Contact: Forrest Peterson 320-441-6972 or Cathy Rofshus 507-206-2608
St. Paul, Minn. ― The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is extending the public comment periods for reports about water quality in the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers.
Due to a high level of interest, the public comment period has been extended to May 29, 2012, for the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) draft reports about Minnesota River turbidity and South Metro Mississippi River total suspended solids. The comment period for the reports began Feb. 27 with a notice in the “State Register.”
The TMDL reports focus on turbid water caused primarily by sediment. Turbidity is caused by suspended and dissolved matter, such as clay, silt, organic matter, and algae. High turbidity results in poor water quality for aquatic habitat, recreation, industrial use, and human consumption.
The two documents are available for public review and comment on the MPCA’s TMDL Projects and Staff Contacts webpage.
- For the Minnesota River Turbidity TMDL, written or oral comments, petitions, question, or requests to receive a draft of the TMDL report and requests for more information should be sent to Larry Gunderson, MPCA, 520 Lafayette Rd. N., Saint Paul, MN 55155-4194. (Phone 651-757-2400 or 800-657-3864, fax 651-297-8676, or email larry.gunderson@state.mn.us.)
- For the South Metro Mississippi Total Suspended Solids TMDL, written or oral comments, petitions, questions or requests to receive a draft TMDL report and requests for more information should be directed to Robert Finley, MPCA, 12 Civic Center Plaza, Ste. 2165, Mankato, MN 56001. (Phone 507-344-5247 or 800-657-3864, fax 507-389-5422, or email robert.finley@state.mn.us.)
For either of these draft TMDLs, TTY users may call the MPCA teletypewriter at 651-282-5332 or 800-657-3864.
