5.4. SR 09-07-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minnesota Pollution Control Agency August 17, 2004 Mr. Stephen Rohlf Building and Environmental Administrator 13065 Orono Parkway Elk River, MN 55330 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Comments on the J & B Mining project Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) Dear Mr. Rohlf: The EAW for the proposed J & B Mining project (Project) has been reviewed by the MPCA staff. This comment letter addresses matters of concern to MPCA staff reviewing the EAW and is submitted for consideration by the city of Elk River (City), the responsible governmental unit, in deciding whether an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) should be prepared on the Project. It does not constitute approval by the MPCA of any or all elements of the Project for the purpose of pending or future permit action(s) by the MPCA. We have attempted to identify and consult with interested program staff to identify the MPCA permits that may be required. Additional comments or requests for information maybe submitted in the future to address specific issues related to the development of such permit(s). Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the Project proposer to secure any required permits and to comply with any requisite permit conditions. The following comments are made for your use in revising the draft EAW. The abstract of the proposed Project found in §6.a. indicates that approximately 1,190,000 cubic yards of material will be mined from the Project area. There is no specific mention of the predicted or expected peat yields from this Project. The amount of peat may be an important factor as certain peat operations (depending on size and/or environmental impact potential) may require a permit from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The MPCA is providing you with a copy of the Peat Operations and Environmental Protection (December 1996) as you proceed with the environmental review process. In §6.a. of the EAW, it is stated that "...the proposed operation does include gravel washing on a periodic basis" yet there is no specific discussion of two major issues related to gravel washing, namely: 1) the source of the wash water; and, 2) the treatment and disposal of wastewater (Please refer to § 18 of the EAW regarding wastewaters.). This information must be included in the EAW to better assess the potential environmental impacts of the Project. Additionally, this information would be useful to the MPCA during the permitting process. The former Judicial Ditch Number 1 is discussed in §9. of the EAW, however, the flowpath for this land feature is not delineated on any of the diagrams or figures provided as attachments to the document. It would be helpful to know where the flow from the former Judicial Ditch Number 1 is directed and discharged. 520 Lafayette Rd. N.; Saint Paul, MN 55155-4194; (651) 296-6300 (Voice); (651) 282-5332 ('f-FY); www. pca.state.mn.us St. Paul · Brainerd · Detroit Lakes · Duluth · Mankato · Marshall · Rochester · Willmar Equal Opportunity Employer · Printed on recycled paper containing at beast 20 percent fibers from paper recycled by consumers.