PolyMet Mining Inc./NorthMet Project
The public comment period for the Draft EIS ended at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 3, 2010. The DNR and the US Army Corps of Engineers are in the process of reading and responding to all comments. Responses to comments will be included in the Final EIS.
The US Army Corps of Engineers has posted copies of the comments received 
for public viewing.
PolyMet Mining, Inc. (PolyMet) proposes to develop an open pit mine and to refurbish and modify the former LTV Steel Mining taconite ore processing facility to extract copper metal and precipitates of nickel, cobalt and precious metals near Babbitt and Hoyt Lakes in northeastern Minnesota. The DNR and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are preparing a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will satisfy both state and federal environmental review requirements.
The DNR released the Draft EIS for public comment period on Nov. 2 with a notice of availability published in the Nov. 2 issue of the EQB Monitor. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ notice appeared in the Nov. 6 Federal Register. Public information meetings were held on Dec. 9 in Aurora, Minnesota, and on Dec. 10 in Blaine, Minnesota. Both agencies’ comment periods ended at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 3, 2010.
- Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
- Nov. 2 issue of the EQB Monitor
- DNR response to requests for more meetings and longer comment period Jan 15th, 2010 (2 page PDF 17K)
More details regarding the comment period and public meetings are available in the DNR’s Nov. 2 news release and the Dec. 2 news release.
Questions regarding the Draft EIS can be sent to:
Stuart Arkley, EIS Project Manager
Environmental Review Unit
Division of Ecological Resources
Minnesota DNR
500 Lafayette Road
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155-4025
By fax to: 651-297-1500
Or by email to: EnvironmentalRev.Dnr@state.mn.us (be sure to include ‘NorthMet’ in the subject line)
Earlier Stages in the Development of the Draft EIS:
The DNR and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took comments on the proposed EIS scope during a 30-day scoping period that concluded on July 6, 2005. A public scoping meeting was held on June 29, 2005, in Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. The Final Scoping Decision operates as a blueprint for EIS preparation.
This information is available in an alternative format upon request. E-mail the DNR Information Center at info.dnr@state.mn.us or call at (651) 296-6157 or (888) MINNDNR; TTY: (651) 296-5484 or (800) 657-3929.
