Public Information/Environmental Scoping Meeting

Home Browse Search

Participate and Comment Once you know of a public meeting that you're interested in.... attend and participate! Meetings typically include a discussion of the proposed project and opportunities to ask questions and make comments and suggestions. Importantly, this is your chance to propose alternate routes and sites that should be studied in the environmental review. If you think there's a better route for a transmission line or a better location for a power plant, then propose your alternative. If you don't propose an alternative for the PUC to consider, they can't permit it—i.e., if you don't put your suggestion into the hat, it can't be picked. There is always a comment period after a meeting, typically about 10 days. So, if you think of a suggestion or an alternative after the meeting, you can send it to the project manager. Make sure you get your comments in by the comment period deadline! All meeting notices will include the date of the deadline. Intervention— Becoming a Party Another way to participate in the permitting process is to intervene in a contested case hearing and become a party to the hearing. Not every permitting process has a contested case hearing, but many do. Requests to intervene and become a party must be directed to the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) for the hearing. You can find out who the ALJ is and how to intervene by reading the judge's pre-hearing order for the docket. You can find the pre-hearing order on the eDockets webpage. Environmental Review Documents If there is an environmental review document produced for a project (e.g., an environmental impact statement), it will be posted on the project docket page. You can download and read the document. Hearings Many permitting processes include a public hearing after the environmental review document is issued. A hearing is basically a more formal public meeting. It is often presided over by an Administrative Law Judge. Public hearings require public notice, so if you've signed up for mail or electronic notices, you will be good to go. Once you know of a public hearing that you're interested in ... attend and participate! Citizens can ask questions, submit exhibits, and make comments. There will be a comment period after the hearing and instructions on how to send comments to the judge. Public Utilities Commission Meetings After all the meetings, environmental review, and hearings, there is a substantial record on which the PUC can make a permit decision. You can attend PUC meetings and add your comments to the Commissioners' deliberations. Notice of the PUC meeting at which permit issuance will be considered is mailed to those persons on the project contact list. Contacts— For Help and Information If you have questions about any project or the permitting process in general, you can contact Office of Energy Security (OES) and PUC staff directly. Project dockets on the Energy Facilities webpage provide contact information for a project manager and public advisor. These are OES staff persons who are managing the permitting process; they can help answer questions about participating in the process. Additionally, you can contact PUC energy facilities permitting staff with questions. Minnesota Dept. of Commerce Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Office of Energy Security 121 7th Place East, Suite 350 85 7th Place East, Suite 500 Saint Paul, MN 55101-2147 Saint Paul, MN 55101 Local: 651-296-7124 651-296-4026 Toll Free: 1-800-657-3782 http://energvfacilities.puc.state.mn.us http://www.puc.state.mn.us Version 4.0 2