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

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. 

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

Date: Monday, March 16
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Where: Join via Teams

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.

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.

Watten Ponds 2^nd 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,
952-960-7909

Rethinking I-94

*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

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, 651-775-5485

Airlake Airport 225th Street Reconfiguration and Paving

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, 612-726-8100

CSAH 28 and Beaver Lake Park Improvements

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: https://talk.dot.state.mn.us/rethinking-i94

Link to additional information: Rethinking I-94 additional information

Contact: Minnesota Department of Transportation -  Metro District, Mark Lindeberg,
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. Call the Minnesota Duty Officer at 651‐649‐5451 or 800‐422‐0798 to report fish kills.

Access the EQB monitor submission service

Questions? Contact EQB by phone at 651-757-2873 or email us at EQB.Monitor@state.mn.us. 

For more information on environmental review, please visit the EQB website or contact us at env.review@state.mn.us.