Proposed Minnesota Waste Injection Well

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has invited residents of Crow Wing County, Minnesota and surrounding area to comment on a proposed permit for a waste injection well. EPA has proposed issuing an injection well permit to Cooperative Mineral Resources of Brainerd, Minnesota so that it can test the feasibility of injecting water underground to mine iron-manganese ore. EPA seeks comments from the public before making a final decision on the permit.

The public comment period will run through June 25, 2010.

Caltha LLP provides expert consulting services to public and private sector clients nationwide to address Environmental Review and Environmental Impact Assessment.

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Smart Growth Workshop in Iowa

The City of Waverly, Iowa, will host a workshop and open house on May 26-27, to solicit input from residents on how the community should determine future growth. The events are designed to explore “Smart Growth” solutions for future community planning efforts.

“Smart Growth” planning is a concept that guides future development decision-making in ways that enhance economic opportunity, protect environmental resources and public health, and enhance the quality of life for citizens. For Waverly, “Smart Growth” will also examine how the community can become better prepared to withstand flooding.

Through such events, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Rural Development, the Rebuild Iowa Office and the Iowa Department of Economic Development are cooperating to assist flood-impacted Iowa communities that have expressed the desire to rebuild using the EPA Smart Growth Planning Program.

The workshop will allow participants to hear from national experts about preliminary design recommendations for neighborhoods around Waverly. Participants will be able to make comments and provide feedback on the designs. There will also be a discussion about Iowa’s Smart Planning Principles and how they can be applied in Waverly.

Caltha LLP provides expert consulting services to public and private sector clients nationwide to address Environmental Review and Environmental Impact Assessment.

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EPA Dioxin Toxicity Report Released For Review

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its draft scientific report, “Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments”. The draft dioxin report is EPA’s response to key comments and recommendations made by the National Academy of Sciences on the agency’s draft dioxin reassessment. The draft report will now undergo scientific peer review by independent, external experts as well as public review and comment.

EPA previously asked the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to review EPA’s 2003 draft dioxin reassessment. The NAS completed its review in 2006. The draft report contains the agency’s response to key comments and recommendations in the NAS’s 2006 report. EPA’s draft report also includes significant new analyses that relate to potential cancer and non-cancer human health effects that may result from exposures to dioxins. This draft dioxin report includes an oral reference dose (RfD) for TCDD -- the most well-studied and considered to be among the most toxic of the dioxin-like compounds. An RfD was not in the 2003 draft dioxin reassessment.

EPA’s draft scientific report will now undergo external peer review by an expert panel of scientists convened by EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) in July 2010. Public comments on this draft report are being requested, and the Federal Register Notice provides details on how to submit comments.

Caltha LLP provides expert consulting services to public and private sector clients nationwide to address Environmental Review and Environmental Impact Assessment.

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Minnesota EQB 60 Day Rule

With some exceptions, Minnesota Statute 15.99 requires that an agency must approve or deny within 60 days a written request relating to some specific types petitions. Failure of an agency to deny a request within 60 days is approval of the request. If an agency denies the request, it must state in writing the reasons for the denial at the time that it denies the request.

The “sixty day rule” (MN Statute 15.99) does not apply to projects that are going through the environmental review process. Because environmental review decisions can often take months (and in some cases years) to be reached, environmental review is one of the exceptions to the rule. The clock stops ticking on the “sixty day rule” until environmental review has been completed and, once environmental review has been completed, the clock is reset at 60 days.

Caltha LLP provides expert consulting services to public and private sector clients nationwide to address Environmental Review and Environmental Impact Assessment.

Caltha Environmental Review Website