MORGAN - Dozens of Brown and Redwood County residents packed an AgQuest meeting room Tuesday to learn about Morgan Wind Acquisition Group, LLC and air concerns about a large Wind Energy Conversion System (LWECS) project.

Scott Phillips, who recently built a house near Highway 68 between Morgan and Evan, said he moved to the area from Sioux Falls, S.D. in order to enjoy some open space.

His attitude changed when he learned the wind project plans to build an electrical substation he said could be seen and heard while looking out his front window.

"There's nothing much out there now but a substation that will put out a steady hum would be located in my front window view," said Phillips. "I wish they'd move it out of sight and sound. There's plenty of other places nearby it could go."

Mason Severson of Minneapolis-based Midwest Wind Finance said his firm would meet with Phillips to discuss his concerns.

Phillips said he's commented to project officials so often about the subject, he's on a first-name basis with them.

"I must give them credit, they called me today to make sure I was aware of the meeting," Phillips added.

Other residents were concerned about electro-magnetic fields, underground power lines and how deep they would be built around up to 21 262-feet tall turbines.

Suzanne Lamb Steinhauer, an Energy Facility Permitting specialist with the Minnesota Department of Commerce said large wind project turbines must be set back at least 500 feet from residences and 250 feet from roads, according to state standards.

She added that counties could increase setbacks, but that few have exceeded state standards.

Steinhauer said private wind developers do not have eminent domain rights.

Severson said the underground power line depth depends on soil type, which he added is still being studied by environmentalists for the Morgan Wind project.

She added that no test results are conclusive about the effects of electro-magnetic fields on human health; however, she added that some studies indicate a correlation between adverse effects on health and electro-magnetic fields

Severson said federal tax credits make the projects more favorable to build.

A resident added that one Southwestern Minnesota county implemented a wind power production tax on wind turbine owners.

Another resident asked about public investment in the wind turbines.

"Talk to us later about that," Severson said. "The lawyer in me tells me I can't talk about securities at a public forum."

"We've studied wind potential here with two anomemeters. You've got a lot of wind around here and plenty of power line capacity," added Severson. "Those two things drive projects like this."

He said Morgan Wind hopes to start building the project sometime next year and become operational sometime in late 2010.

Public comments on the project will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2009.

For more information including placing your name on the Project mailing list, call 1-800-627-3794.

The site permit application, draft site permit, and links to other guidance documents and agency rules guiding the review process are available on the PUC Energy Facilities Planning Project web site at:

energyfacilities.puc.state.mn.us/Docket.html?Id-20057 or on e-dockets by entering "09" and "360" at;

www.edockets.state.mn.us/EFilings/search.isp

(Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).