February 2016
State Issues Decision on EIS Adequacy
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
After publication of the Final EIS, the public will have 30 days to comment to DNR on the adequacy of the document. Under state law, the criteria for determining adequacy are whether the environmental review addressed the issues identified in scoping, met EIS procedural requirements, and responded to substantive comments received on the Draft and Supplemental Draft EIS. To be relevant to the state's adequacy decision, public comments on the Final EIS should address these three adequacy criteria. After considering comments on the Final EIS, the DNR issues a Record of Decision on the adequacy of the EIS. If the EIS is determined adequate, the environmental review process is complete. The adequacy decision does not authorize or approve the project. The project would still need to receive local, state and federal approvals and permits in order to proceed.
2015 - 2016
Federal Agencies' Records of Decision
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Notification of the availability of the Final EIS is published in the Federal Register. The Final EIS is provided for Cooperating Agency review, and is available to the public for information and disclosure. There is no formal public comment period associated with the Final EIS document.
U.S. Forest Service
Shortly after the Notice of Availability for the Final EIS is published in the Federal Register, the USFS will publish a draft Record of Decision for the land exchange. A 45-day objection period will begin after the USFS issues the draft Record of Decision. The objection process is governed by regulations at 36 C.F.R. Part 218. The draft Record of Decision and details regarding the objection process will be posted on the Superior National Forest website. Following resolution of any objections submitted in response to the draft Record of Decision, the USFS will issue a final Record of Decision that describes the USFS decision on the land exchange.