Sand and Gravel Resources Project

The University of Minnesota launched an environmental process in June 2008 for the proposed Sand and Gravel Resources Project on its UMore Park property which would locate a mining area on the western portion of the property, encompassing approximately 1,608 acres. View a map of the proposed mining area (3.35 MB PDF).

This process is expected to conclude in 2010 with the completion of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The University of Minnesota Board of Regents, as the Responsible Governmental Unit, will review the EIS and determine if it is complete and accurate. Following the completion of the EIS process, the University will determine whether to proceed with the proposed mining.

Representatives from local jurisdictions, state agencies and other stakeholder organizations participate on the Technical Advisory Committee for the Sand and Gravel EIS.

View a general FAQ on the EIS process (58 KB PDF)

Upcoming Actions:

Fall 2009: Prepare Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Milestones:

July 2009: Groundwater Assessment for the EIS completed by Barr Engineering.

View the Groundwater Assessment Report

June 2009: Final Scoping Decision Document approved by University of Minnesota Board of Regents

View the Scoping Decision Document (622 KB PDF)
View the Appendices to the Scoping Decision Document (5.8 MB PDF)
View the Board of Regents June 2009 resolution (66 KB PDF)

February 2009: Public Scoping Meeting and comment period.

A public scoping and comment meeting was held February 5, 2009 at the Rosemount Community Center.
View the agenda for public scoping meeting, Feb. 5 (16 MB PDF)
View the open invitation to attend public scoping meeting (9.7 KB PDF)

January 2009: The University of Minnesota has prepared a Scoping Environmental Assessment Worksheet (Scoping EAW) and Draft Scoping Decision Document (Draft SDD) to identify issues and analyses to be included in the Environmental Impact Statement.

View the Scoping EAW (2 MB PDF)
View the Draft SDD (1.4 MB PDF)

November 2008: The University of Minnesota held an introductory open house for the proposed Sand and Gravel Resources Project.

View the presentation: Sand and Gravel Resources at UMore Park (34.7 KB PDF)
View the Map: Initial Sand and Gravel EIS Study Area, November 2008 (137.8 KB PDF)
View the brief and EIS timeline (14.7 KB PDF)

August 2008: University of Minnesota contracted Barr Engineering through a competitive bid to conduct groundwater assessment and site investigation on the proposed mining area at UMore Park.

June 2008: Local consulting firm Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. (SEH) was contracted through a competitive process to prepare an environmental review for the proposed sand and gravel resources project.

September 2007 - May 2008: A geological assessment launched by ProSource Technologies, Inc. confirmed deposits of substantial amounts of commercial quality sand and gravel on the UMore Park property. The assessment concludes that deposits totaling approximately 360 million tons of sand and gravel are concentrated in three distinct areas over roughly two-thirds of the property.

View reports included in the geological assessment
Read a summary of the geological assessment (42 KB PDF)

View select UMore Park publications including analyses of physical aspects of the site as well as background and vision reports on the University's property.