Search
The MPCA certifies Minnesota municipal, government, or industrial laboratories that are used to comply with National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)/State Disposal System (SDS) permits or for water quality work for agency programs.
MPCA rules govern how septic systems are designed, installed, and managed.
Construction and interim feedlot permit forms
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)’s draft wastewater permit for the 3M facility at Cottage Grove adds new water quality protections for the Mississippi River and improves accountability through monitoring and reporting requirements. The draft permit is one of the most rigorous in state history and mandates the removal of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to levels below detection.
The Shell Rock River begins at Albert Lea Lake in Freeborn County in south-central Minnesota, a few miles from the Iowa border. It flows 113 miles into Iowa, where it enters the Cedar River. In Minnesota, the Shell Rock drains 246 square miles (160,000 acres), all in Freeborn County.
Long-term lake management considers the unique environmental, cultural, and biological factors affecting the lake and sets a priority on finding lasting solutions.
It's Septic Smart Week and Minnesota local governments are reporting significant progress in fixing inadequate septic systems around the state.
The MPCA regulates waste, recycling, and disposal activities in Minnesota. MPCA permits are required for the design, construction, and operation of solid waste management facilities where storage, collection, transportation, processing or reuse, conversion, or disposal of solid waste occurs.
A legacy of trichloroethylene disposal at the General Mills/Henkel Corp. Superfund Site at 2010 East Hennepin created an area of groundwater contamination that has led to vapors traveling upward through the soil, where it can enter houses and buildings.
Volunteer water monitors collect valuable data used by agencies and organizations across the state to protect and manage Minnesota’s waters.
During a residential construction project in Franklin Township in 2024, Capstone Homes and Arnt Construction failed to properly manage construction stormwater activities.
The MPCA requested proposals from eligible applicants for projects that reduce emissions of high global warming potential (HGWP) refrigerants in retail settings and food assistance programs in Minnesota.
MPCA policy recommendations for the upcoming legislative session
Each year, MPCA hires seasonal positions to assist with biological monitoring of streams and wetlands during the summer months.
The MPCA sought proposals from qualified responders to conduct an environmental forensics evaluation using non-targeted analysis techniques for identifying sources of non-aqueous film forming foam (non-AFFF) per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in water.
The MPCA regulates the design, construction, and operation of treatment facilities for municipal and industrial wastewater in Minnesota.
Superfund requires specific investigation and cleanup processes, designates parties that are legally responsible for the cleanup, and provides funds for certain types of cleanups under Minnesota’s Environmental Response and Liability Act (MERLA).
Financial assistance for assessment and clean up of contaminated sites in Minnesota.
Farmers Grain, LLC, a grain elevator in Thief River Falls, paid $18,120 in fines for pumping contaminated water from their property into the city of Thief River Falls stormwater system.
Funding was available for planning and design of PFAS treatment systems for owners and operators of community drinking water supply systems in Minnesota.