ST. LOUIS RIVER AREA OF CONCERN UPDATES: MNDNR accepting comments on environmental documents for Perch Lake Habitat Restoration Project
MNDNR accepting comments on environmental documents for Perch Lake Habitat Restoration Project
Environmental assessment open for public comment from April 5 through May 5.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is accepting comments through May 5 on an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for a proposal to restore aquatic and wetland habitat in the St. Louis River estuary.
The estuary is a waterbody designated by the DNR as a resource of Outstanding Biological Significance located within the St. Louis River Area of Concern. The Perch Lake Habitat Restoration Project would address existing habitat impairments by excavating accumulated sediment and organic deposits in Perch Lake to restore deep water habitat, increase dissolved oxygen concentrations and improve overall water quality.
The installation of a 16- by 12-foot culvert between Perch Lake and the St. Louis River would improve hydrologic connectivity and aquatic organism passage, revitalizing the connection between the waterbodies with increased flow volumes, improved access to overwintering habitat for fish and reduced water residence time in Perch Lake.
Copies of the EAW are available on the project page. Additional copies may be requested by calling 651-259-5723. Hard copies of the EAW are available for public review at:
Duluth Public Library, 221 West First Street, Duluth
Carlton Public Library, 310 Chestnut Ave., Carlton
The EAW was published in the April 5 EQB Monitor (link is external). Mailed comments on the EAW must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 5 to the attention of Sara Mielke, DNR Ecological and Water Resources Division, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4025.
Comments via email should be sent to environmentalrev.dnr@state.mn.us (link sends email) with “Perch Lake” in the subject line. People who submit comments will receive a copy of the decision document, which includes 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 be published and publicly available as they appear in the materials they submit.
