review and approval of all battery energy storage systems in the state. The environmental assessment evaluates potential impacts of the project and incorporates public comments and concerns.

The Public Utilities Commission is currently seeking public input on issues that should be reviewed in the assessment, and that scoping period will close April 21. After that, the PUC will prepare an assessment that will then be shared with the public, and at that time, there will be additional opportunities for public comment.

After the meeting, Spearmint Energy released the following statement about the project:

“Spearmint Energy designs all of our projects to comply with all applicable regulations and requirements — including Minnesota’s rigorous standards for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) — while ensuring the health and safety of the communities we serve are a top priority. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is in the process of conducting its detailed Environmental Assessment (EA) of our Midwater BESS, including public comments, and Spearmint continues to engage with numerous stakeholders, including County staff, Shell Rock River Watershed, local first responders and ALEDA. We remain committed to ensuring we address the community’s feedback as we bring this project to fruition.”