The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is accepting comments through July 26 on a draft Environmental Impact Statement for a proposal to remove the Grindstone River Dam in Hinckley.
The DNR proposes to remove the dam, which is in poor condition, and restore connectivity to the river channel. This would result in the permanent removal of the 26.6-acre Grindstone Reservoir, which is a public water basin.
Removing the dam would mitigate a safety hazard, remove a barrier to the upstream and downstream movement of fish and other wildlife in the river, and allow for natural sediment transport and greater habitat diversity. The draft EIS evaluates the proposed project and alternatives, and addresses their potential environmental effects.
A copy of the draft EIS is available on the project webpage of the DNR website. The draft EIS is also available for public review at the Hinckley Public Library, 106 1st St. Southeast, Hinckley. A hard copy may be requested by calling 651-259-5122. The draft EIS was published in the Thursday, June 15 Environmental Quality Board Monitor.
Comments must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 26.
- Mailed comments should be sent to the attention of Becky Horton, EAW project manager, Environmental Policy and Review Unit, Ecological and Water Resources Division, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 500 Lafayette Road N, St. Paul, MN 55155.
- Email comments should be sent to environmentalrev.dnr@state.mn.us with “Grindstone EIS” in the subject line.
The DNR will host a public informational meeting and comment opportunity from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 12 at the Hinckley Community Room, 106 1st St. Southeast, Hinckley. The meeting will include details about the project and the EIS process, followed by a public comment session.
Comments received will inform the EIS process. The DNR will respond to comments when it issues the final EIS. The most helpful comments are those that directly address the content of the draft EIS documents and offer specific suggestions on the accuracy and completeness of the information provided.
People who submit comments will receive a copy of the final EIS and responses to comments. Because all comments and related information are part of the public record for this environmental review, commenters’ names and email or postal addresses will also be published and publicly available as they appear in the materials they submit.
