Legislature waiting on Vikings stadium environmental impact report

by Tim Pugmire, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — State legislators and others are waiting for a key environmental impact report due next week on the proposed Minnesota Vikings stadium in Arden Hills.

The issue came up Tuesday during an unrelated meeting of the Legislative Commission on Metropolitan Government.

Gov. Mark Dayton asked the Metropolitan Council to help evaluate the potential risks of stadium site, including the environmental impact, permits, transportation needs and funding issues.

Patrick Born, regional administrator of the Metropolitan Council, told legislators that the report will look closely at the impact of the full 400-acre development.

"We are certainly looking at our system plans -- wastewater treatment, transportation --- to determine, make our own analysis of that infrastructure and the impact on the existing infrastructure of that kind of development."

Dayton has said he would be open to calling a special session to address a Vikings stadium bill.