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Environmental Review
Implementation Tools : Environmental Review
Under the Minnesota Environmental Review Program, three primary types of environmental review are used to avoid and minimize damage to Minnesota's environmental resources caused by proposed public and private actions. Often environmental review is done after considerable investments have been made in planning and designing a project. Thus, whenever possible, a project's environmental consequences and alternatives should be known, discussed, and resolved before the formal environmental review process.
Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW)
An EAW is a brief document that sets out the basic facts necessary to determine whether impacts are such that an EIS is required for a proposed project. Much of the environmental review done is through EAW's only, increasing the need for each EAW to accurately provide enough information for effectively evaluating and minimizing environmental impacts.
Environmental Impact Statements (EIS)
When a project meets certain conditions, an EIS must be done to provide government decision-makers with more detailed information about the extent of the project's potential environmental impacts and how they may be avoided or minimized. The EIS Scoping process is used to identify significant issues and information that is needed to define the impacts and alternatives. Incomplete scoping and information may result in project delays and may damage the credibility of local officials.
Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR)
Local government may do an AUAR instead of an EAW or EIS in order to examine the development options and consequences of an entire geographic area rather than a specific project. This tool is intended to help local officials review the cumulative impacts of multiple project in a given area. An AUAR must include a mitigation plan.
NR Information Needed for Environmental Review
Usually the local unit of government is the responsible government unit (RGU) which must provide the following natural resource information for each environmental review document - whether it is an EAW, EIS, or AUAR.
- Water bodies (lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands) on, adjacent, or near the project area - using information such as from the National Wetlands Inventory and the DNR protected waters inventory.
- Current and proposed storm water routing, its potential impacts on receiving waters, how the impact may be mitigated.
- Fish and wildlife habitat and potential impacts, including the presence of natural grasslands and woodlands - using information such as land cover data - and the presence of rare plant and animal species and other significant natural features within a mile of the project area - using information from the DNR Natural Heritage database.
- Existing and proposed land cover types (preferably in map and table form) including change in impervious surface area.
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©2004 State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources.
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