ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved site permits and transmission routes for the Big Bend Wind and Red Rock Solar projects in Watonwan and Cottonwood counties Aug. 18.

The state’s largest hybrid renewable energy project is planned to be located just north of Butterfield and Mountain Lake, would include up to 300 megawatts of wind and up to 60 MW of solar generation.

Contested by a number of groups for its proximity to the Jeffers Petroglyphs, the PUC held public meetings and heard significant public concerns, according to a PUC news release.

Tribal nations and other groups, including the Minnesota Historical Society, raised concerns regarding the visual impact of wind turbines to the sacred, historical Jeffers Petroglyphs site west of Comfrey.

Last year, PUC Commissioner Joseph Sullivan asked for more engagement.

“This project is not on a good path,” he said. “I would not be able to support it if the turbines were so close to the petroglyphs. I was blunt about my concerns and told the applicants more work was needed to be done.”

As the project moved through the permitting process, project applicants, the Lower and Upper Sioux Indian communities and MHS reached a settlement agreement that addressed concerns about the visual impacts to the Jeffers Petroglyphs.

Besides the power generating facilities, the PUC approved the permit for an 18-mile transmission line to deliver power to the energy grid. Projects will be built in Watonwan, Cottonwood and Martin counties.

The Big Bend Wind project will create jobs and millions of dollars of long-term revenue for Cottonwood County, local government services, and property owners plus additional, indirect economic benefits to the local economy, according to Big Bend Wind.com.

Apex Clean Energy based in Charlottesville, Virgina, will develop, construct, own and operate the energy facilities.

The project representing more than $450 million in private investments, will be located on about 15,000 acres of farmland in rural Cottonwood County. About 70 to 90 wind turbines, spaced about 1/4 to 1/2 mile apart on active farmland will include access roads.

Up to 400-full-time equivalent jobs during construction and up to 20 permanent jobs are said to be part the project.

Farmers and other participating landowners hosting turbines will receive annual lease payments projected to continue for 30 years.

For more information, visit https://www.bigbendwind.com/

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.)