March 4, 2024



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*Minnesota DNR News
*




*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*

March 4, 2024




*For more information:
*Contact the DNR Information Center
by?email? <[email protected]>or call 888-646-6367*.*





In This Issue

* DNR issues Record of Decision for Mile Post 7 West Ridge railroad relocation, dam extension and stream mitigation project [ #link_1491411977526 ]
* DNR Fish and Wildlife Almanac [ #link_1491411839600 ]
* Landowner enrollment begins for Walk-In Access program [ #link_1491412003165 ]
* Longtime Alexandria-area conservation officer named CO of the Year [ #link_1491412051810 ]

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DNR issues Record of Decision for Mile Post 7 West Ridge railroad relocation, dam extension and stream mitigation project

Following extensive analysis, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has issued a Record of Decision determining that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not needed for Northshore Mining Company?s proposed Mile Post 7 West Ridge railroad relocation, dam extension and trout stream mitigation project. Northshore Mining Company is a subsidiary of Cleveland Cliffs, Inc.

Mile Post 7 is a tailings disposal facility that serves the Northshore Mine and has been in operation since the late 1970s in Lake County, Minnesota. The proposed project would include extending two of the dams for the tailings basin and relocating a material supply railroad at the tailings basin. The project would also include several trout stream restoration actions.

The DNR considers multiple criteria when determining if an EIS is needed and public comments relevant to those criteria. Among the criteria are the availability of information to evaluate impacts and whether the potential impacts can be controlled or mitigated by required permits and approvals.

More than 1,300 individuals provided comments on the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for DNR consideration. Comments were submitted on many aspects of the project, including whether the project would be an expansion of the Mile Post 7 tailings basin and the safety of the tailings basin dams.

Because the project proposes to use the remaining capacity of the tailings basin studied in the original EIS for the facility, and subsequently authorized by applicable permits, the DNR does not consider the project to be an expansion of the Mile Post 7 tailings basin. The tailings basin dams are subject to extensive regulatory oversight pursuant to the DNR?s Master Permit, issued by the agency pursuant to a decision by the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1977.

?We appreciate the public?s comments on the proposed project and their perspectives on the history and regulation of the Mile Post 7 tailings basin,? DNR Assistant Commissioner Jess Richards said. ?Our review confirms that potential environmental impacts from the proposed project match those studied in prior environmental review and/or are subject to robust ongoing regulatory oversight. Importantly, the Mile Post 7 tailings dams are some of the most closely regulated dams in the state, meeting all applicable factors of safety and state dam safety laws.?

This Record of Decision documents that the DNR has robust information available on all potential impacts from the proposed project, as well as the extensive ongoing governmental regulatory authority over the facility. This includes substantial information on dam safety monitoring, inspection, and reporting requirements. The record shows the facility has been regulated with the most up-to-date dam safety considerations.

The completion of environmental review means that state and local authorities can now make final permitting decisions regarding the proposed project. The EAW and Record of Decision document the numerous permits that would be required prior to any construction, or are already in place, that regulate the facility and ensure environmental protection and public safety going forward.

The DNR released the EAW on the proposed project in April 2023. The Record of Decision documents the DNR?s thorough consideration of all information generated through the EAW process and includes responses to the comments from the public.

The EAW and Record of Decision are available on the project page on the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/input/environmentalreview/mile-post-7-tailings-basin-project.html).

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DNR Fish and Wildlife Almanac

"A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife, and habitat management."

Minnesota?s moose population remains relatively stable
An aerial photo of a moose in a snowy forest

Photo credit: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Minnesota?s moose population has remained relatively stable for nearly a decade. The most recent population estimate is approximately 3,470 animals, according to the results of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources? 2024 population survey.

Results continue to suggest that after a steep decline from a population estimate of approximately 8,000 in 2009, Minnesota?s moose population appears to have stabilized and has fluctuated around 3,700 animals in recent years.

While estimates suggest continued stability in the population and reproductive success, Minnesota DNR researchers point out that Minnesota moose remain at risk given the long-term trends. Presently, the long-term survey trends indicate the moose population has declined approximately 60% since the mid-2000s.?Climate change, parasites, and predator impacts on calf survival all play a part in the long-term survival of the moose population.

Both the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the 1854 Treaty Authority contributed funding and personnel for the 2024 annual survey. The survey is available on the Minnesota DNR?s?moose management webpage [ [link removed] ]?(mndnr.gov/moose).

Turkey hunting licenses are on sale

Turkey hunters can now buy their licenses for the spring 2024 season. Licenses may be purchased online [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/buyalicense), by telephone at 888-665-4236 or in person wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold. Hunters can hunt statewide and buy licenses for any time period (A-F) over the counter.

Hunters will be asked which permit area they plan to hunt, so hunters are advised to know that information when they buy their license. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will use this information for research purposes to help inform management of the state?s turkey population. Importantly, hunters who identify their permit area when purchasing their license will not be restricted to hunting in only that area.

Season dates and hunt rules can be found on the Minnesota DNR?s turkey hunting webpage [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/hunting/turkey). Permits for firearms hunters 18 and older to hunt the popular Carlos Avery and Mille Lacs wildlife management areas in the A-C time periods, and Whitewater WMA in the A-B time periods,?were distributed already by lottery. The lottery application deadline was Feb. 16 and results are available on the turkey hunting webpage of the DNR website.

Minnesota DNR webinars focus on turkey hunting with youth, preparing for wildfire season?

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites people interested in wildlife and outdoor skills to check out the spring program schedule for the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series.

In a webinar on Wednesday, March 6, Scott Mackenthun, a DNR fisheries supervisor and avid turkey hunter, will discuss turkey hunting with youth. Spring turkey season is a great way to introduce kids of all ages to hunting. Mackenthun will share tips on getting kids excited and prepared for a successful turkey hunt.

In a webinar on Wednesday, March 13, DNR staff will discuss how the DNR and partners plan for spring wildfire season, and how Minnesotans can plan and prepare at home and in their communities.

The Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series webinars are free and offered year-round, though registration is required. Visit the Outdoor Skills and Stewardship webpage of the Minnesota DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/discover) for the registration portal, more information about upcoming webinars and recordings of past webinars.

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Landowner enrollment begins for Walk-In Access program

Enrollment is open for Minnesota?s 2024 Walk-In Access program, which pays landowners to allow public hunting on private lands.

Since 2011, the Walk-In Access program has enrolled parcels of 40 acres or larger with high-quality natural cover. Land enrolled in conservation programs like the Conservation Reserve Program or Reinvest in Minnesota is preferred, but is not a requirement. The program is currently ten thousand acres under its cap, so there is room to grow within counties that are eligible.? Contact your local soil and water conservation district office to see if your county is in the program or could be added.? This year, landowners can receive $18 per acre enrolled. For more information about what land is eligible for this program, visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/walkin/enroll.html).

A $3 validation fee paid when purchasing a hunting license allows a hunter to access enrolled parcels, which are marked with highly visible signs posted by Minnesota DNR staff. Walk-In Access is often seen as a win-win for hunters and landowners, said Amber Knutson, Walk-In Access program coordinator.

?Hunters have 29,000 acres of privately-owned Walk-In Access land available to them,? Knutson said. ?Hunters can have confidence that they?re welcome on these parcels.?

Participating hunters can access Walk-In Access parcels Sept. 1 through May 31. Hunting laws are enforced by Minnesota DNR conservation officers. Landowners aren?t required to purchase additional liability insurance since enrolled lands are covered by recreational use laws under Minnesota state statute.

This program is primarily funded through a Voluntary Public Access grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Additional funding sources come through a $5 surcharge on all nonresident hunting licenses, Walk-In Access validations, and donations made by hunters purchasing deer and small game licenses.

Landowners can sign up for the program at their local soil and water conservation district office or by contacting Amber Knutson at 507-706-6172. More information is available at the Minnesota DNR?s Walk-In Access webpage [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/walkin).

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Longtime Alexandria-area conservation officer named CO of the Year
A man in a conservation officer uniform holding an award plaque

Minnesota DNR Conservation Officer Mitch Lawler. Photo credit: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Mitch Lawler has been named the 2023 DNR Conservation Officer of the Year, an annual award presented to an officer for outstanding overall career performance. Col. Rodmen Smith, director of the DNR Enforcement Division, presented awards to Lawler and four other officers last month at Camp Ripley.

Lawler works the Alexandria station, where he?s been since joining the DNR in 2012. Before that, he was a sheriff?s deputy in Mille Lacs County. The Alexandria station includes an abundance of water bodies and public lands, which means people are out recreating year-round. Lawler also speaks frequently with community groups, school classes and students taking part in all-terrain vehicle, firearms and snowmobile safety training classes. In addition to his regular duty as a conservation officer to protect Minnesota?s people and natural resources, Lawler spends time every year training the state?s newest conservation officers and is active on the Enforcement Division?s team that works to recruit new conservation officers.

?Mitch is the epitome of what we look for in a conservation officer and is extremely deserving of this recognition,? Smith said. ?He understands the unique position conservation officers hold in their communities and is a positive reflection not just of the Enforcement Division, but the department as a whole.?

Lawler also was named the 2023 Minnesota Wildlife Officer of the Year by the Shikar Safari Club International and received the 2023 Law Enforcement Award from the Minnesota Chapter of The Wildlife Society.

Other Enforcement Division honorees include:

*Boat and Water Safety Achievement Award ? CO James Fogarty*

CO James Fogarty, who is stationed in Prior Lake, is a leader in the Enforcement Division when it comes to keeping people safe on the water. He?s been a CO since 2016 and is a consistent presence on waters in his area as well as on the busiest lakes and rivers throughout the state.

?James is a solid all-around conservation officer, but he really shines when it comes to educating people about staying safe on the water and removing people who operate watercrafts while under the influence,? Smith said. ?He does an excellent job on his busy station waters, including Prior Lake, but also routinely works some of the state?s busiest lakes and rivers.?

*Waterfowl Enforcement Achievement Award ? CO Mike Fairbanks*

CO Mike Fairbanks, who is stationed in Deer River, has been a CO since 2005 and works with his K9 partner Fennec. It?s common for hunters to see the two of them early and late in the day, and in the hard-to-reach areas that waterfowl hunters often target.

?Mike is well-known to the waterfowl hunters in the area he patrols ? whether because he?s checked them in previous seasons, provided them tips for having a successful hunt, or coached or mentored them in the past,? Smith said. ?It takes dedication to be a good waterfowl enforcement officer, and Mike is among the best of the best.?

*Willard Munger Wetlands Achievement Award ? CO Andrew Goodman*

CO Andrew Goodman, who is stationed in Perham and has been a CO since 2018, places a high priority on investigating and resolving complaints and violations related to the wetlands and water resources in his area.

?Regulations surrounding wetlands and waters tend to be complex and include a number of agencies,? Smith said. ?However, protecting these precious resources is important to the people of Minnesota and, as such, is an extremely important part of conservation officers? work. Andrew is dedicated to that work and is very deserving of this award.?

*Enforcement Education Achievement Award ? CO Marc Johnson*

CO Marc Johnson, who is stationed in Hibbing and has been a conservation officer since 2019, is active not only in speaking at safety training classes, but also in ensuring the volunteers who deliver the safety training program have everything they need. He works tirelessly to provide outdoor safety education to youth and adults. He?s also active in training his law enforcement peers to ensure they have the knowledge they need to stay safe while doing their jobs.

?Marc has always prioritized the safety aspect of his job as a conservation officer,? Smith said. ?There?s no doubt the people who recreate outdoors and the law enforcement personnel who protect public safety in Minnesota are safer because of his efforts.?

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