Dear Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway,

This coming Monday, December 8th, at 6:30 p.m. in the City of Eagan Council Chambers, the Eagan City Council will be holding a special workshop which will include a discussion on a proposed "capital improvement project" impacting the neighborhoods around Fish Lake and Blackhawk Lake and the pond known as JP-47 near the northwest corner of Patrick McCarthy's Farm. The particular discussion---about building a large alum holding tank to treat incoming water flow to these bodies of water for phosphates---is scheduled to begin at the start of the meeting.

The alum holding tank proposal to treat phosphates associated with Fish Lake and Blackhawk Lake has been described as the equivalent of "ringing a doorbell with a cannon." It is a very heavy-handed means of chemically treating water inflow to address the presence of phosphates. It is also expensive, estimated to cost the City about a million dollars for the first five years of operation. The neighbors around JP-47 (near the proposed holding tank site) have been disappointed with the City regarding this topic for several reasons. One is that the City only relatively recently informed them of these plans (though the City claims that they announced the project as far back as seven years ago), and, second, the City does not appear to have explored the prospects for increasingly popular (and less costly) less intrusive means of treating area lakes for phosphates (means used by other Twin Cities communities such a Burnsville and St. Paul). Thirdly, the City has already effectively killed JP-47 by using it as an alum dosing water body (until the DNR informed them this was not permitted and that they must clean up JP-47, an undertaking that has yet to be completed).

In order to be successful in conveying their concern to City Council, the neighborhoods in the affected area need a strong showing at this meeting. Please plan on attending and voicing your concerns over this singular approach to phosphate treatment.

We will plan on circulating some additional background information on the issue shortly---a summary drafted by "Friends" member, John Ward.

We will hope to see you in the Council Chambers this coming Monday evening at 6:30 p.m.

---Jack Conrad

www.FriendsoftheEaganCoreGreenway.org