oEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency How to comment You may comment on the proposed permit approval in writing. Please refer to Joint Powers Water Board, Permit #MN-171-5R21-0002 Mail or email your comments to: William Tong U.S. EPA, Water Division Permits Branch, UIC Section 77 W. Jackson Blvd. (WP-16J) Chicago, IL 60604-3590 Email: tong.william@epa.gov Phone: (312) 886-9380 Comment period The Agency will accept written comments until September 11, 2019 (midnight postmark). Draft Permit on line You may view the draft permit posted on the internet under Permit No. MN-171-5R21-0002 at http://go.usa.gov/3JwFP. Administrative Record You may see the full administrative record, including all data Joint Powers Water Board submitted, at the EPA's Chicago regional office (address above), 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. For an appointment to see the files, contact William Tong (see above). Right to appeal You have the right to appeal any final permit decision if you make an official comment during the comment period or participate in the public hearing, if held. (A public hearing is not planned at this time.) The first appeal must be made to the Environmental Appeals Board. EPA Seeks Comments on Draft Underground Injection Permit Joint Powers Water Board Wright County, Minnesota August 2019 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to approve the re-issuance of what it calls a Class 5R21 injection permit to Joint Powers Water Board of Albertville, Hanover, and St. Michael, Minnesota, for underground injection of treated drinking water into its existing Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) Well #9. If EPA makes its approval final, Joint Powers Water Board may inject treated drinking water into the Mt. Simon Sandstone aquifer 403 feet below the surface through its ASR Well #9, located at NE %, Section 26, T120N, R24W, Wright County, Minnesota. If approved, the re-issued permit will be in effect for 10 years, unless it is revoked, terminated, modified or reissued. EPA is accepting comments from the public on this proposed permit approval (see box, left). The public comment period, which ends September 11, 2019, includes 30 days for comments as required by law, plus an additional three days for any delay caused by mailing. During the comment period, you may ask EPA - in writing - to hold a formal public hearing (see address, left). Be sure to say specifically what issues you want to raise. EPA will hold a hearing if there is significant interest. If there is a hearing, EPA will publish a notice at least 30 days prior. You will have an opportunity to make oral comments or submit written comments. EPA will consider all comments it receives, and then issue a final decision along with a response to significant comments. The Safe Drinking Water Act requires EPA to regulate the underground injection of fluids through wells to protect the quality of underground sources of drinking water. Issuing permits is one way that EPA does this. You can find the regulations governing underground injection wells at Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 144 and 146. Wright County 30th St NE Existing Joint Water Powers Board Well 9 15th St NE ------- |