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.

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.

University of St. Thomas Multipurpose Arena

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

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,
651‐266‐6659 

Wabasha Barge Facility

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

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

Responsible governmental unit and contact: Wabasha Port Authority,
Caroline Gregerson, 651‐565‐4568 

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
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: https://mn.gov/puc/activities/meetings/webex/

Link to additional information: Birch Coulee Solar Project additional information

Contact: Department of Commerce, Lauren Agnew, 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

Contact: MN Public Utilities Commission, Jacques Harvieux, 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. Call the Minnesota Duty Officer at 651‐649‐5451 or 800‐422‐0798 to report fish kills.

Access the EQB monitor submission service

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].