Milestone Materials announced on April 6 that an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) is now available for public review regarding its proposed construction aggregate mining operations at the Highland Quarry property in Wabasha County, Minnesota.
The EAW process is important because it allows government agencies and the public to evaluate potential environmental impacts of the project before further steps are taken. The proposed mining activities would include extracting and processing limestone aggregates through blasting, crushing, stockpiling, and sales.
According to Milestone Materials, the EAW provides information about possible effects on water resources, geology, historic properties, air quality, noise levels, as well as wildlife and plant communities. The company said that comments from concerned parties will be collected through May 8. “The review process allows agencies and concerned parties to review the Worksheet and register official comments,” Milestone Materials said.
The full Environmental Assessment Worksheet can be accessed online or by contacting Wabasha County Planning & Zoning. Comments may be submitted by email or mail using contact details provided by county officials.
Once all comments have been received through the EAW process, responses will be prepared for each concern raised. The Wabasha County Board of Commissioners will then determine if a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required for the project. Additionally, feedback from this process may help guide final design decisions for Highland Quarry’s development.
