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The MPCA studies, monitors, and regulates many land pollutants that affect the quality of life in Minnesota and the health of residents.
The Zumbro River Watershed covers more than 900,000 acres and reaches parts of six counties in southeast Minnesota (Olmsted, Dodge, Steele, Rice, Goodhue, and Wabasha). Rochester, one of Minnesota's largest cities, is located in the southeast quadrant of the watershed.
Our strategic plan has six broad goals that, when taken together, map our work for five years. MPCA’s strategic plan guides the agency’s work from Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2028. These goals are…
Groundwater and drinking water in the east Twin Cities metro area is contaminated with PFAS due to 3M's disposal practices at four sites in the area.
The Root River starts as a drainage ditch in Mower County, then winds 81 miles from intensely farmed areas through more wooded, rolling terrain, and finally empties into the Mississippi River south of La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Tools and materials for partners and stakeholders interested in minimizing the impact of chloride on Minnesota lakes, rivers, and groundwater.
The MPCA provides educational information about the status of Minnesota’s air, water, land, and climate and can point you toward beneficial actions you can take as students, teachers, and life-long learners interested in Minnesota’s sustainable future.
Stormwater runoff is a leading source of water pollution, and the state general permit is designed to reduce the amount of sediment and other pollutants entering state waters.
First of a series of MPCA staff profiles. Kevin Stroom conducts research on streams and has published a report about Straight River.
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.
Wastewater treatment plant in Elk River paid a $15,000 fine for consistently discharging fecal coliform and phosphorus into nearby Tibbets Brook.
Permits for wastewater treatment require monthly, quarterly, or annual reporting of discharge monitoring results
Healthy land and soil is essential for thriving Minnesota communities. It drives economic development and opportunity, improves our health, and contributes to clean water for drinking and recreation…
Nitrogen, like phosphorus, is a nutrient that pollutes in state waters, and its concentration in many rivers has been increasing from historic natural levels over time due to human influences.…
The MPCA’s Smart Salting program helps cut down on chloride pollution by training snowplow drivers and municipalities to use less salt on the roadways.
Based on volume, construction and demolition debris presents a big opportunity for reducing waste and its environmental effects.
The MPCA is proposing to amend Minnesota Rules governing animal feedlots.
Launched in 2022, the PFAS monitoring plan lays out a path for PFAS monitoring at solid waste, wastewater, and stormwater facilities; hazardous waste landfills; facilities with air emissions; and…
A cumulative impacts analysis provides a comprehensive look at all burdens that affect a community or neighborhood.
Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality certified farms have added more than 2,000 new conservation practices, including over 110,000 acres of new cover crops that protect Minnesota’s waters.