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Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page 2 <br /> March 2, 1994 <br /> • 3. DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (DEIS) <br /> This is the step which we are currently at in the process. <br /> The past year has been spent gathering and analyzing data related to <br /> gravel mining in Elk River. The issues considered included ground <br /> water, surface water, soil erosion, noise, air quality, traffic, <br /> employment, economic and social issues. From this data, the DEIS <br /> was prepared. <br /> Notice of the DEIS was distributed to the various State and Federal <br /> agencies and a 45 day comment period began on February 28, 1994. <br /> The comment period ends April 8, 1994. Part of the comment period <br /> process is the public meeting on March 21, 1994. To aid the Council, <br /> appropriate City staff will be at that meeting. <br /> The DEIS looks at the accumulative effects of gravel mining <br /> alternatives and general mitigative measures to eliminate or reduce <br /> negative impacts. The DEIS is not meant as a means to address <br /> specific issues regarding any certain gravel mine. The public meeting <br /> is set up to hear general comments on gravel mining so that they can <br /> • be addressed in the final EIS. This meeting is not meant to be a <br /> question and answer session. <br /> Sometime in April, the Council will consider all comments regarding <br /> the DEIS and order the appropriate revisions for the final EIS. <br /> 4. FINAL EIS <br /> Once finished, the final EIS will be published and distributed and <br /> another comment period will begin. As RGU, it is the City's (Council's) <br /> responsibility to determine the adequacy of the final EIS. Once the <br /> Council determines that the final EIS is adequate, notice of this <br /> decision will be published and the EIS process will be completed. <br /> SUMMARY <br /> The EIS process is extremely expensive, however, it makes economic sense <br /> for the miners to do it jointly versus individually. Environmentally, it makes <br /> sense for the City to do this joint environmental review so the accumulative <br /> impacts of gravel mining can be considered. <br /> • After the EIS process is completed, staff anticipates the gravel mining study <br /> area being rezoned to ME/Mineral Excavation Overlay District. The <br />