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EQB Monitor




Weekly announcements and environmental review notices





Volume 50, Number 9                                                                                             March 3, 2026






Announcements

City to City conversation on Pollinators Workshop

Learn details about how two Minnesota cities participate in pollinator-friendly programs and learn how to make your city more pollinator friendly at the City to City Pollinators Workshop. This workshop is geared towards city officials, staff, and volunteers.

*Date:* Thursday, March 12
*Time*: 12:00 – 1:15 p.m.
Register on Teams [ [link removed] ]

Minnesota Capitol garden

*Minnesota Environmental Review Climate Calculator v1.2*

The Minnesota Environmental Review Climate Calculator has been updated!  Based on user feedback, the calculator’s functionality has expanded to include quantitative mitigation, expanded wetland land types, and alternative calculation methods for some emission sources. The new version and accompanying documentation are available on EQB’s Climate assessments webpage [ [link removed] ]. 

Join us for a training on the calculator's latest updates:

*Date:* Monday, March 16
*Time:* 2:00 p.m.
*Where:* Join via Teams [ [link removed] ]

Additional trainings will be announced at a future date. If you have any comments or questions on the calculator or the training sessions, please email Stephanie Aho <[email protected]>.






Rime ice covers a large tree in rural Minnesota




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] ].

 

Watten Ponds 2nd Addition

*Location: *Shorewood, Hennepin County
*Process: *Petition
*Step: *Environmental assessment worksheet (EAW) needs decision

*Responsible governmental unit decision:* EAW required
*Responsible governmental unit decision date: *February 23, 2026

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *City of Shorewood, Jake Griffiths <[email protected]>,
952-960-7909

 

Rethinking I-94 [ [link removed] ]

*This project notice was published in the January 6 and February 3, 2026 "EQB" "Monitors "with the end of comment period listed as March 9. The comment period has been extended per the below.

*Location (city/township; county): *Minneapolis and St. Paul; Hennepin, Ramsey
*Process: *EIS
*Step: *EIS Scoping EAW and Draft Scoping Decision
*End of comment period: *March 23, 2026*.*

*Project description: *MnDOT is providing notice of the Scoping Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for Rethinking I-94. The agency will be preparing a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for improvements on a 7.5-mile length of I-94 between the I-35W and Hwy 55 interchange in Minneapolis and Marion Street in St. Paul.

The Tier 1 EIS will analyze the program area on a broad scale and identify a preferred design for the I-94 mainline and will identify alternatives where access changes are proposed. Potential impacts will be identified around these locations. A program of construction projects will be identified for future environmental documents.

Federal environmental review documents for this project are available as a separate document and has been published as a General Notice. Additional information about the project is available in the Scoping Document (SD), which is available as a separate document. While the SD and EAW have similar information, there are slight differences in the social, economic, and environmental content. Documents can be downloaded from the project website, which also lists locations for in-person review and methods for providing comments.
Rethinking I-94 project link provided by RGU [ [link removed] ]

*Location of public documents:* MnDOT Metro District Office, 1500 County Road B2 W,
Roseville, MN 55113

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Minnesota Department of Transportation -  Metro District, Mark Lindeberg <[email protected]>, 651-775-5485

 

Airlake Airport 225th Street Reconfiguration and Paving [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Eureka Township; Dakota
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EAW available
*End of comment period: *April 2, 2026

*Project description: *The project will relocate 225th Street outside the Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) at Airlake Airport in Lakeville to address this incompatible land use. The project will remove the existing road and construct a new alignment which will remove it from the RPZ, improve safety, and meet design standards. Situated adjacent to the south metro communities of Lakeville, Farmington, and Eureka Township, the Airlake Airport serves both business and recreational fliers. The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) proposes this project. Eureka Township is the road authority for 225th Street. The realignment will relocate 225th Street outside of the Primary Surface and RPZ for Runway 12-30. The project includes construction and paving of a new roadway alignment from Cedar Avenue to the south Airport entrance and a new southbound right turn lane on Cedar Avenue to 225th Street. Construction will be contained within Airport property.

*Location of public documents:* Metropolitan Airports Commission General Offices, 6040 28th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55450

*Public meeting date, time, location: *March 9, 2026, 5:00 p.m., City of Lakeville John Hennen Pavilion at Antlers Park, 20141 Ipava Avenue, Lakeville, MN 55044

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Metropolitan Airports Commission,
Bridget Rief <[email protected]>, 612-726-8100

 

CSAH 28 and Beaver Lake Park Improvements [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Berlin Township; Steele
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EAW available
*Joint federal and state review: *Yes
*End of comment period: *April 2, 2026

*Project description: *Steele County is proposing to realign CSAH 28 to allow for construction of a safe boat landing and parking area for access to Beaver Lake. The roadway realignment impacts a wetland within a shoreland district

*Location of public documents:* Steele County Highway Department, 3000 Hoffman Drive NW, Owatonna, MN 55060

*Public meeting date, time, location: *March 19, 2026, 5:30 p.m., Steele County Administration, 630 Florence Avenue, Owatonna, MN 55060

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Steele County, Ronald Gaines <[email protected]>,
507-444-7670

 

Niron Magnetics EAW [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Sartell; Stearns
*Process: *EAW
*Step: *EAW available
*End of comment period: *April 2, 2026

*Project description: *Niron Magnetics proposes to develop a portion of an approximately 63-acre site in Sartell, MN to construct a manufacturing facility in two phases with a finished square footage of approximately 287,000 square feet. The facility will produce rare earth-free permanent magnets using Niron's novel process and material.
Niron Magnetics EAW project link provided by RGU [ [link removed] ]

*Location of public documents:* Sartell City Hall, 125 Pinecone Road North, Sartell,
MN 56377

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *City of Sartell, Kari Haakonson <[email protected]>,
320-258-2171

 

Big Woods Business Park AUAR [ [link removed] ]

*Location (city/township; county): *Chaska; Carver
*Process: *Large AUAR
*Step: *Revised AUAR

*Project description: *The AUAR study area encompasses an area totaling approximately 359 acres on 17 parcels in the City of Chaska and Dahlgren Township, Carver County, Minnesota. The study area is located northwest of Chaska Boulevard and US 212. Two parcels within the AUAR study area are located within Dahlgren Township; these parcels are intended to be annexed into the City of Chaska. Two development scenarios are proposed to be evaluated in the AUAR. Scenario 1 and Scenario 2 both include Business Park (industrial/office) and Commercial land uses.

*Location of public documents:* Chaska City Hall, 1 City Hall Plaza, Chaska, MN 55318

*Responsible governmental unit and contact: *Chaska city of, Elizabeth Hanson <[email protected]>,
952-448-9200

 

General notices

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

 

Rethinking I-94

*This general notice was published in the January 6 and February 3, 2026 "EQB" "Monitors "with the end of comment period listed as March 9. The comment period has been extended per the below.

*Notice description: *MnDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are providing notice of the Scoping Document and Draft Scoping Decision Document (SD/DSDD) for Rethinking I-94. The agencies will be preparing a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for improvements on a 7.5-mile length of I-94 between the I-35W and Hwy 55 interchange in Minneapolis and Marion Street in St. Paul.

The Tier 1 EIS, which begins after scoping is completed, will analyze the program area on a broad scale and identify a preferred design for the I-94 mainline and will identify alternatives where access changes are proposed. Potential impacts will be identified around these locations. A program of construction projects will be identified for future environmental documents.

A scoping Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for this project is available as a separate document. While the SD and EAW have similar information, there are slight differences in the social, economic, and environmental content. The public has from Jan. 6, 2026, to March 23, 2026 to review and make comments on the SD/DSDD. Documents can be downloaded from the project website, which also lists locations for in-person review and methods for providing comments: [link removed]

*Link to additional information: *Rethinking I-94 additional information [ [link removed] ]

*Contact: *Minnesota Department of Transportation -  Metro District, Mark Lindeberg <[email protected]>,
651-775-5485

 

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*



2/21/2026



Monticello



Wright



Mississippi River



Not specified



592



 

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

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