1996-10-24_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

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35,R .~:;= - ~1`.: ~. -. ~... '= 3-. a., . - y'.= ,. Spring/Summer 1998 WATER TALK _ °~ r ~ =- . s .Page..-I l ...cantinued from previous page ~ - ~ _ meeting was conducted this spring to begin the - As an initial program development effort, the "State of Minnesota Nonpoint Source Pollution Existing Controls and Programs, Lake Superior Watershed Report" (1995) was drafted and presented to the National Office of Atmospheric Administration tNUAA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for review. The Pollution Control Agency is taking the lead in addressing nonpoint programs as they relate to the Coastal Resource Management Program. Another report has been drafted which documents all of Minnesota's resource management authorities, policies, and programs as they relate to the coastal area of Lake Superior. This document will be the basis for a coastal program in Minnesota. The draft has been reviewed and comments about accu- racy and comprehensiveness are requested from the State and Local Agency Coordinating Committee. "Federal Consistency" is another element of the Coastal Resource Management Program which requires federal actions within the coastal boundary or effect coastal waters to meet the state coastal program standards. Therefore, a Federal Scoping dialog with federal agencies about existing activities and permit processes which will need to be consid- : '_ Bred in the development of a coastal program for Minnesota. - The program development effort is structured using extensive public and locaUstate/federal agency ; participation and includes work groups, newsletters, - fact sheets, a speaker's bureau, a Local and State Coordinating Committee, press releases, open house sessions, special presentations, and a sincere effort to record and respond to community concerns. Two Work Groups (made up of local and. state leadership/mterest areas) have been formed to make recommendations on key issues related to the coastal program. One group will evaluate a boundary for the coastal program (funds can only be used within this geographic area). The second Work Group will make recommendations on program administra- tion and implementation, including methods of setting program priorities, funding disbursement, and evaluating the coastal program. The Work Groups met for an orientation session in June and will be developing recommendations through the Fall of 1996. T'he above process, reports, and recommen- dations will be compiled into a single document, once public and agency review and comments have been incorporated. into each element of the program. It is anticipated that the draft revisions of this major document will be completed as a Hearing Document by Winter 1997 with an initial public hearing sched- uled for Spring of 1997. At that time, should the decision. be made to continue with program develop- ment (based upon results from the final public hearing scheduled for Fall 1997) the document begins a long process of draft and final environmen- tal impact statement publications, hearings, comment periods, and approvals, both on a state and federal level. It is anticipated that a final program approval process would be completed by early 1998. The process of developing a Coastal. Re- source Management Program is a long process and one which encourages broad participation from those who administer resource programs and those who are affected by them. For more information about the program or if you wish to become actively involved, please contact: Jeannie Daniels, DNR Waters, 120 State Rd, Two Harbors, Minnesota 55616 -218/834- 6626 or 6620 - e-mail: jedaniel@.mr.net . Manitou Fails {photo courtesy ofi John. Amren)