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.
Henrichs Rustic Acres Project
Location (city/township; county): Orange; Douglas
Process: Petition
Step: Responsible governmental unit assigned
Responsible governmental unit and contact: Douglas County, Dave Rush,
320-762 -2903
Location (city/township; county): Doran; Wilkin
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 26, 2024
Project description: The proposed project would rehabilitate approximate 19.25 miles of Doran Creek. Years of uncontrolled runoff have resulted in significant sediment deposition in the channel. The existing stream channel and valley is currently choked with several feet of sediment and no longer functions as a perennial or intermittent stream. Doran Creek is now a flashy and flood-prone ephemeral waterway functioning as a marshy wetland system within a historic stream valley. This has led to loss of hydraulic function, loss of aquatic wildlife habitat, and frequent flooding of adjacent fields. The Doran Creek Stream Rehabilitation Project will rehabilitate Doran Creek and restore its natural stream flow by reestablishing the channel and floodplain corridor through the removal of the accumulated sediment from the channel while completing minor regrading of the banks to restore the floodplain and create a stable condition.
Location of public documents: Bois de Sioux Watershed District, 704 Hwy 75, Wheaton, MN 56296
Responsible governmental unit and contact: Bois de Sioux Watershed District,
Jamie Beyer, 320-563-4185
Location (city/township; county): Hagen Township; Clay
Process: EAW
Step: EIS need decision
Responsible governmental unit decision: Positive (EIS ordered)
Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: March 25, 2024
Project description: RJ Zavoral & Sons, Inc. proposes to expand the existing, approximately 36.4-acre, Green Gravel Pit Expansion Project in Hagen Township, Clay County, Minnesota. The approximately 14.4-acre expansion Project would provide for mining, storage, and distribution of gravel aggregate.
Link to public documents: Green Gravel Pit Project EIS need decision
Location of public documents: Clay County Government Center, 3510 12th Ave S, Moorhead, MN 56560
Responsible governmental unit and contact: Clay County, Matt Jacobson, 218-299-7330
Location (city/township; county): Preble Township; Fillmore
Process: EAW
Step: EIS need decision
Responsible governmental unit decision: Negative (EIS not ordered)
Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: March 20, 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 EIS need decision
Location of public documents: Department of Natural Resources, 500 Lafayette Road North, St Paul, MN 55155
Responsible governmental unit and contact: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Becky Horton, 651-259-5122
Location (city/township; county): New Prague; Dakota, Lincoln, Lyon, Scott
Process: Alternative review
End of comment period: April 18, 2024
Notice title: Notice of Public Hearing, Availability of Environmental Report, and Public Comment Period
Notice description: The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission) will hold public hearings on the applications for a certificate of need (Docket 23-200) and a minor alteration to the original route permit (Docket 08-1474) for portions of the 345-kilovolt (kV) Brookings to Hampton High Voltage Transmission Line (HVTL) (Projects, collectively). The applications were filed by Northern States Power Company d/b/a Xcel Energy, Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, Great River Energy, Otter Tail Power Company, and Western Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (Applicants). The Western Segment is approximately 59.5 miles, and the Eastern Segment is approximately 39 miles between the Brookings Substation in White, South Dakota and the Lyon County Substation near Marshall, Minnesota, and between the Helena Substation in Scott County, Minnesota and the Hampton Substation near Hampton, Minnesota.
Project description: The Project proposes to install a second 345 kV circuit on double-circuit-capable structures on approximately 88 miles of the Minnesota portion of the existing 345 kV Electric Transmission Line between the Brookings County Substation in Brookings County, South Dakota and the Hampton Substation in Dakota County, Minnesota (Original Brookings Line). Although the Original Brookings Line crosses the state, the Project will only impact portions of the line in Lincoln, Lyon, Scott, and Dakota counties. In addition to the new circuit, the Project will also install 11 new structures to facilitate the addition of the second circuit; three new structures to allow the circuit to enter and exit existing substitutions, and eight new structures to allow the line to maintain its horizontal configuration near Airlake Airport in Dakota County. The Project's improvements are generally confined to the existing transmission right-of-way.
Link to public documents: Brookings - Hampton 2nd Circuit Transmission Project documents
Location of public documents: Minnesota Department of Commerce St. Paul,
MN 55101
First public meeting date, time, location: April 1, 2024, 11:30 a.m., Holiday Inn Lakeville, 20800 Kenrick Avenue, Lakeville, MN, 55044
Second public meeting date, time, location: April 1, 2024, 6:00 p.m., EverSpring Inn & Suites, 1500 East College Drive, Marshall, MN, 56258
Third public meeting date, time, location: April 4, 2024, 6:00 p.m., Online meeting
Third public meeting virtual link: Join online meeting
Third public meeting additional details: Webinar Number: 2497 396 2026 Call-In Number 1-855-282-6330 US Toll Free Access Code: 2497 396 2026 Password: r8vD8cnHxb9 (78838264 from phones and video systems) If you are joining the meeting by WebEx and would like to ask a question or make a comment during the designated portion of the meeting, use the chat function to send a message to the meeting moderator. If you are joining the meeting by phone, press *3 on your phone. When it is your turn to speak, your line will be unmuted, and you will be able to ask questions and provide comments. Additional information and instructions are available at: https://mn.gov/puc/activities/meetings/webex/.
Responsible governmental unit and contact: Minnesota Department of Commerce, Suzanne Steinhauer, 651-539-1843
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. Call the Minnesota Duty Officer at 651‐649‐5451 or 800‐422‐0798 to report fish kills.
No fish kill reports were received since the last publication.
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 are due by 4:00 p.m. on the Tuesday one week prior to the intended publication date. Please see the EQB Monitor schedule for more details.
To submit a notice for publication:
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].
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