A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) has been prepared for a proposed taconite mine expansion project near Keewatin. The DEIS is available for public review, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced today.

The project, proposed by U. S. Steel Corp., would increase the production of taconite pellets by expanding the existing mine and re-starting an idle production line. The proposed project is estimated to begin in 2012 or 2013.

“The DEIS describes potential environmental, social and economic effects stemming from the proposed project” said Erik Carlson, DNR principal planner who is coordinating the review project. “We are seeking public comment in order to improve the content of the document and address concerns.”

The DNR will hold a public information meeting on the DEIS on Monday, Jan. 11, beginning at 6:30 p.m., at the Hibbing Memorial Building, Dining Room, 400 East 23rd Street, Hibbing, MN.

The proposed project would increase Keetac’s annual taconite pellet production output by 3.6 million tons to a total output of 9.6 million tons per year. Iron ore pellets would then be transported to steel production facilities.

Public review copies of the DEIS are available at the following locations:

DNR Library, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, Duluth Public Library, 144 West Second St., Duluth

Minneapolis Public Library - Technology and Science, Government Documents, 2nd Floor, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis

Hibbing Public Library, 2020 E 5th Ave., Hibbing

Keewatin Public Library 125 3rd Ave. West, Keewatin

Legislative Reference Library, 645 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul

The documents are also posted on the DNR Web site.

The DNR will accept comments on the DEIS until 4:30 p.m. Jan. 26, 2010. Written comments should be sent to: Erik Carlson, DNR Division of Ecological Services, 500 Lafayette Road,

Box 25, St. Paul, MN 55155-4025. E-mail comments can be sent to: environmentalrev.dnr@state.mn.us.

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