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City to Host Mud Lake Open House on May 30^th, 2019

[Duluth, MN] Due to the diversity and interrelatedness of the decisions before the City of Duluth in regards to Mud Lake, the parks and recreation department is convening an informational workshop about Mud Lake at the DECC in the Lake Superior Ballroom on Thursday, May 30th from 5-7:30 PM.

Mud Lake is an embayment of the St. Louis River Estuary in Duluth. This area is a part of several upcoming or pending government decision-making processes that will impact the future of Mud Lake. They include:

1.    The City of Duluth Western Waterfront Trail mini-master plan;

2.    The US EPA Section 106 cultural resource regulatory process;

3.    The City of Duluth local historic landmark nomination for the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad;

4.    The federal recovery plan for the St. Louis River Estuary Area of Concern;

5.    The City of Duluth St. Louis River Natural Area nomination; and

6.    A future small area plan for the redevelopment of the US Steel site.

These decisions about Mud Lake will involve up to six City of Duluth Commissions including Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Natural Resource Commission, Historic Preservation Commission; and the Duluth Economic Development Authority. The outcome of these decisions will end by being heard at the Duluth City Council. Together, these bodies will be charged with determining how best to weigh and balance the public values at stake at Mud Lake including natural resources, the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad, public recreational access, and economic development.

Attendees will rotate through four informational stations corresponding to each of the four public values at stake – cultural resources preservation, natural resource preservation, public recreational access, and economic development. Bookended by a 15-minute introduction and a 15-minute closing, attendees will spend 20 minutes at each station with brief transitions in between. Each 20-minute session will entail approximately 15 minutes of presentation and 5 minutes of question and answer.

Speakers include:

•    Pat Collins, Natural Resources Consultant, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

•    Joel Hoffman, Environmental Protection Agency MED Lab, Supervisory Research Biologist

•    Larry Sommers, Historian, Duluth Archeology Center, former Lake Superior Railroad Museum Executive Director, author of recent agency-mandated analyses of the historical significance of the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad

•    Jeff Stollenwerk, Director of Government and Environmental Affairs, Duluth Seaway Port Authority

•    Monica Haynes, Director of Bureau of Business and Economic Research, University of Minnesota, Duluth

•    City of Duluth Staff

Parking free, however, workshop attendees must state they are attending the Mud Lake Workshop to the parking tenant to receive free parking. The DECC is recommending visitors to use parking lot B. 

For more information related to the Mud Lake study, please visit http://www.duluthmn.gov/parks/mud-lake-study/

Those who are interested in attending are asked to R.S.V.P. to Jessica Schoonover at jschoonover@DuluthMN.gov  

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