Weekly announcements and environmental review notices

Volume 50, Number 34                                                                                       August 25, 2026

Announcements

Pollinator Day at the Minnesota State Fair Thursday, September 3, 2026 Come join EQB in celebrating Pollinator Day at the State Fair in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)! Come by the DNR grounds, where there will be multiple pollinator-related exhibitors and we will host a table from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to provide information about ways to help pollinators, play bee games and give away seed packets of MN native plants, butterfly and bee pins and buttons. At 1:00 p.m. we will host a Pollinator Panel at the Sustainability Stage of the Eco Experience building, where staff who are part of the Interagency Pollinator Protection Team will share their experiences working together to protect pollinators in the state. Come join us and learn more about these wonderful creatures that make our world a better place for all!

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.

Hillview Business Park

Location (city/township; county): Arden Hills; Ramsey
Process: Variance
Step: Application submitted
End of comment period: September 14, 2026

Variance description: Maplewood Development and Construction, Inc. (“Maplewood Development” or “Proposer”), seeks to construct a business park, the Hillview Business Park (the “Project”).  The Project is located in the City of Arden Hills on a 62-acre site in Sections 9-10, Township 30N, Range 23W.  The Project is located on the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (“TCAAP”) property.  The City of Arden Hills is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Project under rules adopted by the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (“EQB”).  Maplewood Development is seeking a variance from an EQB rule that prohibits construction activities before the EIS is complete so that it can proceed with demolition of abandoned buildings on the site. Maplewood Development states that demolition is necessary to reduce trespassing, vandalism, and fires in the abandoned buildings while Arden Hills completes the EIS.  The EQB rules allow a variance to be granted to avoid a serious threat to public health or safety.  

The EQB has posted the variance application on the EQB website. Interested persons may submit written comments to the EQB about whether a variance should be granted until September 14, 2026.  Comments should be directed to Jesse Krzenski, or by U.S. mail (Jesse Krzenski, Environmental Quality Board, 520 Lafayette Road N, Saint Paul, MN 55155).  The EQB will consider all public comments received when determining whether to grant the requested variance at its October 21, 2026 board meeting.

Mile Post 7 West Ridge Railroad Relocation, Dam Progressions, and Stream Mitigation

*This project notice was previously published in the July 28, 2026 EQB Monitor with the end of comment period listed as August 27. The comment period has been extended per the below.

Location (city/township; county): Silver Bay; Lake
Process: EAW
Step: EAW available
End of comment period: September 28, 2026

Project description: Northshore Mining Company proposes to relocate the West Ridge Railroad, progress Dams 1 and 2, construct a Dam 1 rail switchback, and develop a clay borrow site at the Mile Post 7 tailings basin. The project also includes approximately 12,900 linear feet of stream mitigation across four sites.
Mile Post 7 West Ridge Railroad Relocation, Dam Progressions, and Stream Mitigation project link provided by RGU

Location of public documents: DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, Saint Paul, MN 55155

Responsible governmental unit and contact: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Rebecca Horton, 651-259-5122

Brookdale Park Channel Design

Location (city/township; county): Brooklyn Park; Hennepin
Process: EAW
Step: EAW available
End of comment period: September 24, 2026

Project description: The Brookdale Park Channel Design project would re-meander several previously straightened segments of Shingle Creek using a combination of nature-based and stabilization-based solutions and would implement measures to improve water quality, enhance habitats, stabilize shoreline, and increase public recreational access. Project partners include the City of Brooklyn Park, Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commission (SCWMC), and Three Rivers Park District (TRPD). Additional partner funding for this project would also be provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).

Location of public documents: City of Brooklyn Park City Hall, 5200 85th Avenue North,
Brooklyn Park, MN 55443

Responsible governmental unit and contact: City of Brooklyn Park, Mitch Robinson,
763-493-8351

Pelican Point

Location (city/township; county): Lake City; Goodhue
Process: EAW
Step: EAW available
End of comment period: September 24, 2026

Project description: The Pelican Point property has been historically been known as Hanson's Harbor and used as a marina, harbor, office, indoor/outdoor boat storage, boat repair, and a mobile home park. The proposed project is to redevelop the existing property into a campground, bar/off-sale, and recreational area while continuing the marina and boat repair services.

Location of public documents: Goodhue County Government Center, 509 West 5th Street, Red Wing, MN 55066

Public meeting date, time, location: October 6, 2026, 9:00 a.m., Goodhue County Government Center, 509 West 5th Street, Red Wing, MN 55066

Responsible governmental unit and contact: Goodhue County, Megan Smith,
651-385-3103

Jenkins Creek Restoration

Location (city/township; county): Kelsey Township; Saint Louis
Process: EAW
Step: EIS need decision
Responsible governmental unit record of decision date: August 13, 2026

Project description: The proposed project includes the restoration of Jenkins Creek, a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) public water. The project will restore approximately 18,447 linear feet (3.5 miles) of Jenkins Creek to optimal conditions for entrenchment and floodplain connectivity and introduce riffles and lateral scour pools associated with meandering channels.
Jenkins Creek Restoration project link provided by RGU

Location of public documents: St. Louis County Planning and Zoning, 201 South 3rd Avenue West, Virginia, MN 55792

Responsible governmental unit and contact: St. Louis County Planning Department, 
Ryan Logan, 218-471-7622

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.