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EQB Monitor




Weekly announcements and environmental review notices





Volume 50, Number 3                                                                                          January 20, 2026






Announcements

*Environmental Quality Board meeting*

*Wednesday, January 21, 1 – 4:00 p.m.
*Join us virtually for the January 2026 Environmental Quality Board meeting. At this meeting, the board will hear an overview and vote to approve the adoption of Energy Rulemaking.

More information can be found on the board meeting webpage [ [link removed] ], including the meeting packet and details on attending the meeting virtually or in person.

 

*Environmental Review Technical Assistance Survey*

If you completed an environmental review process in 2025 and submitted a notice for the Monitor, we want to hear from you! Tell us how we’re doing providing guidance and assistance by taking this short five-question survey [ [link removed] ]. Your responses are for EQB use only and will help us provide better assistance for you in the future.






moose with snow on face, Minnesota winter




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] ].

 

Nigon Development EAW [ [link removed] ]

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

**Responsible governmental unit decision: **Negative (no EIS ordered) 
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *January 5, 2026

*Project description: *The proposed project is a residential development in Cascade and Rochester townships, Minnesota, on property proposed to be annexed into the City of Rochester. The development will be built on approximately 176 acres and will be developed with 317 single-family detached units, stormwater management areas, curvilinear roads, and open spaces. The Rochester City Council approved the annexation of 120 acres of the 176 acres into the Rochester city limits on September 8, 2025. The City of Rochester has been coordinating with Cascade and Rochester Townships to execute Joint Powers Agreements (JPAs) for administration of the EAW. These JPAs will delegate authority to the City of Rochester as the lead RGU for the EAW process.

*Location of public documents:* Development Services and Infrastructure Center,
4001 W River Parkway NW, Rochester, MN 55902

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

 

Proposed Denmark Township Aggregate Quarry [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Denmark Township; Washington
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EIS need decision

**Responsible governmental unit decision: **Negative (no EIS ordered) 
*Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: *January 5, 2026

*Project description: *Cemstone is proposing a new 750,000 ton per year (TPY) aggregate quarry operation in Denmark Township, Washington County, Minnesota that will excavate, process, and transport rock product from the site to primarily Cemstone's local network of ready-mix concrete plants along with outside sales for production of construction-grade concrete. The total leased Project area is a 179.4-acre site on a private-owned property west of St. Croix Trail South and south of Afton Apple Orchard. A 71.5-acre quarry is proposed within the total leased Project area.
Proposed Denmark Township Aggregate Quarry project link provided by RGU [ [link removed] ]

*Location of public documents:* Denmark Township Town Hall, 14008 90th St S, Hastings, MN 55033

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Denmark Township, John Strohfus <[email protected]>,
651-436-1704 x2

 

Rochester Technology Campus [ [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: *January 13, 2026

*Project description: *IRG is proposing development of property surrounding the existing campus. The undeveloped portions of the property are largely grassland, wetland, and wooded to the north and west. To the south, the proposed development property is primarily agricultural. The surrounding uses are largely commercial to the north, industrial to the west, and residential to the south. To the best of the proposer’s knowledge, no previous traffic studies have been conducted on the property since the construction of the commercial area to the north including Target and Home Depot. The proposed development activity consists of commercial, retail, and hospitality to the east, largely residential to the south and north, and industrial to the west. The attached conceptual site plan identifies a series of proposed roads and pedestrian connections throughout that will be evaluated with this study.

*Location of public documents:* Development Services and Infrastructure Center,
4001 W River Parkway NW, Rochester, MN 55902

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

 

Lemon Hill Solar Project [ [link removed] ]

*Location: *Haverhill and Viola Townships, Olmsted
*Process: *Alternative review

*Notice title: *Notice of Environmental Assessment Scoping Decision for the Lemon Hill Solar Project
*Notice description: *Please take notice that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission) has issued the scoping decision for the environmental assessment (EA) that will be prepared for the proposed Lemon Hill Solar Project. The EA will be prepared by the Commission's Energy Infrastructure Permitting staff and will address the potential human and environmental impacts of the project. The scoping decision identifies those issues that will be studied.

*Project description: *Lemon Hill Solar, LLC (Lemon Hill Solar) seeks a permit to construct and operate an up to 180-megawatt (MW) alternating current photovoltaic solar energy generating facility and associated infrastructure in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Lemon Hill Solar proposes to develop the project on approximately 966 acres within a site of 1,945 acres in Haverhill and Viola Townships.
Lemon Hill Solar Project project link provided by RGU [ [link removed] ]

*Location of public documents:* Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, 121 7th Place E, Saint Paul, MN 55101

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Minnesota Public Utilities Commission,
Lauren Agnew <[email protected]>, 165-120-1220

 

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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