New_EQB_Logo




EQB Monitor




Weekly announcements and environmental review notices





Volume 48, Number 41                                                                                         October 8, 2024






Announcements

*Environmental Quality Board meeting*

*Wednesday, October 16, 1 – 4:00 p.m. *Join us in person or virtually for the October 2024 Environmental Quality Board meeting. At this meeting, the Board will hear recommendations for oil and gas production, and hear an update on the regulatory framework for agriculturally-related genetically engineered organisms in Minnesota. The Board will also discuss and hear details about the draft Mandatory Category Report.

More information, including the meeting packet and virtual meeting details, can be found on the Board meeting webpage [ [link removed] ].






Reflections on a river in Autumn




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] ].

 

University of St. Thomas Multipurpose Arena [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Saint Paul; Ramsey
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EAW available
*End of comment period: *November 7, 2024

*Project description: *The proposed University of St. Thomas Lee and Penny Anderson Arena (Arena) will be a redevelopment of an approximately 6-acre site located on the University of St. Thomas (UST) South Campus in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Additional development on and near the UST South Campus has been incorporated into this analysis, including the completed Schoenecker Center, the proposed expansion of the Center for Microgrid Research (Microgrid Project), and the proposed St. Paul Seminary Parking Lot (SPS Parking Lot) for a total redevelopment area of approximately 11.7-acres.
University of St. Thomas Multipurpose Arena project link provided by RGU [ [link removed] ]

*Location of public documents:* Saint Paul City Hall, 15 W Kellogg Blvd, Saint Paul,
MN 55102

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *City of Saint Paul, Josh Williams <[email protected]>,
651‐266‐6659 

 

Wabasha Barge Facility [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Wabasha; Wabasha
*Process: *EIS
*Step: *EIS Adequacy Determination

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *Adequate
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *September 25, 2024

*Project description: *The City of Wabasha, in cooperation with the Wabasha Port Authority, is proposing to construct a commercial port facility on the Mississippi River in the City of Wabasha, Minnesota. The 8.2-acre Wabasha Barge Facility would facilitate the transfer of materials, to include but not limited to dredge material and other commodities, from river barges to trucks for transport to off-site facilities. The City of Wabasha would own the project site and contract out the port operations and transportation of materials.
Wabasha Barge Facility project link provided by RGU [ [link removed] ]

*Location of public documents:* Wabasha City Hall, 900 Hiawatha Drive East, Wabasha, MN 55981

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Wabasha Port Authority,
Caroline Gregerson <[email protected]>, 651‐565‐4568 

 

Farmington Technology Park AUAR [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Farmington; Dakota
*Process: *Large AUAR
*Step: *Revised AUAR
*End of comment period: *October 22, 2024

*Project description: *The AUAR study area encompasses an area totaling approximately 347 acres on 3 parcels in the City of Farmington, Dakota County, Minnesota. Tract Management Company, LP is proposing to redevelop the study area from existing agriculture and golf course use to data center uses. Two scenarios are proposed for evaluation in the AUAR. Scenario 1 includes multiple buildings for a total of 2.53 million square feet of proposed light industrial development. Scenario 2 consists of up to 675 residential units, 100,000 square feet of commercial space, and agricultural land. The proposed development within the AUAR study area is anticipated to start in 2026.
Farmington Technology Park AUAR project link provided by RGU [ [link removed] ]

*Location of public documents:* Farmington City Hall, 430 Third Street, Farmington,
MN 55024

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *: City of Farmington, Tony Wippler <[email protected]>,
651‐280‐6822 

 

Thomson Reuters Redevelopment Project [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Eagan; Dakota
*Process: *Large AUAR
*Step: *Revised AUAR
*End of comment period: *October 22, 2024

*Project description: *Ryan Companies US, Inc. is preparing an AUAR for an approximately 179-acre area on the former Thomson Reuters office campus at Trunk Highway (TH) 149 (Dodd Road) and County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 28 (Yankee Doodle Road) in Eagan, Dakota County, Minnesota. Two development scenarios will be evaluated as part of the AUAR which include a major office scenario consistent with the City’s adopted Comprehensive Plan, and a light industrial and residential scenario. Today, the AUAR area consists of the mostly vacant Thomson Reuters office building, two existing data centers and associated infrastructure.
Thomson Reuters Redevelopment Project project link provided by RGU [ [link removed] ]

*Location of public documents:* Eagan City Hall, 3830 Pilot Knob Road, Eagan, MN 55122

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: * City of Eagan, Michael Schultz <[email protected]>,
651‐675‐5650

 

Mayo Clinic. Bold. Forward. Unbound. Rochester AUAR [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Rochester; Olmsted
*Process: *Large AUAR
*Step: *AUAR adoption

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *Adequate
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *October 1, 2024

*Project description: *Mayo Clinic is proposing to redevelop approximately 20 acres located in downtown Rochester. The project is located in all or portions of 14 parcels, located in an area generally bounded by 2nd Street SW on the south, Civic Center Drive on the north, 7th Avenue on the west, and 1st Avenue on the east in Rochester, Olmsted County, Minnesota. The AUAR will evaluate 1 development scenario that involves multiple buildings totaling approximately 1,970,000 square feet of medical institutional and 90,000 sf of electric generating land uses.

*Location of public documents:* City of Rochester, 4001 West River Parkway NW, Rochester, MN 55901

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *City of Rochester, Elliot Mohler <[email protected]>,
507‐328‐2941

 

General notices

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

 

Birch Coulee Solar Project - Notice of Public Information and Scoping Meetings

*Notice description: *Please take notice that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission) and the Minnesota Department of Commerce will hold public information and environmental assessment scoping meetings on Birch Coulee Solar LLC's (Birch Coulee Solar) site permit application for the construction and operation of the Birch Coulee Solar Project, an up to 125-megawatt alternating current photovoltaic solar energy generating facility (Project). An In-Person meeting will be held on October 9th, 2024, at 6PM in the Franklin Community Center (221 E 2nd Ave E, Franklin, MN 55333).
A virtual meeting will be held the following night, October 10th, 2024, at 6PM - details of the virtual meeting can be found on the Public Utilities Commission website on the calendar.

*First public meeting date, time, location: *October 9, 2024, 6:00 p.m., Franklin Community Center, 221 E 2nd Ave E, Franklin, MN 55333
**First public* meeting additional details:* The purpose of the meeting is to: (1) provide information about the proposed project and the state's permitting process; and (2) provide an opportunity to participate in developing the scope of the environmental assessment. State staff and the applicant will both make presentations during the meeting. State staff will explain the permitting and environmental review processes, and the applicant will provide an overview of the proposed project. Following the presentations, attendees will have the opportunity to offer oral and written comments for the record. The meetings will end when all attendees have had the opportunity to comment and all other business has been concluded, or the scheduled end time of the meeting, whichever occurs first. The information presented will be the same at all in-person and online meetings. If any reasonable accommodation is needed to enable you to fully participate in these meetings, please contact the Commission at 651-296-0406 or 1-800-657-3782 at least one week in advance of the meeting. To find out if a meeting is canceled due to bad weather or other call 1-855-731-6208 or visit mn.gov/puc.
*Second public meeting date, time, location: *October 10, 2024, 6:00 p.m., Online meeting
**Second public * meeting virtual link: *Join online meeting [ [link removed] ]
**Second public * meeting additional details:* Webinar Number: 2499 537 5645
Webinar Password: MnPUC! (667820 when dialing from a phone or video system)
Join by Phone: 1-855-282-6330
Toll Free Access Code: 2499 537 5645
If you are joining the meeting via WebEx and would like to ask a question or make a comment during the designated portion of the meeting, use the chat or raised-hand functions 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: [link removed]

*Link to additional information: *Birch Coulee Solar Project additional information [ [link removed] ]

*Contact: *Department of Commerce, Lauren Agnew <[email protected]>, 651-539-1838

 

Notice of Final Permit Decision for Sherco Solar 3 Project in Sherburne County

*Notice description: *Public Utilities Commission In the Matter of the Application of Northern States Power Co. d/b/a Xcel Energy for a Site Permit for the up to 250 Megawatt Sherco 3 Solar Energy Generating System in Sherburne County, Minnesota - Public Utilities Commission Docket Nos. E-002/GS-23-217 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that in an order issued on July 31, 2024, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission: (1) found that the environmental assessment prepared by the Department of Commerce and the record created at the public hearing addressed the issues identified in the scoping decision; and (2) issued to Xcel Energy a site permit for its 250-megawatt solar energy generating system, as modified to include the following sentence in special site permit condition 5.1: "The Permittee is required to maintain and ensure the successful growth, health, and maintenance of the vegetation for 3 years," in Sherburne County, Minnesota.

*Link to additional information: *Sherco Solar 3 Project additional information [ [link removed] ]

*Contact: *MN Public Utilities Commission, Jacques Harvieux <[email protected]>, 651-201-2233

 

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*



9/30/2024



Underwood



Otter Tail



North Turtle Lake



Crappie



30



 

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

Facebook [ [link removed] ]   Twitter [ [link removed] ]   LinkedIn [ [link removed] ]   you tube [ [link removed] ] SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
Manage Subscriptions [ [link removed] ]  |  Unsubscribe [ [link removed] ]  |  Help [ [link removed] ]

Bookmark and Share [ [link removed] ]



body .abe-section-table {max-width:601px !important;} body .abe-column-block {min-height: 5px;} ________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Minnesota Environmental Quality Board · 520 Lafayette Road North, Saint Paul, MN 55155 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]