Metropolitan Council to Hold Public Hearing on Improvement Plans for Regional Sanitary Sewer Facilities in Orono

ST. PAUL—Nov. 22, 2006 – The Metropolitan Council will hold a public hearing on Dec. 7 in Orono to receive comments on the Orono-area components of its draft facility plan for the Lake Minnetonka Area Regional Interceptor Improvements Project.

The recommended improvements would meet the long-term wastewater service needs of area communities served by these facilities. Construction of the improved facilities would be scheduled for 2010-2012.

The public hearing will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 7, at Orono City Hall, 2750 Kelley Parkway, Orono.

Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES), the Metropolitan Council division that operates the regional wastewater collection and treatment system, has drafted the facility plan, outlining alternatives studied and the resulting recommendations for improving the regional sanitary sewer system in the Lake Minnetonka area. Orono-area recommendations include:

Combining the function of two pumping stations (one located at Togo Road and Shadywood Road, and one located at Shadywood Road and Crystal Lake Road) into one new station at a location to be determined.
Construction of a new gravity-flow sewer on Shadywood Road in the area bounded by Togo Road on the west and Crystal Bay Road on the east.

Copies of the draft facility plan for this project are available for review at:

Orono City Hall, 2750 Kelley Parkway, Orono
Long Lake Library, 1865 Wayzata Boulevard, Long Lake
Metropolitan Council’s Data Center, 390 Robert Street North, St. Paul

All interested persons are encouraged to attend the hearing and provide comments. Comments also may be submitted by Dec. 18 in any of the following ways:

Send written comments to: Tim O’Donnell at Metropolitan Council Environmental Services, 390 Robert Street North, St. Paul, MN 55101-1805
Fax comments to: Tim O’Donnell at 651-602-1477
Record comments on: Metropolitan Council Public Comment Line at 651-602-1500
E-mail comments to: data.center@metc.state.mn.us
Send TTY comments to 651-291-0904

Upon request, MCES will provide reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities at the public hearing. Such requests should be submitted to Tim O’Donnell via mail or fax (see above) or by phone at 651-602-1269 before Nov. 30.

The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning organization for the seven-county Twin Cities area. It runs the regional bus and light rail system, collects and treats wastewater, manages regional water resources, plans regional parks and administers funds that provide housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. The Council is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the governor.

MCES, an operating division of the Metropolitan Council, provides wastewater services that protect the public health and environment while supporting regional growth.

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