Latest news with #stormwater
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Oakdale PFAS project would divert water around former 3M dump
State officials are accepting comments on the environmental impacts of a project proposed by 3M Corp. to collect surface water upstream of a dump in Oakdale in order to reduce polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in stormwater discharge from the site. The Abresch Disposal Site is the largest of three former disposal locations that comprise the Oakdale Disposal Site, a state and federal Superfund site. 3M is working with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to remediate soil and groundwater at the site. The project is proposed to further reduce PFAS impacts to stormwater discharge from the site, according to an environmental review of the project. The proposed project would collect surface water upstream of the site and divert it to a three-acre flood-retention basin, where water would then be reintroduced into the natural flow of the watershed, according to the environmental assessment worksheet. A three-quarter-mile conveyance pipe would bypass the Abresch Disposal Site, thus bypassing PFAS detected within the site, according to the EAW. 'This would reduce the discharge of PFAS in surface water and improve downstream surface water quality in the Twin Cities east metropolitan area,' the EAW states. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is accepting comments until 4:30 p.m. June 26 on the EAW. A copy of the EAW is available on the project page of the DNR website; a print copy may be requested by calling 651-259-5522. The EAW is also available for public review at the Oakdale Library, the DNR Library and the Minneapolis Central Library. 'An absolute privilege': Darts President Ann Bailey offers advice, reflects on 10 years in Dakota County aging services Mahtomedi school board adds second referendum question to fall ballot Forest Lake detours begin as MnDOT undertakes $17M Highway 97 reconstruction project Forest Lake School Board hears input on possible contentious policy changes artOPENer Studio Tour hits 19 St. Croix Valley stops Comments on the EAW must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. June 26. Email comments should be sent to with '3M surface water diversion' in the subject line. Comments can be mailed to Becky Horton, EAW Project Manager, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 500 Lafayette Road, Box 25, St. Paul, MN 55155-4025. Anyone providing a mailing address or submitting comments via email will receive a copy of the subsequent decision document, which will include responses to comments, according to the DNR. Because all comments and related information are part of the public record for the environmental review, commenters' names and email or postal addresses will be published and publicly available as they appear in the materials commenters submit.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Newton plans to construct detention basin in area known for its flooding
May 31—To be better prepared for the next heavy rainfall event and avoid future flooding along a specific intersection on First Avenue East, the City of Newton is planning to build a detention basin to collect stormwater at a problematic area of town. The proposal was shared in a presentation at the May 19 city council meeting. Public Works Director Joe Grife said it would be a two-phase project that could be bid and constructed in the upcoming fall or winter seasons. In addition to building the 0.75-acre basin, the city would also reconstruct sanitary and storm sewer conflicts in the area, which caused issues during the May 2024 floods. "We had significant flash flooding throughout mostly the northeast part of town," Grife said while showing a picture of the intersection at First Avenue East and 12th Street East near Walgreens and Scooters. "...And if you remember, not long before this event, we had shared our stormwater study." Lo and behold this intersection was one of the locations identified in the study for staff to take a better look at. The storm fueled the city's efforts to find a solution. Public works teamed up with HR Green, a civil engineering company, to create digital modeling of the neighborhood that was heavily affected by the flooding. Using the existing conditions as a base, the digital modeling showed the effects of a 500-year storm in that area. Grife said the models lined up exactly with what the city saw the day of the floods: two to four feet of water on First Avenue and five to six feet of water in the nearby empty lot. Funding for the project would come from urban renewal area TIF funds. The city estimates the first phase of the project will cost $700,000 to construct. The basin would be located on city property north of Walgreens. "So just about 18 months from that storm we're going to be moving dirt out of there and getting some problems solved with that issue," Grife said. "This will be a dry basin. It won't hold water other than during rain events. There won't be any safety issues ... It will be maintained, mowed just like area is now." When the detention basin is built, the severity of the flooding drops dramatically, according to the digital modeling from HR Green. The second phase of the project would upgrade the existing storm sewer and constructs a new concrete box culvert. The second phase would cost $1.8 million. Funding is undetermined. "We'll be upgrading what's existing and building some new ones," Grife said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Walkersville cuts stormwater projects, uses money from savings to fill budget gap
Walkersville will cut $400,000 in stormwater funds and shift more than $400,000 from the town's savings to help close a nearly million-dollar gap in the town's budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The town's commissioners voted 4-1 Wednesday night to approve the fiscal year 2026 budget, which begins July 1. The budget keeps the town's property tax rate of 14 cents per $100,000 of assessed value the same. Commissioners Tom Gilbert, Betsey Whitmore Brannen, Russ Winch, and Chris Ragen voted in favor of the budget, with Commissioner Bob Yoder opposed. Yoder said he opposed the proposal because the town should have looked at other expenses to eliminate rather than continuing to take money from savings. The commissioners had faced a $921,548 deficit to balance the town's proposed $6.2 million budget. The proposed budget had $2 million for the town's agreement with the Maryland State Police to provide police protection for the town. But the latest estimate from Maryland State Police was $1.83 million, Town Manager Sean Williams said. After including $70,000 to cover possible overtime costs for the troopers, the additional savings could provide $100,000 in savings, Williams said. The commissioners also voted to eliminate $400,000 out of a proposed $500,000 in stormwater projects, and put the money toward the deficit. Many of the stormwater projects are still in the administrative or developmental stages, and the $500,000 isn't likely to be spent in the upcoming fiscal year, Williams said. The town will transfer $421,548 from about $5.8 million in available savings to cover the rest of the deficit. Yoder, who was elected to the board in September, criticized the decision to draw from savings, pointing to the town's 'astronomical' payments for police and almost $1.2 million in capital projects. The town cannot continue to spend more than it takes in, he said. 'We have to make decisions now, and stop kicking the can down the road,' he said. Former Commissioner Mary Ann Brodie-Ennis was the only member of the public to speak at a public hearing before the budget vote, and expressed concern about taking money from reserves again. Brodie-Ennis, who lost her re-election bid in the September election, said she was also concerned last year, when the commissioners voted to take $1.3 million from savings. Commissioner Tom Gilbert said he shares some concerns about dipping into savings to fill out the budget, and thinks the town will soon have to look at increasing its tax rate. Winch said that, of all of the municipalities in Maryland, Walkersville's tax rate is the 16th lowest in the state. Looking at the town's needs and growth, its expenses will continue to increase, he said. 'I think we've hit that point where we're going to have to have a step increase in taxes,' he said. Whitmore Brannen said she agreed with Yoder that the town will have to look at cutting some capital expenses. Ragen noted that the town voted last year to raise water rates by 20% that year and 3% each of the next four years. After the budget vote, the commissioners approved a motion by Yoder to form a subcommittee to talk about the future of public safety in the town. The vote was 4-1, with Gilbert, Whitmore Brannen, Ragen, and Yoder in support and Winch opposed. Winch said the town knows its options: stay with MSP, create its own police force, or sign a contract with the Frederick County Sheriff's Office for police coverage. Burgess Chad Weddle agreed that the town has examined the issue three or four times over the years. 'We've looked at various things at different times,' he said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Stormwater infiltration basin project underway at Bemidji State
May 30—BEMIDJI — Anyone driving along Bemidji Avenue the past few days has been sure to notice the large-scale project underway near Bemidji State's John Glas Fieldhouse. In 2023, the Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources awarded the Beltrami County Soil and Water Conservation District a Clean Water Fund grant for $228,300 to support a stormwater project that would further protect Lake Bemidji. Now, the project is in the construction stage, and the field adjacent to the John Glas is the backdrop. The project is a joint effort between the city of Bemidji, BSU and Beltrami County's SWCD to improve the area's water basin. This improved water basin, situated under BSU's intramural ballfields along Bemidji Avenue, will filter and treat stormwater before it enters Lake Bemidji. It should also help alleviate flooding. "(The project will) keep an estimated 58 pounds of phosphorus and 22,841 pounds of total suspended solids out of the lake each year," according to the BSWR. "The planned subsurface stormwater treatment system will help the watershed partnership — comprised of Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard and Itasca Counties and SWCDs — accomplish 25% of its 224-pounds-a-year phosphorus reduction goal for Lake Bemidji." The SWCD also made $68,000 in Enbridge funds available to the BSU Sustainability Office for two related projects on campus — a stormwater retention basin on the site of a solar array, and a rain garden along Bemidji Avenue — which were both completed in 2024. The project utilizes space absorbed from the Oak Hall parking lot, from which 27 asphalt spaces were removed. The basin is designed to handle roughly 25% of the stormwater runoff from the lot. Even with the loss of spaces, Oak Hill remains the largest lot on campus, with 455 available parking spaces. According to the agreement approved by all sides, BSU will monitor and maintain the water basin and rain garden for 10 years.
BBC News
25-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Matlock roads set to close for water maintenance works
A number of roads in Matlock are to close to allow water maintenance works to go Trent Water says Bank Road between Crown Square and the junction of Imperial Road will be closed for four weeks from 2 June along with a section of Lime utility works will also close Dale Road from 2 June to 20 County Council said the Dale Road closure would affect services calling at Matlock bus station and alternative stops will be announced shortly. Severn Trent said the Bank Road closure is to allow preliminary ground investigations to see if the planned installation of a stormwater storage tank under the Lido car park is "viable".During heavy rainfall, the firm said the capacity of its pipes had become "inundated" which sometimes caused water to spill into local water will be a welfare unit and working area set up within the town's Lido Car Park from 27 May for approximately six weeks."This work is in the early design and assessment stages, with construction work not anticipated to start for several months at the earliest", a Severn Trent spokesperson Patch, Community Communications Officer at Severn Trent, said: "We know that road closures can be disruptive and we only request them when absolutely necessary to help keep our team and road users safe."We'd like to apologise for any inconvenience and thank everyone in advance for their patience while we complete these works."
