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0 <br />'A E Q <br />cC <br />0 A Citizen's Guide: Commenting on Environmental Review Projects <br />Commenting can: <br />• Help state and local government make informed decisions that may reduce the potential for serious unintended <br />environmental impacts. <br />• Provide information to the RGU that might not be available through other sources. <br />• Ensure that the RGU is addressing specific concerns raised by citizens. <br />• Give a project proposer and the RGU a better understanding of the public perception and concerns about the <br />project. <br />• Lead to voluntary/required modifications, permit conditions or agreements. <br />• May encourage RGUs and project sponsors to consider environmental impacts and citizen concerns earlier in <br />the projects' planning process. <br />• Ultimately result in better projects. <br />Overview <br />During the environmental review process, EAWs, EISs and AUARs require one or more mandatory comment periods <br />that allows the public and other entities to review and submit comments on a project proposal. <br />Below is an example of how the commenting process works: <br />Environmental <br />review document is <br />made ready for <br />public notice. <br />RGU Review and <br />Notification in the Responds to RGU Makes a <br />EQB Monitor Comments Decision <br />1/4 <br />J <br />Finding comment periods <br />The most reliable method for finding out about an environmental review public <br />comment period is reading a notice in the EQB Monitor. The EQB Monitor is <br />published every other Monday and is available on the EQBs' website at: <br />https://www.egb.state.mn.us/eqb-monitor <br />Some other ways to find out about a project include: <br />• Notice on the property <br />• Press release in a local newspaper <br />• On the RGU's website <br />• Receiving a notice from a public interest group following the project <br />• Notifying public or private groups that have an interest in the proposal <br />Length of comment periods <br />RGU Distributes its <br />Final Decision <br />J <br />Helpful tip: <br />Anyone who wants to receive a <br />document has a legal right to do <br />so if they submit a written request <br />to the RGU. However, the RGU <br />may require a reasonable fee for <br />making copies of publicly <br />available documents. <br />Environmental review requires a mandatory period of time during which RGUs can receive public comments. When an <br />EAW, EIS or AUAR is available for comments the dates of the comment period will be listed in the EQB Monitor, <br />•. • <br />2 <br />