STATE OF MINNESOTAMINNESOTA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY BOARDIn the Matter of the ProposedAdoption of Amendments toEnvironmental Review RulesFor Large Energy Facilities COMMENTS OFand High Voltage Transmission Lines, SIERRA CLUBRepeal of Existing Rules, andTechnical Amendments toPower Plant Siting RulesMinnesota Rules chapter 4410Minnesota Rules chapter 4400________________________________________________________________________I. BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTIONThe Sierra Club is a national environmental organization with over 700,000members and approximately 19,000 members who reside in Minnesota. Since June 2000,the Sierra Club has coordinated an Air Toxics Campaign in Minnesota to reduce airpollutants that affect human health and the natural environment, including emissionsfrom fossil fuel power plants. The Sierra Club participated in recent EnvironmentalQuality Board (EQB) rulemaking processes pertaining to siting and routing of powerplants and power lines, in certificate of need hearings pertaining to Xcel Energy’s effortsto site high voltage transmission lines in Southwestern Minnesota and in legislativeadvocacy pertaining to energy issues. The Sierra Club previously submitted commentsregarding these Rules on December 6, 2002.The Sierra Club appreciates the EQB’s efforts to clarify the nature ofenvironmental review in the certificate of need process and to provide a moreindependent review of environmental issues at the critical decision point where ...