You are invited to the first in a series of public forum events about the MPCA’s work to develop a mercury total maximum daily load (TMDL) study for the St. Louis River area.
The goal of this first meeting is to ground the work in our shared objectives — to understand why mercury matters for health and how mercury moves in an aquatic environment. We’ll also provide information on the role of a TMDL for the watershed and how it connects to other MPCA work, such as the statewide TMDL and the area of concern (AOC) cleanup. Attendees will also get a chance to talk with the MPCA and fellow attendees in a “world café” style of rotating discussions that will focus on key issues related to the goals and development of the TMDL.
Agenda
1:30 p.m. Open house: Visit with MPCA staff, who will have information available to set the stage for this work – including background on water quality standards, TMDLs, multiple tools to address mercury contamination, and similar information.
2 p.m. Welcome (Assistant Commissioner Dana Vanderbosch, MPCA)
2:10 p.m. Why mercury matters for health: Dr. Cole Pueringer will help ground our work in the shared goal of improving human health with a general overview of the toxic effects of acute and chronic mercury exposures.
2:30 p.m. How mercury works in the environment: Sarah Janssen, Ph.D., USGS, will provide an overview of how mercury moves in the environment, mercury methylation, and what makes the St. Louis River Watershed unique.
3 p.m. World Café discussion: Share insights, concerns and ask questions by participating in small, "café-style” groups, engaging in 20-minute facilitated conversations about specific topics.
4 p.m. Wrap up