Barr prepared the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Minnesota Energy Connection Project, a proposed 170-mile, 345 kV transmission line project. Barr’s work supporting the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Energy Environmental Review and Analysis (EERA) unit started with participation in seven public scoping meetings. We helped our client answer questions, explain the regulatory process, and facilitate public input on potential alternatives and impacts during preparation of the EIS.
During the scoping comment period, Barr catalogued over 400 comments and more than 60 route alternatives. Barr reviewed these alternatives and assisted EERA in determining which alternatives should be recommended for analysis in the EIS based on Minnesota Rule 7850.2500. Barr assisted EERA in drafting the final scoping decision.
Scoping resulted in more than 10 potential connection points between a western and eastern routing option that were miles apart. To help interested parties assess the viability of these options and their potential combinations, Barr’s GIS and environmental team designed the EIS to study multiple route options within seven regions. To accommodate the remaining alternatives, Barr also completed equivalent comparisons for shorter route refinements. The EIS examined a range of human and environmental impacts, including aesthetics, greenhouse gas emissions, biological resources, human health and safety, and land-based economies.
The Draft EIS was published in October 2024. Barr supported the public hearings with visuals and meeting attendance in November 2024. The Final EIS was published in January 2025. As part of the Final EIS, Barr catalogued over 1,400 unique public comments and prepared draft responses to each. These responses were finalized with EERA staff.
In February 2025, the Administrative Law Judge indicated that the EIS satisfied the requirements set forth in Minnesota Rule and determined it to be adequate under Minnesota law. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) issued the Route Permit and Certificate of Need in June 2025.
