Environmental Reviews
What is Environmental Review?
The Environmental Review Program is required by Minnesota Statute 116D (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/116D) and Minnesota Rules 4410 (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/4410/). When a proposed development project has the potential for significant environmental impacts, the Environmental Review process takes place prior to permitting so that decision-makers have usable information about environmental effects of the proposed project.
More information about the State’s Environmental Review Program can be found at https://www.eqb.state.mn.us/content/environmental-review-program.
Environmental Review documents are presented in three forms:
- Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) - Provides a brief analysis and overview of the potential environmental impacts of a specific project and to help the RGU determine if an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is necessary.
- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) - A detailed analysis of the key environmental, social, and economic issues that are likely to result from the project. The initial steps of the EIS process start with a questionnaire much like an EAW. The EIS also examines if there are alternative project designs or locations that would result in fewer environmental impacts.
- Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) - The AUAR is a planning tool that local governments can use to understand how different development scenarios will affect the environment of their community. It is a way of performing an environmental analysis in advance, before major development occurs in an area.
Current Environmental Reviews
None at this time.
Recent Environmental Reviews
Sofidel America- Duluth Facility Expansion EAW
PLEAW-2408-0001- EAW document- (83 MB)
- Findings of Fact and Record of Decision(comment responses attached) (pdf)
Central High School Redevelopment Project AUAR
Documents:
Final Action – 5-14-2024 – Planning Commission Adoption of AUAR (2 MB)
PL 23-127 Staff Memo – Final AUAR Adoption (for 5-14-2024 Planning Commission meeting) (.pdf 5.2 MB)
PL 23-127 Staff Memo – Final AUAR Review (for 4-9-2024 Planning Commission meeting)
Comments and Comment Responses on Draft AUAR 20240405 (.pdf 1.5 MB)
Final AUAR Narrative with Appendices 20240404 (.pdf 25.3 MB)
Draft AUAR with Appendices (.pdf 28 MB)
Order for AUAR (.pdf 5.14 MB) – approved by Planning Commission January 9, 2024
Scoping EAW Document (.pdf 3.21 MB)
Appendix A – Maps and Figures (.pdf 5.9 MB)
Appendix B – FEMA FIRMette (.pdf 0.8 MB)
Appendix C – MDH Well Log Reports (.pdf 0.1 MB)
Appendix D – DNR NHIS-USFWS IPaC Species List (.pdf 10.9 MB)