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EQB Monitor




Weekly announcements and environmental review notices





Volume 48, Number 5                                                                                          January 30, 2024






Announcements

*Environmental* *review survey launches - provide your feedback on mandatory categories*

The Environmental Quality Board (EQB) publishes a Mandatory Category Report every three years. Mandatory categories specify when projects go through environmental review. This report will summarize the categories and share recommendations for whether any categories should be added, deleted, or changed. Here are two ways you can share your ideas: 1) Join the conversation on our online engagement platform [ [link removed] ];
2) Give more specific feedback, by taking this survey [ [link removed] ] regarding both the mandatory categories and the decision criteria. Feedback will be anonymously compiled and used to help EQB shape our recommendations in the draft report.  The deadline for input is February 28.

 






American Robin in crabapple tree in winter taken in southern MN




Environmental review project notices

EQB publishes environmental review notices provided by responsible governmental units. For more information on a project undergoing environmental review, click on the individual project links below. You can also find information about active projects in your community on the Environmental Review Projects Interactive Map [ [link removed] ].

 

Maple Creek Habitat Enhancement Project [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Preble Township; Fillmore
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EAW available
*End of comment period: *February 29, 2024

*Project description: *Minnesota Trout Unlimited (MNTU) proposes to conduct a stream habitat enhancement project at Maple Creek located approximately 0.75 miles north of Choice, Fillmore County, Minnesota to address floodplain abandonment, accelerated bank erosion, and degraded instream habitat to restore the ecological and hydrologic functions of the creek and adjacent floodplain. The project will include reconnecting the creek with the floodplain, installing grade control riffles to limit channel incision, installing woody material and boulders for instream habitat, and restoring native riparian vegetation. The project area occurs within the Choice Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and the Choice Aquatic Management Area (AMA). The project will be entirely funded by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Fund (OHF) program that was secured by MNTU.

*Link to public documents: *Maple Creek Habitat Enhancement Project EAW [ [link removed] ]
*Location of public documents:* Spring Grove Public Library, 172 West Main Street, 
Spring Grove, MN 55974

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Becky Horton <[email protected]>, 651-259-5122

 

MCES 7031-9003 Siphon Outlet Improvements Project [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Eagan; Dakota
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EAW available
*End of comment period: *February 29, 2024

*Project description: *Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) proposes to conduct inspection, maintenance, and replacement activities to critical sanitary sewer infrastructure along approximately 800 feet of Nicols Road and adjacent areas in the City of Eagan, Dakota County, Minnesota.

*Link to public documents: *MCES 7031-9003 Siphon Outlet Improvements Project EAW [ [link removed] ]
*Location of public documents:* Dakota County Wescott Library, 1340 Wescott Road, Eagan, MN 55123

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Metropolitan Council Environmental Services, Leisa Thompson <[email protected]>, 651-602-8101

 

Blue Earth County Public Works Facility [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Mankato; Blue Earth
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EIS need decision

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *Negative (EIS not ordered)
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *January 23, 2024

*Project description: *Blue Earth County Public Works is proposing to build a new 90,780 square foot facility with a planned 6,100 square foot mezzanine and 43,340 square feet of ancillary buildings in Mankato Township, Blue Earth County. The new facility would replace the current deteriorated and undersized facility which is used for highway engineering and maintenance administration, operations, and storage of maintenance equipment.

*Link to public documents: *Blue Earth County Public Works Facility EIS need decision [ [link removed] ]
*Location of public documents:* Blue Earth County Public Library, 100 E. Main St., Mankato, MN 56001

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Mankato Township, Dan Fogal <[email protected]>,
507-317-4955

 

CertainTeed Roofing Shakopee Expansion [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Shakopee; Scott
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EIS need decision

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *Negative (EIS not ordered)
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *January 22, 2024

*Project description: *CertainTeed's Shakopee facility is proposing to install an asphalt blowing operation. This includes installation of several new lube oil storage tanks, as well as storage tanks used for the mixing and pre-heating of asphalt, including two new 1,000,000 gallon asphalt flux storage tanks with emissions controlled by a new regenerative thermal oxidizer or install new dust collection bags with Filler Silos. The project includes four rail sidetracks for unloading up to seven railcars of asphalt flux on each sidetrack. The permitted operational throughput would remain the same at 200,000 tons per year of asphalt.

*Link to public documents: *CertainTeed Roofing Shakopee Expansion EIS need decision [ [link removed] ]
*Location of public documents:* Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 520 Lafayette Road North, Saint Paul, MN 55155

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Charles Peterson <[email protected]>, 651-757-2856

 

Dayton Mixed Use Development [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Dayton; Hennepin
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EIS need decision

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *Negative (EIS not ordered)
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *January 23, 2024

*Project description: *DDL Holdings, LLC is proposing to construct the proposed Dayton Mixed Use Development Project which includes the development of approximately 28.81 acres within the City of Dayton, MN. The Project proposes construction of five commercial buildings comprising a total of 130,000 square feet and one 200,000 square foot industrial building on three vacant lots. The Project would include access road improvements, parking areas, and stormwater improvements.

*Link to public documents: *Dayton Mixed Use Development EIS need decision [ [link removed] ]
*Location of public documents:* Dayton City Hall, 11260 South Diamond Lake Road, Dayton, MN 55327

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *City of Dayton, Zach Doud <[email protected]%3E>, 763-323-4010

 

Fern-Roth 40 -megawatt Solar Farm [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Alexandria; Douglas
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EIS need decision

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *Negative (EIS not ordered)
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *January 19, 2024

*Project description: *SolarGen of Minnesota, LLC and Allied Solar, LLC, are proposing a 40-megawatt solar electrical generation facility on 241 acres in Lake Mary Township, Douglas County. Facility construction includes site grading; installation of racking, panels, equipment and fencing; and final landscaping. Estimated facility lifespan is 25-years, after which all equipment and appurtenances will be removed and the land restored.

*Link to public documents: *Fern-Roth 40 -megawatt Solar Farm EIS need decision [ [link removed] ]
*Location of public documents:* Land & Resource Management Department,
305 8th Ave W, Alexandria, MN 56308

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Douglas County Land & Resource Management, David Rush <[email protected]>, 320-762-3863

 

Elk Creek Solar Project [ [link removed] ]

*Location: *Magnolia Township, Rock
*Process: *Alternative review
*End of comment period: *February 26, 2024

*Notice title: *Notice of Public Hearings, Availability of Environmental Assessment, and Comment Period
*Notice description: *Please take notice that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission) will hold public hearings on the application of Elk Creek Solar, LLC (Elk Creek) for a site permit amendment for an up to 160 megawatt (MW) solar energy generating system (project). The hearing is an opportunity to provide comments on the draft amended site permit, and to comment on the supplemental environmental assessment developed as a requirement of the permit amendment request. These documents are available on the Commission eDockets website for public review, which can be found at [link removed].
*Project description: *On December 31, 2020, the Commission granted a certificate of need and issued a site permit to Elk Creek Solar, LLC (Elk Creek) for an 80 MW solar energy generating system in Rock County (project). According to Elk Creek, repeated delays in its interconnection request with the Midcontinent Independent System Operator delayed the project's commercial operation and required Elk Creek to substitute other projects for the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) they had initially secured. Elk Creek is currently looking to secure a new PPA for this project. On June 1, 2023, Elk Creek requested an amendment to its site permit to: (1) increase the project area from 976 acres to 1,522 acres; (2) increase the nameplate capacity from 80 MW to 160 MW; (3) extend the expiration date of the site permit to 30 years from the date of the amended permit issuance; (4) add 546 acres of land in Vienna and Magnolia Townships to the project area; and (5) modify the permitted associated facilities.

*Location of public documents:* Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, 121 7th Place East St. Paul, MN 55101

*Public meeting date, time, location: *February 12, 2024, 1:00 p.m., Grand Prairie Event Center, 205 South Estey Street, Luverne, MN 56156
*Public meeting virtual link: *Join online meeting [ [link removed] ]
*Public meeting additional details:* See published notice for explicit instructions regarding in-person hearing location, virtual hearing instructions, and instructions for submitting comments. The in-person meeting will be held on February 12th, 2024 at 1:00 PM and the virtual hearing will take place on February 13th at 6:00PM.

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, 
Sam Lobby <[email protected]>, 651-201-2205

 

Fish kill reports

Minnesota Duty Officer reports pertaining to fish kills are summarized in the following table, in accordance with 103G.216, REPORTING FISH KILLS IN PUBLIC WATERS, Subd. 2 Reporting Requirement. These reports were received via the Minnesota Duty Officer prior to the submission deadline for this edition of the EQB Monitor. They represent the raw data/information provided by callers. For more information regarding fish kills in Minnesota see the Department of Natural Resources [ [link removed] ]. Call the Minnesota Duty Officer at 651‐649‐5451 or 800‐422‐0798 to report fish kills.

*Date*



*Location*



*County*



*Waterbody*



*Species*



*Count*



1/22/2024



Bayport



Washington



St. Croix River



Gizzard Shad



100+



 

Submit a notice to the "EQB" "Monitor"

The "EQB Monitor" is a weekly publication announcing environmental review documents, public comment periods and other actions of the Environmental Quality Board. The "EQB Monitor" is published every Tuesday at noon. Submissions to the "EQB Monitor [ [link removed] ]" are due by 4:00 p.m. on the Tuesday one week prior to the intended publication date. Please see the EQB Monitor schedule [ [link removed] ] for more details.

 

To submit a notice for publication:

Access the EQB monitor submission service [ [link removed] ]

 

Questions? Contact EQB by phone at 651-757-2873 or email us at [email protected]. 

For more information on environmental review, please visit the EQB website or contact us at [email protected].


















Minnesota Environmental Quality Board

*Environmental Quality Board | eqb.state.mn.us [ [link removed] ] *

Email: [email protected] | Phone: 651-757-2873

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