Title
Humboldt Wind LLC, Conditional Use Permit and Special Permit.
Case Number: PLN-13999-CUP
Application Number 13999
Assessor Parcel Numbers (APNs): 102-132-004-000; 207-124-005-000; 207-126-004-000; 205-021-005-000; 205-021-006-000; 205-021-014-000; 205-021-015-000; 205-021-017-000; 205-021-019-000; 205-021-021-000; 205-021-022-000; 205-021-023-000; 207-311-002-000; 209-191-001-000; 209-191-002-000; 209-191-003-000; 209-191-012-000; 209-191-013-000; 209-201-002-000; 209-201-003-000; 209-201-007-000; 209-201-008-000; 209-201-010-000; 211-453-002-000; 211-453-003-000; 211-461-001-000; 211-462-004-000; 211-471-001-000; 211-472-001-000; 207-341-001-000; 207-181-005-000; 207-181-016-000; 207-181-019-000; 207-182-009-000; 207-182-011-000; 207-183-003-000; 103-012-004-000; 205-051-001-000; 205-051-008-000; 205-051-009-000; 205-051-010-000; 205-051-011-000; 205-051-012-000; 205-061-002-000; 205-061-007-000; 205-061-011-000; 208-114-002-000; 208-121-001-000; 208-121-007-000; 208-121-010-000; 208-131-006-000; 208-135-001-000; 208-135-003-000; 208-135-004-000; 208-135-005-000; 208-141-001-000; 208-141-011-000; 209-401-001-000; 209-401-002-000; 209-401-010-000; 209-401-015-000; 209-401-016-000; 205-311-002-000; 205-311-004-000; 205-321-032-000; 205-321-033-000; 205-321-034-000; 205-331-003-000; 205-331-006-000; 205-331-007-000; 205-341-006-000; 205-341-008-000; 205-341-011-000; 205-341-013-000; 205-341-018-000; 205-341-019-000; 205-351-012-000; 209-401-023-000; 207-226-001-000; 207-231-003-000; 207-231-007-000; 207-232-001-000; 207-232-002-000; 208-111-009-000; 208-111-014-000; 209-281-004-000; 211-011-004-000; 211-012-002-000; 211-013-001-000; 211-023-002-000; 207-183-004-000; 207-184-004-000; 207-184-006-000; 207-185-002-000; 207-185-003-000; 207-186-005-000; 207-186-007-000; 207-186-009-000; 207-186-013-000; 207-211-001-000; 207-211-002-000; 207-212-002-000; 207-213-001-000; 207-213-002-000; 207-213-003-000; 207-221-001-000; 207-221-003-000; 209-081-022-000; 207-074-027-000; 106-191-010-000; 106-191-011-000; 106-191-012-000; 206-262-007-000; 209-211-008-000; 209-211-009-000; 209-211-010-000; 209-211-011-000; 209-251-002-000; 209-261-002-000; 209-261-003-000; 205-221-001-000; 205-351-026-000; 205-351-030-000; 205-311-001, 205-321-006, 205-051-003, 205-061-004, and 205-341-019.
Project Description: A conditional use permit to allow electrical transmission lines and electrical power generation in the Agricultural Exclusive and Timber Production Zone and a Special Permit to allow work within a streamside management area (stream crossings) and work within other wet areas for a project consisting of the following:
Up to 60 wind turbine generators (WTGs) and associated infrastructure with a nameplate generating capacity (theoretical maximum energy generation) of up to 155 MW. The exact footprint of individual WTGs within the project site would be determined during final engineering design but would generally be placed along Monument and Bear River ridges. Turbine heights could reach up to 600 feet tall, with a rotor diameter of 492 feet.
In addition to the wind turbines and transformers, the project includes ancillary facilities such as temporary staging areas, access roads, 34.5-kilovolt (kV) collection lines (referred to in this EIR as the "collection system"), operations and maintenance (O&M) facility, a substation, a modified utility switchyard, and an approximately 25 mile long 115 kV gen-tie along Shively Ridge.
The project's point of interconnection with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) transmission grid would be PG&E's Bridgeville Substation.
The project would include the following components:
► Up to 60 turbines (capable of generating 2-5 MW of electricity each) erected on tubular steel towers set on concrete foundations, as well as the associated turbine pads, temporary staging areas, and transformers;
► construction of access roads;
► an approximately 25-mile, 115 kV gen-tie, including crossing of the Eel River, following Shively Ridge and ultimately connecting to the existing PG&E transmission system;
► a project substation located on-site;
► an underground electrical collection system linking turbines to each other and to the project substation;
► an underground communication system (fiber optic cable) adjacent to the collection system;
► a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system between each turbine and the substation and between the project substation and the Bridgeville Substation to monitor and control project output and the transmission of energy into the system;
► an up to 5-acre O&M facility, including an operations building, a parking area, and an outdoor storage area with perimeter fencing;
► a 10-acre temporary staging area and a construction trailer and parking area located within the O&M facility;
► a component offloading location at Fields Landing;
► two temporary bypasses off U.S. 101 (Hookton Overpass and 12th Street Bypass) for transporting oversize loads;
► up to six permanent meteorological towers;
► three 5-acre, temporary staging areas distributed throughout the project site, one of which would include one temporary cement batch plant on Monument Ridge; and
► up to 17 miles of new 24-foot access roads.
Recommendation
That the Planning Commission open the public hearing and receive the staff report, and testimony from the applicant and the public, and continue the item to the November 14, 2019 meeting of the Planning Commission with start time of 4:00 p.m.