Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) seeks comments on a draft environmental impact statement for a proposal by Xcel Energy to build and operate a landfill for disposal of coal ash from the A.S. King Electric Generating Plant. The public review period begins today, Dec. 31, and continues through 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 14, 2008.

A public comment period begins Dec. 31 and continues through Jan. 31, 2008 on a report addressing water pollution in portions of the Rock River in southwestern Minnesota. The report, known as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study, focuses on pollution caused by fecal coliform bacteria and turbidity.

The city of Appleton was cited by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for alleged violations in a discharge of high-strength waste from a local food processing plant that overloaded the city's wastewater treatment facility. The city received a $15,052 civil penalty, and agreed to a $5,000 erosion and sediment control project.

The first phase of cleanup related to the Valentine Clark Superfund site in southeast Minneapolis is scheduled to begin this week. Veit & Company Inc., the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's approved construction contractor for the site, will convert Bridal Veil Pond and surrounding area, just north of Kasota Avenue and west of Highway 280, into a permanent open space with a wetland designed by STS Consultants, an environmental consultant.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an Air Pollution Health Advisory through Friday due to elevated levels of fine airborne particulates for most of Minnesota, with the worst air quality occurring in the Twin Cities and Rochester.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) seeks comments on an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) prepared for the Scherger Hog Feedlot expansion project in Dodge County.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) have received preliminary results on sampling done to determine the presence of volatile organic compound (VOC) vapors below the St. Louis Park High School and Central Community Center, which includes Park Spanish Immersion School. The testing shows that no vapors were present in the soil beneath either structure that would negatively affect indoor air quality. Of the 12 samples analyzed, six were free of the chemicals of concern and the remaining samples were well below levels of concern.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has prepared an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for the proposed relocation of the Willmar Wastewater Treatment Plant. The EAW, which describes potential impacts on land use, water quality, and air quality, is open for public review and comment until Jan. 2, 2008. At the same time a five-year wastewater treatment operating permit also will be open for review and comment.

A media availability will be held today to answer questions regarding the study.

Rather than guessing about what to do with those old prescriptions and mysterious bottles in the back of your medicine cabinet, or the unlabeled containers left by the previous owner of your home, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is recommending easy ways to dispose of potentially hazardous wastes.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has completed an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for a proposed ethanol plant near Erskine, in Polk County, Minn. The public comment period for the EAW ends Jan. 17, 2008.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has reissued a permit that allows Steele County to continue the operation and development of its sanitary landfill in Blooming Prairie.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the city of White Bear Lake will hold a public information meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 10, to discuss the city's proposed stormwater pollution prevention program (SWPPP). An open house will precede the meeting from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Granite Falls Energy LLC will pay a state civil penalty of $300,000 for a variety of alleged violations at the company's ethanol production facility in Granite Falls during 2006 and 2007. The violations were discovered during Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) staff inspections of the facility, and through review of operational records the company is required to submit to the MPCA under its environmental permits.

Saint Paul, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has released the 2008 Air Monitoring Network Plan for public review and comment through Dec. 19, 2007. The annual report provides an overview of the various air-quality monitoring networks currently operating in Minnesota. Details regarding the location of individual sites, monitoring objectives and proposed changes are provided. Data for several pollutants are summarized to show current conditions relative to state and federal air-quality standards.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has completed an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for a proposed ethanol plant near Glenville, in Freeborn County, Minn. The public comment period for the EAW ends Dec. 19, 2007.

Fall weather signals the end of the risk for ozone air-pollution alerts in Minnesota. But air-pollution health alerts from elevated levels of microscopic fine particles found in emissions from vehicles, industry, electrical power plants, and wood smoke can occur at any time of the year. The cool fall and winter weather in Minnesota often bring temperature inversions-warm air over cold air-ideal for trapping fine particles and allowing them to build to unsafe levels.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an Air Pollution Health Alert today due to poor air quality from fine particle pollution for the Twin Cities metro area and southern Minnesota including Rochester and Marshall.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) will hold a public information meeting Dec. 13, 2007, to discuss a draft air permit for the proposed Midtown Eco Energy project. The facility would be located in the Phillips neighborhood near South High School in Minneapolis. The meeting will be held at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church at 2730 E. 31st Street from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has prepared an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for the proposed expansion of an existing dairy west of Hatfield in Pipestone County. The EAW, which describes potential impacts on land use, water quality and air quality, is open for public review and comment through Dec. 5, 2007.

As you get your home and yard ready for winter, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency suggests some ideas to save energy and the environment as you make yourself more comfortable.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) concluded 65 enforcement cases totaling $322,418 in penalties during the third quarter of 2007. The cases occurred at facilities in 34 counties throughout Minnesota.

The owners of Dayton Park Properties mobile home park have paid $18,418 for alleged wastewater treatment violations. The violations were discovered during Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) staff inspections of the park's wastewater treatment facility in Osseo, Minn.

Since receiving a Clean Water Partnership grant, the Hawk Creek Watershed was able to complete 197 water quality improvement projects that affected 5,177 acres of land and reduced phosphorus pollution by 3,367 pounds per year. The Hawk Creek project is only one of the 45 projects chronicled in the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's (MPCA) 2007 Watershed Achievements Report.