Minn. R. agency 141, ch. 4410, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, pt. 4410.2300
Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 17, October 21, 2024
Part 4410.2300 - CONTENT OF EIS An EIS shall be written in plain and objective language. An RGU shall use a format for an EIS that will encourage good analysis and clear presentation of the proposed action including alternatives to the project. The standard format shall be:
A. Cover sheet: the cover sheet shall include:(2) the title of the proposed project that is the subject of the statement and, if appropriate, the titles of related actions, together with each county or other jurisdictions, if applicable, where the project is located;(3) the name, address, and telephone number of the person at the RGU who can supply further information;(4) the name and address of the proposer and the name, address, and telephone number of the proposer's representative who can supply further information;(5) a designation of the statement as a draft, final, or supplement;(6) a one paragraph abstract of the EIS; and(7) if appropriate, the date of the public meeting on the draft EIS and the date following the meeting by which comments on the draft EIS must be received by the RGU.B. Summary: the summary shall stress the major findings, areas of controversy, and the issues to be resolved including the choice among alternatives.C. Table of contents: the table shall be used to assist readers to locate material.D. List of preparers: this list shall include the names and qualifications of the persons who were primarily responsible for preparing the EIS or significant background papers.E. Project description: the proposed project shall be described with no more detail than is absolutely necessary to allow the public to identify the purpose of the project, its size, scope, environmental setting, geographic location, and the anticipated phases of development.F. Governmental approvals: this section shall list all known governmental permits and approvals required including identification of the governmental unit which is responsible for each permit or approval. Those permits for which all necessary information has been gathered and presented in the EIS shall be identified.G. Alternatives: the EIS shall compare the potentially significant impacts of the proposal with those of other reasonable alternatives to the proposed project. The EIS must address one or more alternatives of each of the following types of alternatives or provide a concise explanation of why no alternative of a particular type is included in the EIS: alternative sites, alternative technologies, modified designs or layouts, modified scale or magnitude, and alternatives incorporating reasonable mitigation measures identified through comments received during the comment periods for EIS scoping or for the draft EIS. An alternative may be excluded from analysis in the EIS if it would not meet the underlying need for or purpose of the project, it would likely not have any significant environmental benefit compared to the project as proposed, or another alternative, of any type, that will be analyzed in the EIS would likely have similar environmental benefits but substantially less adverse economic, employment, or sociological impacts. Alternatives included in the scope of the EIS as established under part 4410.2100 that were considered but eliminated based on information developed through the EIS analysis shall be discussed briefly and the reasons for their elimination shall be stated. The alternative of no action shall be addressed.H. Environmental, economic, employment, and sociological impacts: for the proposed project and each major alternative there shall be a thorough but succinct discussion of potentially significant adverse or beneficial effects generated, be they direct, indirect, or cumulative. Data and analyses shall be commensurate with the importance of the impact and the relevance of the information to a reasoned choice among alternatives and to the consideration of the need for mitigation measures; the RGU shall consider the relationship between the cost of data and analyses and the relevance and importance of the information in determining the level of detail of information to be prepared for the EIS. Less important material may be summarized, consolidated, or simply referenced. The EIS shall identify and briefly discuss any major differences of opinion concerning significant impacts of the proposed project on the environment.I. Mitigation measures: this section shall identify those measures that could reasonably eliminate or minimize any adverse environmental, economic, employment, or sociological effects of the proposed project.J. Appendix: if a RGU prepares an appendix to an EIS the appendix shall include, when applicable: (1) material prepared in connection with the EIS, as distinct from material which is not so prepared and which is incorporated by reference;(2) material which substantiates any analysis fundamental to the EIS; and(3) permit information that was developed and gathered concurrently with the preparation of the EIS. The information may be presented on the permitting agency's permit application forms. The appendix may reference information for the permit included in the EIS text or the information may be included within the appendix, as appropriate. If the permit information cannot conveniently be incorporated into the EIS, the EIS may simply indicate the location where the permit information may be reviewed.Minn. R. agency 141, ch. 4410, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, pt. 4410.2300
Statutory Authority: MS s 116D.04; 116D.045