Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 10/15/2018

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the Minnesota Department of Health in January 2010. The City will continue to work to implement these measures. Within WHPA5, the use of conventional underground storage tanks to store anything other than water is restricted. If underground tanks are utilized in these areas they must be double -walled with interstitial sensors and a network of monitoring wells must be installed to assess potential groundwater contamination. In addition, an emergency response plan should be developed for the immediate remediation of any spills or leaky tanks. The City will continue to work to implement these measures. When assembling the issues that were to be addressed as part of this AUAR, it was noted by the Anoka Conservation District and by the DNR that there is a possible connection between the increased demand for municipal groundwater and the observed lowering of wetlands in the vicinity of Municipal Wells 3, 4 and 5. Appendix F was prepared to assess the general magnitude of the problem and the solutions required to address the issue. It is now apparent that the wetlands in question experience natural drying during periods of relative low precipitation. The photographic history included as part of the Wetland Delineation report shows wetlands in the vicinity of the COR site disappearing during the mid to late 1980's which is prior to the development of the municipal wells. This same phenomenon occurs again in the mid to late 1990's and prior to the installation of Wells 4 and 5. The evaluation also found, as stated earlier, that drawdown levels in the FIG (Franconia Ironton -Galesville) unit are minimal and, therefore, could not be influencing the wetlands. To verify these finding, however, it is recommended that long term monitoring be performed. The City will continue to work to implement these measures. There is also some concern that increased pumping in the FIG aquifer could impact private wells that pump from this aquifer. Again, the residual drawdown levels in the FIG average 5- to 10-feet during the peak summer pumping period (Appendix F) and recover fully during the Fall, Winter and Spring. Therefore, the radius of influence of the wells will be very small meaning there could be no impacts to private wells developed in the same unit. Before additional wells are constructed, additional appropriations will be applied for through the DNR. This will most likely require both short- and long-term testing and monitoring to verify the above findings. Through this process, the City can insure that there continue to be no impacts on groundwater and surface resources due to their appropriations from the FIG. Permits were secured for previous projects and will be obtained for future projects. Item 14 Mitigation Element. The Ramsey 2001 Comprehensive Plan was amended in 2002 and contains the measures needed to effectively implement resource protection for all of the resource protection zones adjacent to the COR site. Although Chapter XI of the Ramsey 2001 Comprehensive Plan contains a thorough set of policies and related actions to protect the natural character of the Critical Area, the Chapter does not contain a specific provision addressing control of noise in this area. The next amendments to the City Plan will add a specific provision to address this specific element in Executive Order 79-19. The 2030 Comprehensive Plan addressed this issue in Chapter 11 (THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER CRITICAL AREA CORRIDOR/MNRRA). This AUAR update reflects these policies from the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. Item 15 Mitigation Element. Adverse environmental impacts associated with increased small motor and non -motorized boats is not anticipated along the Mississippi River south of the Ramsey Town Center site. In fact, the new Mississippi Regional Park hopes to attract visitors to this portion of the upper River. The use of the park as a formal recreational facility will focus river -related uses to planned areas, and provide resource oversight and supervision of recreational activities. No Change/No Action required. Alternative Urban Areawide Review Update The COR (formerly Ramsey Town Center) City of Ramsey, MN Landform Project No. RAM12015.000 5