Tomorrow morning (Tuesday, April 9) - Commissioner's regular meeting

Dear Friends and Neighbors,   Tomorrow morning (Tuesday, April 9) at the Commissioner's regular meeting there will be a chance to show/speak up to have the Rein sand mine project included in the joint EIS to be done by the EQB.   Numbers of people attending can matter!   Zoning Administrator Chris Graves was quoted in the Post-Bulletin (3/21/13) as saying, when the Rein mine got its permit in 2010, "there wasn't a soul that cared,"..."they have been good about reclamation." Although there were 16 public comments to the EAW, the article said, "About a dozen people or governmental agencies commented on the document."------minimizing.   If you or anyone you know can attend, please encourage it by carpooling.  If people have already spoken, their presence is a solid reminder. If people have not yet spoken, three or four sentences will be enough to build the public record.   The decision before the Commissioners is to decide if there is        POTENTIAL  FOR  SIGNIFICANT  ENVIRONMENTAL   IMPACT.   If so, the law says they must call for an EIS.   This decision is not to be based on:       Personality of the applicant;       Previous business dealings (aggregate for local roads & projects);       Minimizing serious risks noted by MPCA & State Dept. Health and citizens;       Hope that we can pass up the chance now to get better information on areas of serious concern, and then, when the inevitable troubles occur, we can "work them out" well enough to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the public into a sustainable future.         Skimming over questions about protecting our aquifer in our fragile and active karst geology does not deal with those questions.       Harvey and I will have to miss tomorrow's meeting, but shall be grateful for your efforts.  Thanks for your energy and wishing you well, Bonita