The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is seeking comments on the draft Environmental Assessment, or EA, for issuing an outgrant involving property at the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam in Minneapolis.

The proposed plan involves a 25-year lease of 5.2 acres of land within the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam property to Owámniyomni Okhódayapi (formerly Friends of the Falls), a qualified non-profit organization. Activities associated with this lease would include cultural and environmental interpretive programming, tours and special events. The proposed outgrant would also allow Owámniyomni Okhódayapi to continue evaluation in support of conveyance and outgrant of real property to the city of Minneapolis or the city’s designee pursuant to Section 356 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020. The city notified the Corps that the proposed outgrant does not conflict with a Section 356 conveyance. Any outgrant to Owámniyomni Okhódayapi may be amended, modified, or terminated to accomplish the section 356 conveyance at a later date.

A final determination on the draft EA will be made following a 30-day public review period. A copy of the EA can be viewed and downloaded from the St. Paul District website at: http://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/Home/PublicNotices.aspx. The Corps is conducting a review of the environmental effects in accordance with the National Environment Policy Act.

Comments on the draft EA should be submitted no later than Dec. 29. Questions and comments concerning the project should be directed to David Potter, Corps biologist, at 651-290-5713 or [email protected]. Please address all correspondence on this project to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, Attention: Regional Planning and Environment Division North, 332 Minnesota Street, Suite E1500, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55101-1678.

All comments received will be made available to the public to include the possibility of being posted on a publicly accessible website. Individuals are requested not to include personal privacy information, such as home addresses or home phone numbers, in their comments, unless they do not object to such information being made available to the public.

The St. Paul District’s goal is to seek balance and synergy among human development and natural systems by designing economic and environmentally friendly solutions that reinforce one another. The environmental programs focus on the key areas of ecosystem preservation, restoration and protection.