The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) will host a public informational meeting to discuss the draft environmental review and water-quality permit for a proposal to build a new Maple Lake/Annandale Wastewater Treatment Facility. The meeting will be from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, May 27, at Maple Lake High School, 200 State Hwy. 55 E. in Maple Lake. The public comment period on the draft Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) and permit will run concurrently from May 10-June 9. The proposed facility would treat wastewater for both cities, which have aging wastewater treatments plants that are reaching current design capacity. The proposed facility would be able to treat more than one million gallons of wastewater daily, and would allow for future population increases or development. The proposal varies from one that was previously submitted to the MPCA for environmental review. It is proposed to discharge the treated water directly to the North Fork of the Crow River. During the meeting, MPCA staff will describe the environmental review process and discuss the EAW that was completed for the proposed facility. Staff will also provide an overview of the federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System/ State Disposal System (water quality) permit that will set operating conditions and limit pollutants from the plant. Citizens can review and comment on the EAW and permit during the 30-day comment period. The MPCA will evaluate the comments, integrate appropriate comments into the draft documents, and determine whether a more significant environmental review, an Environmental Impact Statement, is warranted. Copies of the EAW and draft permit are available for review at: o MPCA St. Paul Office, 520 Lafayette Rd. N. o Wright County Courthouse, 10 Second St. NW, Buffalo. o Annandale Branch Library, 20 Cedar St. E, Annandale. o Buffalo Branch Library, 18 NW Lake Blvd., Buffalo. o MPCA Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us/news/eaw/index. html. Those interested may also request a copy of these documents by calling Gail Skowronek at (651) 296-7398. Comments on the EAW and draft permit should be submitted to the MPCA in writing by 4:30 p.m. June 9. EAW comments should be submitted to Dana Vanderbosch, Operations and Environmental Review Section, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 520 Lafayette Rd. N, St. Paul, MN 55155-4194, or fax to (651) 297-2343. Water-quality permit comments should be submitted to David Sahli, P.E., Regional Environmental Management Division, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 520 Lafayette Rd. N., St. Paul, MN 55155-4194, or fax to (651) 297-2343. For more information about the May 27 public information meeting, contact Katherine Carlson, MPCA Public Information Office toll-free/TTY (800) 657-3864, or e-mail katherine.carlson@pca.state mn.us.
