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EQB Monitor




Weekly announcements and environmental review notices





Volume 48, Number 11                                                                                          March 12, 2024






Announcements

*Environmental Review Implementation Subcommittee meeting*

*Wednesday, March 20, 1 – 4 p.m.* Join us in person or virtually for the March, 2024 Environmental Review Implementation Subcommittee (ERIS) meeting. At this meeting, the subcommittee will elect a Chair of ERIS, hear details on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s feedlots EAW form and the Environmental Review Performance Report for 2022-2023. The subcommittee will also hear updates on the GHG emission calculator and the Mandatory Category Report process.  More information about the meeting, including the meeting packet and virtual meeting information, can be found on the
ERIS meeting webpage [ [link removed] ].

We're hiring - Minnesota Environmental Quality Board
*Join our environmental review team!*

Apply now for the EQB Technical Assistance and Energy Transitions Office Support position. This position will be responsible for providing technical assistance to responsible governmental units in completing environmental review, and will also work closely with the Department of Employment and Economic Development to support Minnesota’s Energy Transition communities. Apply by March 25 at the State of Minnesota Careers website [ [link removed] ](Job ID 74540).



Environmental Review and Technical Services Master Contract RFP

The Department of Administration (Admin) has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to establish new master contracts for environmental review related services. You can find the solicitation “Event 2000015438” in the SWIFT Supplier Portal [ [link removed] ], and the event listing “Reference Number PT4348” on the Admin postings webpage [ [link removed] ]. This procurement will result in master contracts that will be available for use by all State Agency and local units of government registered as CPV Members. Responses must be uploaded into the SWIFT Supplier Portal no later than April 16 at 2:00pm. If you have trouble accessing the event or documents, please reach out to the Vendor Helpline at 651-201-8100, option 1,
option 1.

2024 Environment and Energy Report Card

The 2024 Environment and Energy Report Card [ [link removed] ] provides a snapshot of Minnesota’s environmental health and energy progress, including valuable information for the public and policymakers. From air quality to renewable energy initiatives, the report sheds light on the interagency work being done to protect our state’s natural resources and ongoing initiatives to improve our environmental quality. To find out more information or compare metrics from previous years, see the report card webpage [ [link removed] ].

 






Swan couple are swimming at icy lake in early spring of Minnesota




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] ].

 

City of Anoka Rum River Channel Restoration Project [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Anoka; Anoka
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EAW available
*End of comment period: *April 11, 2024

*Project description: *The Rum River Recreation Channel Restoration Projects include existing maintenance and new dredging operations for approximately 3,750 linear feet of the Rum River from the Anoka Rum River Dam (Anoka Dam) south to the confluence of the Mississippi River. The project will increase emergency response time and improve navigation for recreational boaters by restoring the water depth of the channel. The project location and aerial view are included on Figures 1-3. Sources of the sediment may exist all the way to Mille Lacs Lake depositing below the Anoka Rum River Dam in the City of Anoka.

*Location of public documents:* City of Anoka, 2015 First Avenue, Anoka, MN 55303

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *City of Anoka, Ben Nelson <[email protected]>, 763-576-2785

 

Blatnik Bridge Replacement Project [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Duluth; St. Louis
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EIS need decision
*Joint federal and state review: *Yes

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *Negative (EIS not ordered)
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *March 5, 2024

*Project description: *MnDOT, in cooperation with WisDOT, is proposing the replacement of the John A. Blatnik Bridge (Minnesota Bridge 9030, Wisconsin Bridge B-16-5) on Interstate 535 (I-535) connecting the two communities of Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin across the St. Louis Bay and the reconstruction of an interchange in Superior that routes I-535 directly to US 53 with local connections to Hammond Avenue and WIS 35.

*Link to public documents: *Blatnik Bridge Replacement Project EIS need decision [ [link removed] ]
*Location of public documents:* MnDOT District 1 Office, 1123 Mesaba Ave, Duluth,
MN 55811

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Minnesota Department of Transportation, John Krysiak <[email protected]>, 218-341-7595

 

Buckingham Creek and Buckingham Tributary 2 Channel and Floodplain Restoration Project [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Duluth; St. Louis
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EIS need decision
*Joint federal and state review: *Yes

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *Negative (EIS not ordered)
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *February 29, 2024

*Project description: *The South St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District and the City of Duluth propose to restore ecosystem function along 3,500 feet of Buckingham Creek and its tributary in Enger Park Golf Course in Duluth, MN. Natural stream and floodplain processes that maintain water quality, fish passage, and diverse habitat are largely absent from Buckingham Creek and Tributary 2 where they flow through the golf course. The goal of the proposed project is to maximize the ecosystem and recreational services that Buckingham Creek provides to the community by reducing stressors to the coldwater fish assemblage and improving the stream's climate change resilience. The proposed project will achieve this goal by restoring the dimension, pattern, and profile of the stream to a more natural state, improving stream flow, water temperatures, fish passage, and habitat. Construction will occur in the summer of 2024.

*Location of public documents:* South St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District, 4215 Enterprise Circle, Duluth, MN 55811

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *South St. Louis Soil and Water
Conservation District, Timothy Beaster <[email protected]>, 218-723-4867

 

Mile Post 7 West Ridge Railroad Relocation, Dam Extensions, and Stream Mitigation Project [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Beaver Bay Township; Lake
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EIS need decision

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *Negative (EIS not ordered)
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *March 1, 2024

*Project description: *Northshore Mining Company proposes to relocate the West Ridge Railroad, extend Dams 1 and 2, construct a Dam 1 rail switchback, and develop a clay borrow site at the Mile Post 7 tailings basin. The project also includes approximately 20,665 linear feet of stream mitigation across six sites. Tailings placement would continue to the final permitted dam elevation of 1,315 feet above mean sea level.

**Link to public documents: **Mile Post 7 EIS need decision [ [link removed] ]
*Location of public documents:* Silver Bay Public Library, 9 Davis Drive, Silver Bay,
MN 55614

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Bill Johnson <[email protected]>, 651-259-5126

 

Pine Bend Landfill Vertical Expansion [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Inver Grove Heights; Dakota
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EIS need decision

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *Negative (EIS not ordered)
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *March 4, 2024

*Project description: *BFI Waste Systems of North America, LLC. owns and operates the Pine Bend Landfill, a mixed municipal solid waste landfill in the City of Inver Grove Heights in Dakota County, Minnesota. BFI Waste Systems of North America, LLC. proposes to develop and permit an 85-foot vertical expansion over the existing Phase 5 and 6 areas of the landfill to increase the permitted design capacity by approximately 8,185,000 cubic yards.

*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, Megen Kabele <[email protected]>, 651-757-2044

 

Rogers Industrial Development [ [link removed] ]

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

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *Negative (EIS not ordered)
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *February 29, 2024

*Project description: *The Rogers Industrial Development is the proposed construction of a three-building, 557,000 square foot office/industrial development at the north end of Northdale Boulevard in Rogers. The three buildings vary in size, with Buildings A and C being 260' deep, and 900' and 800' long, respectively. Building B will be 230' deep x 500' long. Each buildings' square footage is as follows: Building A = 234,000 S.F., Building B = 115,000 S.F, Building C = 208,000 S.F. It is likely that the buildings will be constructed in phases and have the flexibility to accommodate multiple tenants or possibly a single build-to-suit tenant. The varying building sizes and depths allows for a variety of tenant uses, targeting around 10-15% office space.

*Link to public documents: *Rogers Industrial Development EIS need decision [ [link removed] ]*
**Location of public documents:* Rogers City Hall, 22350 S Diamond Lake Rd, Rogers,
MN 55374

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *City of Rogers, Brett Angell <[email protected]>, 763-428-2253

 

General notices

Notices published in this section may be required under Minnesota Statute or Rule.

 

Wright & Sherburne Counties Highway 25 Area PEL Study Purpose & Need Comment Opportunity

*Notice description: *Wright and Sherburne Counties initiated a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study for the Highway 25 area from Interstate 94 to US Highway 10 and from Becker to County Road 43. In accordance with Title 23 U.S. Code (USC) Sec. 168, the counties and FHWA are planning to adopt the PEL Study results into any future National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes undertaken for this study area, therefore the agencies are adhering to the legal requirements of transportation planning required by Title 23 USC Sec. 134-135, 23 USC 168, and title 49 USC Sec. 5303-5306 and Title 42 USC Sec. 4332, Title 40 CFR Part 1500-1508, and Title 23 CFR Part 771. The Purpose and Need will guide the development of concept alternatives and is available for comment until April 12, 2024: [link removed]. Copies are available at Sherburne and Wright County Government Centers and Becker, Big Lake, and Monticello City Halls.

*Link to additional information: *Highway 25 Area PEL Study additional information [ [link removed] ]

*Contact: *Wright County, Chad Hausmann <[email protected]>, 763-682-7387

 

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*



3/1/2024



Monticello



Wright



Mississippi River



Unknown



400



3/2/2024



Monticello



Wright



Mississippi River



Catfish, Sucker, Walleye



50-100



 

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

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