Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Stephen Mikkelson, 218-316-3887 St. Paul, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is seeking comments on a water quality improvement report for the Clearwater River Watershed in parts of Meeker, Stearns and Wright counties. The report, known as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), focuses on pollution caused by excess nutrients, and bacteria. A public comment period begins Aug. 17 and continues through Sept.16. The watershed is located in northern Meeker, southern Stearns and northwestern Wright counties, and includes the cities of Watkins, Kimball, South Haven, Annandale and Clearwater. The entire watershed drains into the Mississippi River. This watershed was placed on the state's impaired waters list because of excess nutrients and bacteria. The TMDL study includes one stretch of the Clearwater River, between Clear Lake and Lake Betsy, and six lakes within the watershed: Betsy, Clear, Louisa, Marie, Scott and Union. The TMDL report is part of a nationwide effort under the federal Clean Water Act to identify and clean up pollution in streams, rivers and lakes. Every two years, states are required to submit a list of impaired waters to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A TMDL report is a scientific study that calculates the maximum amount of a pollutant a water body can receive (known as the "loading capacity") without exceeding water quality standards. After receiving public comments, the MPCA will revise the draft Clearwater River Watershed TMDL report and submit it to the EPA for approval. Following EPA approval of the study, a plan will be developed to reduce pollution throughout the watershed. The Clearwater River Watershed TMDL draft report is available on the Web at www.pca.state.mn.us/water/tmdl/project-clearwaterriver-ofn.html, or at the MPCA St. Paul office, 520 Lafayette Road N.. Comments should be submitted to Maggie Leach, MPCA, 7678 College Road, Ste. 105, Baxter, MN 56425, or by e-mail to margaret.leach@state.mn.us. For more information, contact Leach at 218-316-3895, or toll-free at 1-800-657-3864. Written comments must include:
-- a statement of your interest in the draft TMDL report;
-- a statement of the action you wish the MPCA to take, including specific references to sections of the draft TMDL that you believe should be changed; and
-- specific reasons supporting your position. More information on the state's impaired waters list and TMDL studies is available on the MPCA Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us/water/tmdl/index.html or by calling the MPCA toll-free at 1-800-657-3864.