Minnesota Steel Project

EIS Determination of Adequacy

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the Responsible Governmental Unit (RGU) for conducting the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Minnesota Steel Industries, LLC, Steel Mill and Taconite Mine Project.

The final EIS responds to timely substantive comments on the draft EIS, and corrects errors in the draft EIS. The final EIS serves as the complete EIS, which documents the analysis of potential impacts associated with an open pit taconite mine, adjacent stockpile areas, and the construction of new facilities - a crusher, concentrator, pellet plant, plant for producing direct reduced iron, and a steel mill consisting of two electric arc furnaces, two ladle furnaces, two thin slab casters, a hot strip rolling mill, and construction of a new tailings basin on the site of the former Butler facility tailings basin. Minnesota Steel would utilize new and existing haul roads to transport overburden, waste rock, and lean ore to the stockpile area and taconite ore from the mine to the crusher.

The DNR has determined the EIS to be adequate pursuant to Minnesota Rules, part 4410.2800, subpart 4:

1. addresses the potentially significant issues and alternatives raised in scoping so that all significant issues for which information can be reasonably obtained have been analyzed in conformance with part 4410.2300, items G and H;
2. provides responses to the substantive comments received during the draft EIS review concerning issues raised in scoping; and
3. was prepared in compliance with the procedures of the act and parts 4410.0200 to 4410.6500.

Questions regarding the EIS may be directed to:
Steve Colvin, Supervisor
Environmental Policy & Review Unit
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Division of Ecological and Water Resources
500 Lafayette Road, Box 25
St. Paul, MN 55155-4025
Phone: (651) 259-5082

EIS Record of Decision

• Findings of Fact  (169 kb)
• Exhibit A - Final EIS Response to Comments  (240 kb)
• Final EIS Comment Letters (1)  (4.5 mb)
• Final EIS Comment Letters (2)  (6.9 mb)
• Final EIS Comment Letters (3)  (4.3 mb)
• Final EIS Comment Letters (4)  (719 kb)
• Final EIS Comment Letters (5)  (4.5 mb)
• Final EIS Comment Letters (6)  (3.5 mb)
• Final EIS Comment Letters (7)  (500 kb)

Final Environmental Impact Statement

• Draft Final EIS Text 1  (5.6mb)
• Draft Final EIS Text 2  (3.4mb)


• Figure 1.1  (1.2mb)
• Figure 1.2  (4.0mb)
• Figure 3.1  (3.1mb)
• Figure 3.2  (4.0mb)
• Figure 3.3  (3.6mb)
• Figure 4.1.1  (3.9mb)
• Figure 4.1.2  (3.5mb)
• Figure 4.1.3  (3.5mb)
• Figure 4.1.4  (3.4mb)
• Figure 4.1.5  (3.4mb)
• Figure 4.1.6  (3.4mb)
• Figure 4.1.7  (3.5mb)
• Figure 4.1.8  (3.5mb)
• Figure 4.1.9  (3.4mb)
• Figure 4.3.1  (4.5mb)
• Figure 4.7.1  (198kb)
• Figure 4.7.2  (4.0mb)
• Figure 4.7.3  (1.7mb)
• Figure 4.8.1  (3.4mb)
• Figure 4.10.1  (101kb)
• Figure 5.1.1  (236kb)
• Figure 5.7.1  (461kb)
• Figure 5.8.1  (278kb)
• Figure 5.8.2  (274kb)
• Figure 6.1.1  (3.9mb)
• Figure 6.2.1  (3.7mb)
• Figure 6.5.1  (3.3mb)
• Figure 6.11.1  (4.0mb)
• Figure 6.12.1  (4.0mb)
• Figure 6.13.1  (4.0mb)
• Appendix A  (231kb)
• Appendix B  (12kb)
• Appendix C  (12kb)
• Appendix D  (5.7mb)
• Appendix E  (5.5mb)
• Appendix F  (44kb)
• Appendix G  (55kb)
• Appendix H  (9.7mb)
• Appendix I  (42kb)
• Appendix J  (1.1mb)
• Appendix K  (156kb)
• Appendix L  (81kb)
• Appendix M (1)  (5.0mb)
• Appendix M (2)  (6.6mb)
• Appendix M (3)  (3.9mb)
• Appendix M (4)  (8.1mb)
• Appendix M (5)  (4.7mb)
• Appendix M (6)  (6.2mb)
• Appendix N  (27kb)
• Appendix O  (121kb)

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

• Draft EIS Text-1  (5.0mb)
• Draft EIS Text-2  (2.9mb)


• Figure 1.1  (1.6mb)
• Figure 1.2  (3.9mb)
• Figure 3.1  (1.6mb)
• Figure 3.2  (3.9mb)
• Figure 3.3  (3.6mb)
• Figure 4.1.1  (3.9mb)
• Figure 4.1.2  (3.5mb)
• Figure 4.1.3  (3.5mb)
• Figure 4.1.4  (3.4mb)
• Figure 4.1.5  (3.4mb)
• Figure 4.1.6  (3.4mb)
• Figure 4.1.7  (3.5mb)
• Figure 4.1.8  (3.5mb)
• Figure 4.1.9  (3.6mb)
• Figure 4.3.1  (4.4mb)
• Figure 4.7.1  (245kb)
• Figure 4.7.2  (4.0mb)
• Figure 4.7.3  (258kb)
• Figure 4.7.4  (1.2mb)
• Figure 4.8.1  (3.4mb)
• Figure 4.10.1  (245kb)
• Figure 5.1.1  (250kb)
• Figure 5.7.1  (458kb)
• Figure 5.8.1  (424kb)
• Figure 5.8.2  (419kb)
• Figure 6.1.1  (3.9mb)
• Figure 6.2.1  (3.8mb)
• Figure 6.5.1  (3.3mb)
• Figure 6.11.1  (4.0mb)
• Figure 6.12.1  (4.0mb)
• Figure 6.13.1  (3.9mb)
• Appendix A  (382kb)
• Appendix B  (11kb)
• Appendix C  (2.6mb)
• Appendix D  (357kb)
• Appendix E  (5.6kmb)
• Appendix F  (235kb)
• Appendix G  (277kb)
• Appendix H - 1  (3.8mb)
• Appendix H - 2  (5.7mb)
• Appendix I  (221kb)
• Appendix J  (1.2mb)

Final Scoping Decision

• Final Scoping Decision Document  (261Kb)


• EIS Scoping Procedures and Response to Comments  (703Kb)

Final Scoping Environmental Assessment Worksheet

• Final Scoping EAW  (2.7mb)



 
• Figure 5-1  (2.3mb)
• Figure 5-2  (2.3mb)
• Figure 5-3  (2.3mb)
• Figure 5-4  (2.3mb)
• Figure 6-1  (23kb)
• Figure 9-1  (2.3mb)
• Figure 9-2  (2.3mb)
• Figure 9-3  (2.3mb)
• Figure 9-4  (2.3mb)
• Figure 9-5  (2.3mb)
• Figure 12-1  (2.3mb)
• Figure 12-2  (2.1mb)
• Figure 12-3  (2.2mb)
• Figure 12-4  (2.2mb)
• Figure 12-5  (2.2mb)
• Figure 12-6  (2.3mb)
• Figure 13-1  (2.3mb)
• Figure 13-2  (2.3mb)
• Figure 13-3-1  (69kb)
• Figure 13-3-2  (93kb)
• Figure 13-3-3  (75kb)
• Figure 13-3-4  (72kb)
• Figure 13-3-5  (77kb)
• Figure 13-3-6  (91kb)
• Figure 13-3-7  (110kb)
• Figure 19-1  (2.3mb)
• Figure 23-1  (714kb)
• Figure 24-1  (22kb)



 
• Table 12-1  (14kb)
• Table 13-1  (18kb)
• Table 13-2  (18kb)
• Table 13-3  (26kb)
• Table 18-1  (27kb)
• Table 18-2  (73kb)
• Table 18-3  (51kb)
• Table 19-1  (96kb)
• Table 20-2  (181kb)
• Table 23-2  (19kb)

This information is available in an alternative format upon request. E-mail the DNR Information Center at [email protected] or call at (651) 296-6157 or (888) MINNDNR.