The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public input on a draft environmental assessment that addresses a request by Minnesota Power to cross two parcels of Service interest land for construction of the company’s Great Northern Transmission Line. The lands, located in Roseau and Lake of the Woods counties, Minnesota, are owned by the Service but managed by the state of Minnesota.
The draft environmental assessment focuses specifically on potential impacts of the Service either granting permission for the transmission line to cross these lands, or the anticipated impacts of requiring Minnesota Power to avoid those lands.
An environmental impact statement for construction of the United States portion of the Great Northern Transmission Line has already been developed jointly by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Minnesota Department of Commerce and can be found at: http://energy.gov/nepa/downloads/eis-0499-final-environmental-impact-statement.
The overall line will run from a crossing at the international border in Roseau County to Minnesota Power’s Iron Range substation near Grand Rapids in Itasca County. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved a route for the line in a written order issued April 11, 2016.
The draft environmental assessment can be found on the Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge’s website at: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/agassiz/. Hard copies of the draft are also available for review at Agassiz Headquarters (22996 290th Street NE, Middle River, Minnesota 56737-9653) and at the following city libraries: Roseau, Warroad and Baudette.
Comments can be submitted via e-mail to: GNTLcomments@fws.gov or by traditional mail to: Comment on GNTL EA, Agassiz NWR, 22996 290th Street NE, Middle River, MN 56737-9653. Comments need to be submitted by July 28, 2016. If you have questions on the draft environmental assessment, please contact Craig Mowry, Refuge Manager, at 218-449-4115 x201.
