Loading...
2000-10-23 EC Agenda PktA[;FNnA GOLDEN VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION Regular Meeting Golden Valley City Hall, 7800 Golden Valley Road Council Conference Room Monday, October 23, 2000 7:00 P.M. Call to Order II. Approval of Minutes — September 25, 2000 III. Comprehensive Environmental Communications Plan IV. Receive and File Correspondence from DNR regarding General Mills Nature Preserve Proposal V. Other Business VI. Adjourn Note: Please bring your copy of the Communications Plan to this meeting. G:\Environmental Commission\Agendas\102300.doc Regular Meeting of the Golden Valley Environmental Commission September 25, 2000 The meeting of the Golden Valley Environmental Commission was held at the Golden Valley City Hall, Council Conference Room, 7800 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, Minnesota on Monday, September 25, 2000. Present: Richard Baker, Alicia Brown, David Fellman, Alan Kuentz, Nancy Burke City Staff: Jeannine Clancy, Director of Public Works; Jeff Oliver, City Engineer, Al Lundstrom, Environmental Coordinator; Deb Somers, Administrative Secretary Guests: Lawrence Sawyer, Director Government Relations and Civic Affairs at General Mills, Richard Nowlin, Attorney for General Mills and Ray Wuolo, Hydrogeologist, Barr Engineering Absent: Sue Hess and Dawn Hill I. Bus Tour The bus tour began at 5:35 p.m. from City Hall. Staff explained improvements and plans for wetland areas, ponds and lakes in the Golden Valley area. The following areas were visited. TH 100 near Meadowbrook School Staff stopped at the new culvert installed at the Sweeney Lake branch of Bassett Creek at the new TH 100. Landscaping of the area around the culvert will be completed in the spring by Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) crews. Soil corrections are being made along the east side of TH 100. Representatives from MnDOT, the Bassett Creek Water Management Commission (BCWMC) and the City of Golden Valley plan to walk the entire TH 100 construction corridor to view and discuss erosion control efforts along the highway construction project. South Rice Lake Lundstrom explained that water flows from Grimes Pond and North Rice Lake in Robbinsdale into South Rice Lake and then directly into Bassett Creek. Residents around South Rice Lake would like to ask the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to treat the lake with alum. Staff believes it is an ineffective measure to treat only South Rice Lake when the water flowing into the lake from the north is not treated. Minnaqua Pond Due to the aesthetics and the sediment in Minnaqua Pond, neighbors asked the City to conduct a study of the pond to determine what could be done to improve these issues. Because of the poor stability of the pond banks and the location of utilities, the City could no longer remove sediment the pond. GAEnvironmental Commission\Minutes\ECMinutes092500. DOC The study provided solutions such as dredging of pond, bank stabilization, and planting native grasses to grow into a buffer strip. This work will be done late this year. Madison Pond Madison Pond was built on land located on Sandburg Avenue that the City purchased after acquiring tax forfeit property. This pond has a buffer strip of native grasses along its shoreline. City maintenance crews will not be mowing this buffer strip. Planting buffer strips around the water's edge will be discussed as part of the City's Comprehensive Environmental Communications Plan. The pond will be inspected annually and dredged as needed. At one point in time the stormwater flowed directly into Bassett Creek. Stormwater now flows slowly through Madison Pond into Bassett Creek. Hampshire Park Pond During fall of 2000, crews will build Hampshire Park Pond in Hampshire Park. The pond will have a submerged outlet. The deepest point in the pond will be 4-1/2 feet deep and the pond will have a viewing dock. Landscaping will define and distinguish the edge of the pond from the active play areas of the park. 2000 Pavement Management Project at Plymouth Avenue/Pennsylvania Avenue North As crews reconstruct Pennsylvania Avenue North, adjustments will be made to allow for better stormwater run-off. All catch basins will have fabric. Other adjustments include a change in street elevation and alignment to help protect significant trees. The alignment of the portion of the street has been moved to allow for the Hennepin Trail. Bassett Creek Nature Preserve Lundstrom explained the proposals that the City had received a proposal for the Bassett Creek Nature Preserve and noted some of the site opportunities that existed for the preserve. The bus returned to City Hall at 7:22 p.m. II. Call to Order Assistant Chairperson Baker called the meeting to order at 7:22 p.m. III. Approval of Minutes — August 28, 2000 MOVED by Burke, seconded by Kuentz, and the motion carried unanimously to approve the August 28, 2000 minutes as submitted. GAEnviron mental Commission\Minutes\ECMinutes092500. DOC 1) IV. Proposal Presentation by General Mills Clancy introduced the guest speakers, Lawrence Sawyer, Director Government Relations and Civic Affairs at General Mills, Richard Nowlin, Attorney for General Mills and Ray Wuolo, PE, Hydrogeologist, Vice President for Barr Engineering. Larry Sawyer presented the following information regarding the proposed General Mills ground water cooling plan. A. Why Use a Ground Water Cooling System 1. Ours is a frugal company a. Plant and equipment is first rate b. Seven wells — community asset (includes Main Buildings and James F Bell Center) 2. Nature Preserve is a good thing a. Open space (26-27 acres) b. Community is short of play space 3. No good place for cooling tower 4. No environmental downside B. Ground Water Use 1. Construction 2. 1958 — open for business 3. 1969 — east wing added 4. 1970 — second highest use 5. 1979 — upper bell tower added 6. 1981 — first highest use 7. 1984 — conservation efforts 8. 1992 — court yard added 9. 1995 — base line (270 million gallons) 10. 2000 — base line (270 million gallons) C. Conservation Efforts 1. Installed thermo pane tinted windows throughout entire facility 2. Installed low temperature lights 3. Insulated 4. Enclosed the courtyard 5. Reused ground water in cooling 6. Fan rooms improved D. Added Load 1. East wing 2. Bell Tower 3. People 4. Electronics, Computers/faxes/printer 5. Health Center GAEnvironmental Commission\Minutes\ECMinutes092500.DOC E. Expansion Possibilities 1. Employee Services Building 150K sq ft 2. Bell Tower II 305K sq ft F. Future Ground Water Cooling 1. Estimate current base 270 MGY 2. Savings from modification 91 MGY 3. Existing (after modification) 179 MGY 5. Employee Services Building 40 MGY 6. Bell Tower II 58 MGY 7. Total use after expansion 277 MGY Mr. Sawyer provided a brief explanation of how the General Mills cooling system operates. The proposed system will use conserve water and energy. G. Keep in Mind 1. This Proposal a. Two rounds of mediation b. Once in court 2. Aquifer is not being depleted a. Permits a quarry 4 BGY from the Jordan aquifer 3. DNR has authority to withdraw permit 4. No know adverse affects In summary, the Bassett Creek Nature Preserve would provide the following: • Creates a permanent, public nature preserve of approximately 20 acres (not including active play areas, or access and recreational easements) • Adds Metro Area green space • Fits Metro Greenways initiative • Public access to Preserve maintained through City role in non-profit corporation • Restoration of land to natural state • Bassett Creek restored to natural bed • Wetland plants and habitat restored • Meets two goals of Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources • BCWMC identify open space sites • For restoration of stream, wetland and upland habitats • Water quality control and water rate and volume control • Active recreation areas for Golden Valley of approximately four acres • Increases City's (active) play areas • Protects land from commercial development • Currently zoned and available for commercial development • Proposal permanently reserves the land for a nature preserve • Maintains natural noise buffer between community and Highway 169 • Provides stormwater drainage for community north of Preserve • Easement north of General Mills' Bassett Creek building provides efficient path for utilities • No environmental harm from General Mills' continued use of ground water cooling • Barr Engineering study says no measurable impact GAEnvironmental Commission\Minutes\ECMinutes092500.DOC Burke asked what percentage of the nature preserve is located in the flood plain. Mr. Sawyer responded that three-fifths is in the flood plain. The flood plain area is well drained. Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Nowlin and Mr. Wuolo responded to questions from the Commission. Fellman asked if General Mills was contributing to the lower water level at the Jordan aquifer. Mr. Sawyer does not believe the General Mills once through cooling system is contributing to lower levels at the Jordan Aquifer, and listed a number of users that consume much more water. During arbitration between the DNR and General Mills and in conversations since, there has been no mention of accusations that General Mills is bringing down the level of the aquifer. Fellman asked Mr. Sawyer if General Mills is monitoring the chlorine and chromium 6 levels being discharged into the Bassett Creek. Fellman stated that the current level is .10 and must be lowered to .04. Mr. Sawyer indicated that he had no knowledge of chlorine and chromium 6 being discharged. Baker questioned why General Mills has not pursued the possibility of building a cooling tower. General Mills responded that there is no good place on their property to add a cooling tower. The tower gives off steam and produces ice crystals, which cause icy conditions on nearby streets. For several years General Mills has provided trails in the wooded area next to the James Ford Bell facility. Since residents use this area quite often, it made sense to General Mills to build a nature preserve. Kuentz asked why it made sense to use cooling towers at the James Ford Bell (JFB) facility but not at the main facility. Mr. Sawyer explained that the cooling towers at JFB are a high storage system using part of the wells and part of the tower so the process can get below freezing temperatures. The system at JFB was changed to try and get lower temperatures. Burke asked if General Mills had costed out a cooling tower system for the General Mills main building. Mr. Sawyer explained that the proposal here cost a lot more than a cooling tower. Fellman stated that General Mills would need to alter the flow of Bassett Creek in order to have it discharge into the nature preserve. General Mills responded that the flow was altered years ago to keep the ponds in front of the main facility watered. All water from the cooling system flows through these discharge ponds before it enters the Bassett Creek. While the water flows through the ponds, sediment settles to the bottom of the pond. Fellman questioned whether or not the water being discharged from the cooling system goes through the ponds at the main facility or directly into Bassett Creek. Mr. Sawyer explained that these two ponds are used as water quality and rate control ponds. Water runs through these ponds and sediment is deposited. The nature area will provide urban green space. General Mills will complete an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW). The EAW will identify all impacts of the proposal. Burke asked where General Mills was both the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) process and ground water appropriation permit process. The ground water appropriation permit has been in effect since its inception. It is periodically renewed and was reissued in 1992. Appropriation allows for 650 million gallons annually. This permit will terminate in 2003 if the nature preserve is not approved. The judge stated that the permit GAEnvironmental Commission\Minutes\ECMinutes092500.DOC c would be valid for an indefinite amount of time once the preserve is approved. All appropriations are subject to revocation or temporary termination. The DNR, under emergency conditions, can turn off the system if your withdrawal causes a public health, safety or welfare problem. The ground water appropriation permit continues on provided nothing happens to the Jordan Aquifer. The top 6 appropriation groups include: Quarry at Great Cloud Island Kramer & Sons Stroh (well is no longer pumping) but did use Camas (Shakopee) Cottage Grove Koch Refinery 5.5 billon gallons per year 4 billion gallons per year 3 billon gallons per year 2.75 billion gallons per year 1 billon gallons per year 1 billon gallons per year General Mills is sixteenth on the above list. There are approximately 40 other users of the aquifer that use approximately 400 million gallons of water usage per year. Mr. Sawyer believes the draw down at the Minnetonka Boat Works is at a natural level considering the population of the Twin Cities and the use of groundwater for municipal water systems. The City will review environmental impact in the EAW. The City Council is the responsible governmental unit for the EAW. The proposed nature preserve land is currently zoned for business and professional offices. If it were a nature preserve, it may be down zoned for open space. Fellman asked if General Mills would consider building a cooling tower if he could show him plans for an invisible tower that would not cause steam. Mr. Sawyer answered no. This concluded the presentation by General Mills for the once through cooling system. Any further questions can be addressed to Larry Sawyer at lafl y sawyer &genmills.com. Barr Engineering does water resource work for the City and serves as the engineer for the BCWMC. V. Other Business Discussion ensued regarding the plans for the October 23, 2000 Environmental Commission meeting. The Commission and staff will work on the Comprehensive Environmental Communications Plan at the next meeting. VI. Adjourn MOVED by Fellman, seconded by Kuentz, and motion carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting. GAEnvironmental Commission\Minutes\ECMinutes092500.DOC The next meeting will be on October 23, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting was adjourned at 9:12 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Deb Somers Administrative Secretary Department of Public Works GAEnvironmental Commission\Minutes\ECMinutes092500. DOC DRAFT Comprehensive Environmental Communications Plan 1. Focus Areas Water Resources Forestry (Trees, Weeds, and Plants) Waste Reduction (Recycling and Garbage) 2. Mission To educate Golden Valley residents and raise awareness about the importance of environmental responsibility, and create a sense of collaboration between residents and the City in the spirit of making and keeping Golden Valley an environmentally healthy community. 3. Goals and Objectives • Educate Golden Valley citizens of personal responsibility for the environment, locally, nationally, and worldwide. • Encourage public recognition of our environment as a valuable, non-renewable resource. • Clarify the responsibility of individuals and the responsibility of local, state, and/or national agencies in regard to the environment. • Inform residents of City participation in state and federal environmental activities and campaigns, and encourage their participation. • Keep citizens informed on changes in City ordinances. .................. 4. Potential Strategies • Develop theme or catch phrase to identify City's environmental materials. • **Publish one article in each City newsletter (CityNews) regarding the environment. • Publish annual insert in CityNews specifically targeted toward environmental education. • Create several Presentations in a Box to be used by neighborhood groups and volunteers. • Use staff and qualified volunteers and Environmental Commission members to speak at schools, libraries, and special events to educate citizens, especially the youth, seniors, businesses, and shoreline residents in the community. • Use volunteers to stencil catch basins throughout the City to identify where the storm water run-off goes. • Establish an essay contest for all grade levels addressing why the environment is important. • Establish an image contest for all grade levels with an environmental theme. Winners could be used in City environment communications. 4. Potential Strategies (cont) • Create an environmental folder, much like the new resident folder, containing brochures and one-page tip sheets addressing all City environmental actions/initiatives (ie, the Recyclopedia, recycling, waste reduction efforts, pollution tips, non -indigenous weed control, shade tree management, etc) and helpful hints. • Develop traveling environmental displays for use at community events and open houses. • Direct mailings of water -related information (ie, brochures and tip sheets on natural buffer zones and phosphorous -free fertilizers) and personal visits to neighborhood groups and associations. • Produce video with on Environmental Issues in Golden Valley, such as waste reduction and the Surface Water Management Plan, to be aired on public access and used by Environmental Commission members in presentations. • Obtain educational/informational videos from other sources (ie, DNR, etc) to replay on Cable 16. • Post all information, initiatives, and projects on the City web site. • Create and distribute City-wide Environmental Calendars, including most/all information from web site, brochures, tip sheets, contact lists, articles, etc. (See Brooklyn Park example). • List state, national, and international environmental initiatives, such as the Minnesota waste reduction campaign, Earth Day, World Water Day, and World Environment Day on all City calendars (web site, newsletter, cable TV, etc). 4.1 Communication Strengths 4.2 Communication Challenges • Bimonthly newsletter (CityNews), which • Need for clarification about is read by nearly all of our residents environmental initiatives (local, state, and federal • Inclusion of environmentally oriented • Need for links on web site to other articles in every newsletter for the past environmentally oriented web sites year and in nearly every newsletter for past eight years, prefacing larger initiative • Web site . Need to establish system for news releases to Post and Cable 12 • Opportunities to reach citizens on a • Need for material oriented to school more personal level, such as annual age children City Oen House and other events • According to recent City survey, the • Need for promotional items, such as majority of residents trust City pencils, pins, or stickers for school age government children • Knowledgeable and professional staff • Need for people to give in-person to address or obtain information presentations regarding environmental issues • Need for visual aids/displays for open house and presentations • Limited staff time available 5, Audience'' Identification 1.General Public MESSAGE: This is the major target audience --age 18 and older with some environmental knowledge. 2. Students MESSAGE: Elementary, secondary, and preschool aged children with little or no environmental knowledge 3. Shoreline Residents MESSAGE: On Bassett Creek, Sweeney Lake, Twin Lake, and smaller ponds with concerns about their "own back yard". Water resources and lake management issues may be of particular importance. 4. Businesses MESSAGE: Golden Valley has a large number of businesses that want to support the community. 6 Potential Staff Resources Environmental Coordinator, Public Works Director, City Engineer, Mayor, Bassett Creek Water Commission and other Water -related organizations, qualified speakers/educators/presenters, Barb Bailey (Seniors newsletter) 7. Communication Vehicles and Strategies for Target Audiences 1. General Public • Web site • CityNews • Public Access channel (Cable Bulletin Board) • emphasis at City Open House and other events with interactive displays • brochures and folder on Environment • Cable 16 & 12 • Press Releases (Post) • Seniors Newsletter (with Barb Bailey's approval) • Presentations 2. Students . In -person presentations • Contests • Promotional items, such as pencils, pins, or stickers 3. Shoreline Residents . Direct Mailings 4. Businesses . Direct mailings 8. Evaluation Techniques We will evaluate our efforts through informal surveys in CityNews and schools where speakers have visited, response to contests, requests for Environmental folder and other information, and questions on future City surveys. Notes: 9. Updating the Communications Plan The worth of a communications plan depends on how often it is used. It is a working document; therefore, key staff will review the plan and timeline for initiatives biannually (see following calendar). Timeline/Calendar Notes for 2000 September 2000 October 2000 1 November 2000 "December 2000 Notes for 2001 I Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 500 Lafayette Road St. Paul. Minnesota 55155-40 October 2, 2000 Golden Valley Environmental Commission 7800 Golden Valley Road Golden Valley, MN 55427 Re: Once -through cooling Dear Ms. Hill: I have been informed that the commission heard a presentation by General Mills about once - through cooling and their nature preserve proposal. I would like to provide some background and comments for your consideration. The once -through cooling legislation was passed in 1989 to eliminate a wasteful use of ground water. In 1989, 11 billion gallons of water a year was being used for once -through systems. As of 1999 that use has been reduced to 5 billion gallons of water per year and by 2010 the use will be essentially eliminated. This legislation was passed to protect MN's ground water resources for future higher priority domestic and economic purposes. The attached hydrograph (A) shows how water levels in the Jordan aquifer in Orono (closest long term observation well with the longest period of record) have declined since 1945 as demands for water have increased. The Metropolitan Council forecasts that by 2020 the population in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area will increase 15% to over 3 million people. The Prairie du Chien -Jordan aquifer is the primary ground water source used by public water suppliers and must be carefully managed. Each high capacity well will impact the resource to varying degrees and arguments can be made that one singular project has little impact, but to purport that once -through cooling has no environmental impacts is erroneous. Public policy is typically based on cumulative impacts and the standards set are to assure the publics' rights are protected. Our position in 1989 and our position today is that once -through cooling use of ground water should be eliminated in order to responsibly protect our ground water supply for higher priority uses. We could support alternatives for continued use of once - through cooling water if all the water is reused for a higher priority purpose, such as a public water supply. Legislation was passed in 1992 to allow a once -through cooling system an exemption if the water was discharged to a nature preserve. The proponents testified in front of the legislative committees that the "nature preserve" would benefit from the discharge of water to it and consequently the once -through cooling use should continue because overall the "net benefit" to DNR Information: 651-296-6157 • 1-888-646-6367 • TTY: 651-296-5484 • 1-800-657-3929 An Equal Opportunity Employer Is Printed on Recycled Paper Containing a Who Values Diversity f4 Minimum of 10% Post -Consumer Waste Page 2 Once -through the resources was positive. The specific example used in 1992 was Willow Lake, a 70 acre shallow lake, and the once -through cooling discharge would provide for a consistent water level and help to avoid fish winter kill. General Mills' proposal has taken the opposite approach to argue that their once -through cooling should continue and General Mills has not shown how the 254 to 487.5 million of gallons/year (MGY) would benefit this nature preserve. For comparison, 254 MGY is equivalent to 779 acre feet of water or 39 feet of water over an area of 20 acres. General Mills sued the Department over the use of the nature preserve exemption in existing law. The principal issue before the court was whether General Mills had exhausted their administrative remedies. The Department's position was that a permit and administrative hearing process was appropriate and should be exhausted first. The court ruled in General Mills favor and the Department decided not to appeal. There was never a hearing on the merits of their proposal although General Mills did submit their arguments to the court. In other words, our attorneys were arguing primarily administrative issues and not natural resource issues. As you may know we also went through a mediation process and were unable to reach a settlement. The sticking point was General Mills desire to cool two new buildings with an expansion of their once -through system. The structure and evolution of the law was to eliminate once -through cooling systems unless the existing system's water would be a benefit to a nature preserve. It clearly was not the legislature's intent to allow new buildings to utilize once -through cooling. I've attached some additional background material. If you would like to discuss this issue further, contact either Jim Japs at 651-296-2835 or me at 651-296-4810. Sincerely, DNR Waters Kent Lokkesmoe Director Attachments: Hydrograph Once -through chart AAgenmil lsgol denval Iey900.wpd N O 00 N Q suolIBE) 10 suoilli8 0 Boz 60OZ 800Z LOOZ 9002 5002 VOOZ EOOZ ZOOZ WOZ OOOZ 666 866 L66� 966 966 V66� C66� 2661. M6 066 686 U) Y cu N O —m 4) Y 3� o O� c P� Peggy Leppik State Representative District 45B Hennepin County July 13, 2000 CHAIR: HIGHER EDUCATION FINANCE COMMITTEES: EDUCATION; CAPITAL INVESTMENT Commissioner Allen Garber Department of Natural Resources 500 Lafayette Road St. Paul, MN 55155 Dear Commissioner Garber: Minnesota House of Representatives RE0FIVED COMMISSIONER The Department of Natural Resources is currently considering whether to appeal the recent court decision in favor of General Mills in the case of General Mills v. Allen Garber. I urge you not to appeal this case. General Mills clearly demonstrated in the court hearing that the plan it proposed for continued use of its wells in cooperation with the City of Golden Valley will result in a reasonable use of water resources benefitting both the company and the city. While I agree with the state's legislation requiring capping of wells in once -through cooling systems, this is an unusual situation that does not compromise existing legislation or the underlying legislative intent of conserving water resources. In fact, General Mills is using the once -though water very efficiently; and leaving the wells open eliminates the need for Golden Valley to develop new emergency water supplies, which could entail drilling new wells. In addition, General Mills has proposed a generous donation of land for a nature preserve that is possible only through the savings obtained by the continued use of its wells. This proposal includes not only the 20 -acre nature preserve, but also the restoration of Bassett Creek, wetlands and natural habitat; creation of recreation areas; construction of a new, safer access road for homes and apartments adjacent to the preserve; and construction of a storm water drainage system for the residential area. In sum, the proposal put forward by General Mills and supported by the City of Golden Valley and the court represents the best kind of public/private cooperation in resolving a difficult problem. Attorney General Mike Hatch has already indicated that he does not believe the case should be appealed. I hope in reviewing this court decision, you will agree that there is little to be gained by challenging the decision and much to be lost. Golden Valley and General Mills are eager to move forward with this project, and I ask that you allow them to do that without further delay. 7500 Western Avenue Golden Valley Minnesota 55427 (612) 546-3328 State Office Building, 100 Constitution Ave., St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-1298 (651) 296-7026 Ao FAX (651) 296-4121 TTY (651) 296-9896 to Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Peg y Leppik State Representative cc: Larry Sawyer Mayor Mary Anderson August 11, 2000 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources The Honorable Peggy Leppik State Representative 7500 Western Avenue Golden Valley, Minnesota 55427 Dear Representative Leppik: OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER 500 Lafayette Road St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-4037 Thank you for your letter regarding General Mills' lawsuit against the DNR. I have decided not to appeal the Order, but the issue is far from resolved. The DNR now has the responsibility to determine conversion costs for replacement of the once -through system as affirmed by the District Court Judge. We are in the process of completing that determination. I want to assure you that General Mills will be treated fairly and the same as others. Minnesota Statute 103G.271 clearly prohibits new once -through systems and if General Mills were only applying the nature preserve exemption to water use for their existing buildings this matter would have been resolved long ago. The expansion of the once -through systems to service two new buildings complicates the issue and the process of determining the conversion costs. I agree that the underlying legislative intent is to conserve water resources, however, I do not agree that General Mills is using water very efficiently. The once -through system utilized by General Mills is near the end of its design life and part of the system has been in place since 1958. The older equipment that uses well water directly is very inefficient and in 1990 General Mills estimated that modifications to these parts of the system would save 100,000,000 gallons of water per year. These modifications have not been implemented by General Mills. Even when fully updated, this system, as with any once -through system, will not make efficient use of our state's water resource. Thank you for your interest in this issue. If you have additional questions or concerns, feel free to contact Kent Lokkesmoe, Director of DNR Waters at (651) 296-4810. Sincerely, n Garber r� ommissioner cc: Mayor Mary Anderson Larry Sawyer, General Mills Kent Lokkesmoe ✓ DNR Information: 612-296-6157, 1-800-766-6000 • TTY: 612-296-5484, 1-800-657-3929 • FAX: 612-296-4799 An Equal Opportunity Employer sA• Printed on Recycled Paper `fit/ Containing 10% Post -Consumer Waste