Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Anne Perry Moore, 218-723-2356 Toll-free: 1-800-657-3864 Duluth, Minn. - The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the city of Chisholm, in collaboration with a cross-section of Arrowhead region volunteers, are hosting a free information event designed to answer the "burning" question about northeastern Minnesota's energy future with two words: biomass energy. The meeting will be held Sept. 12, from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. at Valentini's Supper Club in Chisholm. The public is encouraged to attend. MPCA Commissioner Brad Moore will welcome attendees. Local and regional biomass experts, implementers and researchers will offer a wide variety of viewpoints and experiences in the evening's three sessions: "The Outlook for Biomass," "Environmental Impacts" and "Current and Emerging Technologies." Presenters include the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Institute for Agricultural & Trade Policy, the University of Minnesota's Natural Resources Research Institute, Virginia Department of Public Utilities, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Indians, the Boise Corporation, the Izaak Walton League and the MPCA. Other organizations interested in biomass energy will be on hand as exhibitors. Attendees should leave the event with a better understanding of the issues, tradeoffs and compromises related to biomass combustion. This event is part of the agency's northeastern Minnesota community involvement pilot project to discover and discuss important environmental topics of interest to our region's residents. For more information about the pilot project's evolution, visit www.pca.state.mn.us/about/regions/ne-communityinvolvement.html. For more information, contact Anne Moore, MPCA Public Information Officer at 218-723-2356, toll-free at 1-800-657-3864 or by e-mail at anne.moore@pca.state.mn.us.