Requesting Public Comment on a Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification for Line 3 Deactivation Program Geotechnical Investigation within the Boundary of the Leech Lake Reservation in Minnesota MP 986 Mississippi River and MP 989 Ball Club River

August 19, 2024
The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (LLBO) is seeking public comment until September 18, 2024 on a Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC) for a US Corps of Engineers Utility Regional General Permit application proposed for issuance to Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership. Enbridge plans to conduct geotechnical investigation activities at multiple sites during the summer of 2024. Geotechnical work will be conducted at MP986 Mississippi River and MP 989 Ball Club River within the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation, and the project footprint is unavoidably located within wetlands given the location of the existing pipeline (Figure 1). Geotechnical investigation activities will include Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) soundings. The CPT sounding diameter will be 1.75 inches. The access routes for the proposed work will cross wetlands. Construction mats will be utilized to minimize wetland impacts along the access routes. Every attempt will be made to prevent the invasion or spread of undesirable exotic vegetation within wetland areas disturbed during the project. Placement of construction matting along the access routes at each site is expected to be completed within one week and anticipated to take one week for removal after geotechnical work is completed. Geotechnical investigation work at each site is expected to be completed within two to three days. The total project duration is anticipated to take three to four weeks. See Figure 1 below for project locations.

Under Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe’s CWA §401 authority, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe may make the following WQC decision for this permit application. LLBO may issue WQC with no conditions, issue the WQC with conditions, deny the WQC, or waive the WQC.

Copies of the permit application can be found at https://www.llojibwe.org/drm/drmnews.html. If you have any concerns regarding the WQC of this permit application, please submit comments to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Division of Resource Management.

Comments can be submitted via the following methods: Email to [email protected] or hand deliver to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Division of Resource Management Office 15756 State 371 NW, Cass Lake, MN Attn: Stacy Zeigler, or sent by mail to Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Division of Resource Management, Attn: Stacy Zeigler, 190 Sailstar Dr NE, Cass Lake, MN.

Documents:
View/Print Public Notice (pdf)
Water Quality Certification Request (pdf)

Requesting Public Comment on a Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification for geotechnical investigation activities at MP 957 Pike Bay and MP 964 Sucker Bay

August 19, 2024
The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (LLBO) is seeking public comment until September 18, 2024 on a Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC) for a US Corps of Engineers Utility Regional General Permit application proposed for issuance to Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership. Enbridge plans to conduct geotechnical borings at multiple sites during the summer of 2024. Geotechnical work will be conducted at MP 957 Pike Bay and MP 964 Sucker Bay within the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation, and the project footprint is unavoidably located within wetlands given the location of the existing pipeline (Figure 1). Geotechnical investigation activities will include Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) soundings and Standard Penetration Test (SPT) borings. The SPT boring diameter will be no larger than 8.5 inches and CPT sounding diameter will be 1.75 inches. The access routes for the proposed work will cross wetlands. Construction mats will be utilized to minimize wetland impacts along the access routes.

Placement of construction matting along the access routes at each site is expected to be completed within one week and anticipated to take one week for removal after geotechnical work is completed. Geotechnical investigation work at each site is expected to be completed within two to three days. The total project duration is anticipated to take three to four weeks. See Figure 1 below for project locations.

Under Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe’s CWA §401 authority, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe may make the following WQC decision for this permit application. LLBO may issue WQC with no conditions, issue the WQC with conditions, deny the WQC, or waive the WQC.

Copies of the permit application can be found at https://www.llojibwe.org/drm/drmnews.html. If you have any concerns regarding the WQC of this permit application, please submit comments to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Division of Resource Management.

Comments can be submitted via the following methods: Email to [email protected] or hand deliver to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Division of Resource Management Office 15756 State 371 NW, Cass Lake, MN Attn: Stacy Zeigler, or sent by mail to Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Division of Resource Management, Attn: Stacy Zeigler, 190 Sailstar Dr NE, Cass Lake, MN.

Documents:
View/Print Public Notice (pdf)
Water Quality Certification Request (pdf)