2012-13 Environmental review and draft permit amendment and reissuance for Hennepin Energy Recovery Center facility
Covanta Hennepin Energy Resource Company, operator of the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) in Minneapolis, has applied to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for an amendment to its existing air-quality permit. The permit application requires preparation of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW).
When the EAW and draft permit are prepared, they will be made available on this webpage. Until they are posted here, any documents relating to the project found on other websites must be regarded as draft and not MPCA-approved, and may be subject to significant changes before they are approved by the MPCA.
Project fact sheet
The document below provides basic information about the HERC permit proposal.
Permit application
Covanta’s permit amendment application comprises a packet of documents, forms and data sheets. To view these materials or obtain copies, please contact MPCA permit engineer Bruce Braaten, 507-206-2607 or bruce.braaten@state.mn.us.
Risk Assessment Information
The first document below is the Draft Health Risk Assessment Summary Report submitted by Covanta to the MPCA. The MPCA has reviewed the report and supporting materials and is preparing its own health risk summary (Air Emission Risk Analysis), which will accompany the completed EAW.
The second document below is a summary fact sheet on the Draft Air Emission Risk Analysis. More information can be found on the Air Risk Analysis page. Copies of the supporting materials for these documents can be obtained by contacting Kevin Kain, 651-757-2482.
[Note of May 15, 2013: the MPCA emphasizes that these documents are draft, and will change before they are released with the final EAW.]
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Draft Human Health Risk Assessment for the Covanta Hennepin Energy Resource Company L.P. (aq5-33a) — This version contains revised modeling results (October 9, 2012). - Draft HERC Air Emission Risk Analysis fact sheet (aq5-33d)
Community Health Information
The MPCA requested help from the Minnesota Department of Health to gather information about health indicators in response to community concerns related to the HERC site. The completed document, Community Health Profile Information: Minneapolis Sites, can be found on the MDH website. For questions about this document, contact Julie Kadrie at MDH, 651-201-4903 or julie.kadrie@state.mn.us.
For more information about the project, contact Ralph Pribble, MPCA Public Information Office, at 651-757-2657. Additional information can also be found using the links below.
- Information about the existing HERC air quality permit (the permit can be found under the name, Covanta Hennepin Energy Resource Company)
- For general information about air quality permits
- For general information about environmental review
Information on fine particle pollution (PM2.5)
The MPCA prepared a report in February 2013 on monitoring for levels of fine particles, called PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 microns diameter or less), in ambient air across Minnesota including the Twin Cities. The report below summarizes historical monitoring locations and findings.
- Fine particle pollution (aq8-25)
