Contact: Cathy Rofshus, 507-206-2608
Rochester, Minn. ― Rochester area residents are invited to join Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Commissioner Paul Aasen for coffee and questions Tuesday, March 20. This public open house will be held from 9-10 a.m. at Cascade Meadow Wetlands and Environmental Science Center, 2900 19th Street NW in Rochester.
“It’s really critical to get a fresh look at what’s happening to our environment and keep this great state working,” Aasen said. “We’re ready to talk about everything from water quality to frac sand to waste-to-energy.”
This public open house is part of Commissioner Aasen’s visit to southeast Minnesota. He will also speak at the Cannon River Watershed Partnership annual meeting Monday evening, March 19, in Northfield.
On Tuesday, March 20, he will travel to Rochester. In addition to the coffee with citizens, he plans to tour the Olmsted County Waste-to-Energy facility.
Earlier this month, the MPCA reissued a permit that allows Olmsted County to continue operating its solid waste landfill in Kalmar Township, about three miles west of Rochester. The reissued permit includes removing solid waste from the landfill, shredding it, and transporting it to the county’s waste-to-energy facility for use as fuel. With the addition of a shredder, the landfill facility also plans to shred bulky items, such as furniture, for use as fuel at the energy facility.
Under the authority of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets environmental standards to be met by landfills. The MPCA has the authority to issue permits and specify limits, perform compliance monitoring and enforce federal standards.
