Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 10/15/2018

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Minnesota DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES June 29, 2012 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Ms. Kendra Lindahl Landform 105 S 5th Ave Minneapolis, MN 55401 Division of Ecological and Water Resources, Box 25 500 Lafayette Road St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-4025 Phone: (651) 259-5109 E-mail: lisa.joyalgstate.mn.us Correspondence # ERDB 20120400 RE: Natural Heritage Review of the proposed The COR AUAR Update; T32N R25W Section 18; Anoka County Dear Ms. Lindahl, As requested, the Minnesota Natural Heritage Information System (NHIS) has been queried to determine if any rare species or other significant natural features are known to occur within an approximate one -mile radius of the proposed project. Based on this query, the following rare species may be adversely affected by the proposed project: • Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii), a state -listed threatened species, have been reported from the vicinity of the proposed project and may be encountered on site. If Blanding's turtles are found on the site, please remember that state law and rules prohibit the destruction of threatened or endangered species, except under certain prescribed conditions. If turtles are in imminent danger they should be moved by hand out of harm's way, otherwise they should be left undisturbed. For your information, I have attached a Blanding's turtle fact sheet that describes the habitat use and life history of this species. The fact sheet also provides two lists of recommendations for avoiding and minimizing impacts to this rare turtle. Please refer to the first list of recommendations for your project. If greater protection for turtles is desired, the second list of additional recommendations can also be implemented. In addition, if erosion control blankets will be used, we recommend that they be limited to `bio-netting' or 'natural -netting' types as the plastic mesh netting can be dangerous to reptiles (please see enclosed fact sheet). The attached flyer should be given to all contractors working in the area. The Natural Heritage Information System, a collection of databases that contains information about Minnesota's rare natural features, is maintained by the Division of Ecological and Water Resources, Department of Natural Resources. The NHIS is continually updated as new information becomes available, and is the most complete source of data on Minnesota's rare or otherwise significant species, native plant communities, and other natural features. However, the NHIS is not an exhaustive inventory and thus does not represent all of the occurrences of rare features within the state. Therefore, ecologically significant features for which we have no records may exist within the project area. For environmental review purposes, the results of this Natural Heritage Review are valid for one year; the results are only valid for the project location (noted above) and project description provided on the NHIS Data Request Form. Please contact me if project details change or if an updated review is needed. Please note that locations of the gray wolf (Canis lupus), federally -listed as threatened and state -listed as special concern, and the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), federally -listed as threatened, are not currently tracked in the NHIS. As such, the Natural Heritage Review does not address these species. Furthermore, the Natural Heritage Review does not constitute review or approval by the Department of