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1, . <br />EXHIBIT C <br />Overv iew of EAW/EIS Process <br />The Minnesota Environmental Review Program authorized by Minn. Stat. section 116D.04 and 116D.045 <br />was created to avoid and minimize damage to Minnesota ’s environmental resources caused by public and <br />privare development. It does this by requiring that proposed actions which have or may have the potential <br />for significant environmental effects undergo a special review process intended to disclose information <br />so that those effects can be assessed, and ways to minimize or avoid any significant impacts can be <br />identified. <br />The two review procedures used by this program are the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) <br />and the Envi'-onmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EAW is intended to screen projects which "may have <br />the potential ;or significant environmental effects" to determine if they actually do. If the answer turns out <br />to be "yes", then an EIS must also be prepared. <br />The rules establish Mandatory EAW, Mandatory EIS and Exemption categories for the various types of <br />projects. These categories are often distinguished by thresholds or levels of construction or expansion, such <br />that a small project of a certain type may be exempt from review but a large project of the same type may <br />fall into a "mandatory" category. <br />Projects which fit neither a mandatory or exemption category can be subjected to a 'Discretionary EAW <br />which may be initiated by action of the responsible governmental unit absent a citizen petition, or shall be <br />initiated upon citizen petition pursuant to the Rules. Citizens can only petition for an EAW, they cannot <br />petition for an EIS. A project that falls into an ’exempt' category shall not be subject to an EAW or EIS, <br />nor to a discretionary EAW, even if the RGU or citizen petition requests it.