In re Determination of the Need for an Environmental Impact Statement for the Mankato Motorsports Park

The Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed the City of Eagle Lake’s determination that a proposed motorsports park did not require an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the Minnesota Environmental Policy Act. The court found that the City failed to address agency and county concerns about potential cumulative effects from greenhouse gas emissions and did not rely on substantial evidence with respect to the action’s potential effects on wildlife. With respect to climate change, both the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Blue Earth County Property and Environmental Resources Department commented regarding the absence of consideration of potential climate change effects and that the City failed to respond substantively. The court rejected other arguments related to noise impacts, waste storage and disposal, land alterations, wetlands, and procedure. The court remanded for a new determination of whether an EIS was required.