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EQB Monitor




Weekly announcements and environmental review notices





Volume 49, Number 03                                                                                        January 21, 2025











Partially frozen lake superior shoreline and fog




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] ].

 

*Century Farms Subdivision*

*Location (city/township; county): *Maine Township; Otter Tail
*Process:* Petition
*Step:* Environmental assessment worksheet (EAW) need decision

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *EAW not required
*Responsible governmental unit decision date: *January 14, 2025

*Responsible governmental unit and contact*: Otter Tail County, Chris LeClair <[email protected]>,
218-998-8095

 

Gaiter Lake Land Development [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Waseca; Waseca
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EAW available
*End of comment period: *February 20, 2025

*Project description: *The City of Waseca proposes to develop a residential subdivision along the western shore of Gaiter Lake. Construction is anticipated to begin in Spring 2025 and completed by 2031. The project would provide buildable lots for up to 67 units of market-rate residential housing across 33 single-home lots and 17 twin-home lots.
Gaiter Lake Land Development project link provided by RGU [ [link removed] ]

*Location of public documents:* Waseca City Hall - Office of Waseca City Clerk, 508 South State Street, Waseca, MN 56093

*Public meeting date, time, location: *February 4, 2025, 7:00 p.m., Waseca City Hall - City Council Chambers, 508 South State Street, Waseca, MN 56093
*Public meeting additional details:* At this hearing, verbal comments can be made and written comments can be submitted on provided comment forms. No formal responses to any comments will be made at the hearing. Written comments will be recorded and responded to in the Response to Comments document to be distributed to all public and agency commenters.

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *City of Waseca, Nate Willey <[email protected]>, 507-835-9716

 

West Meadows Development [ [link removed] ]

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

*Responsible governmental unit decision: *Negative (no EIS ordered)
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *January 6, 2025

*Project description: *The West Meadows Development consists of approximately 47 acres of which approximately 41 acres are proposed for medium density residential development and six (6) acres of commercial use in the City of Rochester, Olmsted County, Minnesota. The project includes approximately 936 multi-family units in six structures with some underground parking and surface parking; and 22,000 square feet of commercial development. The project is adjacent to County Road 34 and 45th Avenue SW. The project will include one new internal public roadway, storm water treatment facilities, and municipal sanitary sewer and watermain.
West Meadows Development project link provided by RGU [ [link removed] ]

*Location of public documents:* Development Services and Infrastructure Center,
4001 W River Parkway, Rochester, MN 55901

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *City of Rochester, Elliot Mohler <[email protected]>,
507-328-2600

 

Project 100: Mixed Use Development in NW Maple Grove AUAR Update [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Maple Grove; Hennepin
*Process: *AUAR update
*Step: *Revised AUAR
*End of comment period:* February 4, 2025

*Project description: *Ryan Companies prepared an AUAR in 2019 for the Project 100 Area in Northwest Maple Grove, bounded by I-94 to the west and Highway 610 to the north. This 5-year AUAR Update is being conducted per MN Rules 4410.3610, Subpart 7a. The development scenario included in the AUAR (Maximum Build) aligns with the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan and studies a mix of uses including office, medical office, hospital/medical, multi-family residential and senior living.
Project 100: Mixed Use Development in NW Maple Grove AUAR Update project link provided by RGU [ [link removed] ]

*Location of public documents:* Maple Grove City Hall, 12800 Arbor Lakes Parkway, 
Maple Grove, MN 55311

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *City of Maple Grove, Peter Vickerman <[email protected]>,
763-494-6046

 

Snowshoe BESS [ [link removed] ]

*Location: *Byron, Olmsted
*Process: *Alternative review

*Notice title: *Notice of Environmental Assessment Scoping Decision
*Notice description: *The Minnesota Department of Commerce will prepare an Environmental Assessment for the proposed Snowshoe battery energy storage system (BESS) Project in Kalmar Township in Olmsted Count.
*Project description: *Snowshoe BESS, LLC (Snowshoe), a wholly owned subsidiary of Spearmint Energy, proposes to construct and operate a BESS with a nominal power rating of up to 150 MW alternating current (AC) with approximately 600 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy capacity on a site of approximately 28 acres in Kalmar Township, Olmsted County, Minnesota.

*Location of public documents:* Minnesota Department of Commerce, 85 7th Place East, St. Paul, MN 55101

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Minnesota Department of Commerce, Suzanne Steinhauer <[email protected]>, 651-539-1843

 

General notices

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

 

Notice of Public Hearings and Availability of Environmental Assessment

*Notice description: *The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission) will hold public hearings on Iron Pine Solar Power, LLC's (Iron Pine) joint application for a site permit and route permit to construct an up to 325-megawatt (MW) solar energy generating system and 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line to be located in Pine County, Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Commerce (Department) issued an environmental assessment (EA) for the project on January 8, 2025. The purpose of the EA is to provide information on the potential human and environmental impacts of the proposed project, possible mitigations for identified impacts, and evaluation of any alternatives contained in the scoping decision. The EA is available on the Department's website (see link to additional information) and print copies of the EA are available from the Department upon request; please contact Raymond Kirsch at [email protected] or 651-539-1841.

*First public meeting date, time, location: *February 5, 2025, 6:00 p.m., Pine County Government Office, 1602 MN-23, Sandstone, MN 55072
*First public meeting additional details:* The public hearings will be presided over by the Honorable Christa Moseng, an administrative law judge from the Office of Administrative Hearings, who will provide the Commission with findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations. The purpose of the public hearings is to obtain public input on the proposed project and compile the record for the Commission to consider in making a final decision on the site and route permit application. Specifically, interested persons will have the opportunity to: (1) ask questions of state staff and the applicant; (2) offer oral and written comments on the merits of the proposed project and on the environmental assessment; and (3) suggest possible conditions to be considered for inclusion in the site and route permit. Comments received at the hearings and during the comment period will be used to inform the record and help the Commission make its final decision. The information presented will be the same at all in-person and online hearings. The hearings 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 hearing, whichever occurs first.  Members of the public may participate without the necessity of intervening as a party; representation by legal counsel is permitted but not required. If any reasonable accommodation is needed to enable you to fully participate in these hearings, 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 hearing is canceled due to bad weather or other call 1-855-731-6208 or visit mn.gov/puc.
*Second public meeting date, time, location: *February 6, 2025, 6:00 p.m., online meeting
*Second public meeting virtual link: *Join online meeting [ [link removed] ]
*Second public meeting additional details:* Webinar Number: 2495 538 1093
Webinar Password: ironpine2024 (47667464 from phone)
Join by Phone: 1-855-282-6330
Toll Free Access Code: 2495 538 1093
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: *Notice of Public Hearings and Availability of Environmental Assessment additional information [ [link removed] ]

*Contact: *Minnesota 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.

*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 [ [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

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