Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Cottage Grove Council deems Nelson Mine EIS adequate for permitting after heated public comment
Summary
After hours of public comment and appeals from environmental groups and neighbors, the Cottage Grove City Council voted to deem the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for MRIs' proposed Nelson (Backwaters) Mine adequate to inform permitting agencies, while stressing the determination does not authorize mining.
COTTAGE GROVE, Minn. — The Cottage Grove City Council on Nov. 5 voted to deem the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for MRIs' proposed Nelson (Backwaters) Mine adequate for use by permitting agencies, after residents and conservation groups urged the council to reject the document and seek more study.
The council's action was procedural: the city, serving as the Responsible Government Unit (RGU), determined the EIS compiles potential impacts for agencies such as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but does not grant permits or allow mining to begin.
The decision followed a lengthy public-comment period in which residents, tribal representatives and regional environmental organizations warned that the EIS omits key analyses and understates legal constraints. The executive director of Friends of…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
