Does inductive back-EMF create significant radiated emissions on long load wires?
I'm going to answer this here, even though I've got you covered in the comments. The snubbing circuit should go at the load.

A great way of thinking about WHY, is that the source of the back EMF is the inductor on the fan. The farther away the snubber is from the source, the more wire there is to act like an antenna to radiate the back EMF as EMI.