1. Waste
  2. Permits and rules
  3. Waste permits and forms

Solid Waste Permitting

Permitting efficiency requirements

Changes to state law set a goal for MPCA to issue or deny a permit within 150 days of receipt of a complete application [Minn. Stat. 116.03, Subd. 2(b)]. The MPCA will review permit applications for completeness and notify the applicant of whether or not the application is substantially complete. If the permit application is determined to be incomplete, the MPCA will identify where deficiencies exist and advise the applicant on how they can be remedied.

Even though an application may be determined to be substantially complete, additional details may be requested to clarify or supplement information provided in the application submittal package. In order for the MPCA to meets its goal of issuing permits within 150 days, your prompt response to all requests is necessary.

Success in meeting the 150-day goal will be reported to the Governor and Legislature annually. Some of the specific reasons for not achieving the goal that must be reported include the responsiveness of the proposer, lack of staff, scientific or technical disagreements, or public engagement.

For an application to be considered complete, all required forms and checklists must be completed in full according to the instructions provided. If a specific item does not apply to your facility, you must state that it is not applicable and provide any additional justification for why it doesn't apply.

All applications for solid waste facility permit issuance, reissuance, major modification, minor modification, and utilization projects will be reviewed for completeness. Permit-by-rule notifications and transfer station extension notifications will not be reviewed for completeness.

Instructions for completing and submitting application forms

To apply for a solid waste facility permit, an applicant must submit one (1) hard copy of the complete application submittal package and a disk with an electronic (PDF) version. The permit application package must begin with the Permit Application for the Construction and Operation of a Solid Waste Facility form linked below. The permit application submittal package must also include all applicable checklists and supporting documents. The checklists are also listed below. Previously submitted documents CANNOT be referenced; all necessary documents must be included in this package.

To apply for a solid waste utilization permit: Case-specific Beneficial Use Determination (CSBUD) or Demonstration/Research Project (DRP), use the Application for Utilization Project form linked on the Solid Waste Utilization Publications webpage.

Follow the instruction provided on the forms and checklist and thoroughly review all applicable Minnesota Rules, statutes and MPCA guidance documents. If you'd like assistance or have questions about the forms, please contact the MPCA solid waste staff assigned to your region.

Each form is available as either a Microsoft Word template file for word processing (.doc) or an Adobe Acrobat file (.pdf) or both. If you use the word processing template (.doc) version, you can fill in the appropriate information directly on the form. If you download the Adobe Acrobat Reader from this Web site, you should be able to read and print the Acrobat (.pdf) forms and complete them manually.

General application form

All solid waste facilities must complete this form.

Permit application checklists

Solid waste facilities

All solid waste facilities must complete the following checklists:

Specific waste activities

The following checklists provide final application information requirements for specific facilities/activities. Each facility must complete all checklists that apply to its site.

Waste-specific permit application forms

Permit-by-Rule (PBR)

Yard Waste Compost Facility Permit-by-Rule Notification is now available online. Before going to the new e-Services webpage, please review the documents below for assistance. The guidance Document outlines what information is required to complete and submit the notification form. You will also need to have the Yard Waste Permit-by-Rule Local Acknowledgment Form completed before you can submit the notification.

The following Permit-by-Rule Notifications must still be submitted using paper forms.

Extended permit notification: Solid waste transfer facility or SSOM compost facility

Termination process

If a permit is no longer needed, a notice of termination request must be submitted to the MPCA using the e-Services portal. A solid waste permit may longer be needed if the facility has closed, no longer performs the permitted solid waste activities, or no longer needs coverage under a general permit. If there are any questions, please contact permitting staff assigned to the facility or compliance staff assigned to the region.

Annual report submittal process

Annual reports for permitted facilities, permit-by-rule solid waste facilities, and utilization projects are due February 1 for the preceding calendar year, with the exception of composting and recycling facility reports which are due March 1. This is a 3-step process:

  1. Data entry must be done using ReTRAC Connect and the account created for each solid waste facility. Beginning with the 2018 annual reports, submittal of the complete report will be done using a form in ReTRAC.
  2. Permitted facilities required to submit environmental monitoring data must submit that data through EQuIS. (Facilities that do not have groundwater, surface water, leachate, or gas monitoring requirements do not have to complete this step).
  3. Submitting a complete electronic file copy including all additional information required by your permit (follow the instructions in the Annual Report Submittal Form in Re-TRAC). If you have multiple facilities, you must submit separate reports for each facility.

ReTRAC data submittal

Each facility has a unique login and password set up by the facility. The login is your e-mail address. If you have forgotten your password, use the link on the ReTRAC page to reset it.

Facility operational data must be submitted using ReTRAC.  Data submitted to ReTRAC includes waste types managed, waste volumes, leachate volumes, gas generation, tip fees, and personnel training information.

Data submitted to ReTRAC includes waste types managed, waste volumes, leachate volumes, gas generation, tip fees, operational data, and personnel training information.

Each facility is assigned reporting forms based on the different waste activities at the facility. There are separate reporting forms for:

  • Land disposal
  • Closed landfill
  • Transfer station
  • Solid waste composting
  • Yard waste composting
  • Paper recycling
  • Metal recycling
  • Plastic recycling
  • Glass recycling
  • Other recycling
  • Waste to energy
  • Refuse-derived fuel
  • Solid waste storage

Complete the required forms in ReTRAC with your facility information. Make sure you do not have any error messages and that you have checked the “certify” box. Then, submit each form. A green “COMPLETED” tag shows the form has been submitted.

If you are missing a form (for example, you recycle glass, but the Recycling – Glass  form in not there), please contact Peder Sandhei: peder.sandhei@state.mn.us or 651-757-2688.

Forms should be updated to reflect the current activities at the facility.

Once your ReTRAC forms are complete and you have compiled the supporting documents, each facility must submit an annual report. The report must include copies of the completed data entry screens from ReTRAC and all supporting documents. The required supporting documents are listed on the individual ReTRAC forms.

The Submittal Form in ReTRAC will be used to submit the complete annual report to the MPCA.  This is a new form for the 2018 reports.  It includes a list of the supporting documents needed for each facility type.  This form will allow users to drop the annual report into an MPCA folder.  There is no file size limit here, so please combine all supporting information into one (1) PDF file. If your report contains proprietary data, there will be separate folders to submit both the public and not public versions of the report. If there are questions regarding this process, please contact Lisa Mojsiej or 651-757-2373.

Helpful links and documents:

EQuIS submittal process

All environmental monitoring data including groundwater, surface water, leachate, gas, and soil monitoring results should be submitted electronically. The MPCA has converted to the Environmental Quality Information System (EQuIS) data environment. Facilities need to comply with the EQuIS submittal format Lab_MN after February 1, 2016. (U.S. EPA no longer supports the STORET Data Warehouse.)

The materials necessary for submitting Solid Waste electronic data in the Lab_MN format are the EQuIS Data Processor (EDP), EQuIS Data Deliverable (EDD), Reference values file, Chain of Custody (COC), and Lab_MN supporting materials file. As part of the installation process the software will ask you for a registration code; use Lab42MinnEq

If you have any questions about Lab_MN or about the Lab_MN submittal process please contact David Vaaler (651-757-2400 or David.Vaaler@state.mn.us).

All monitoring points must have a SYS_LOC_CODE for submit data using EQuIS.  Please contact your MPCA Solid Waste permitting staff hydrogeologist or engineer to obtain the appropriate SYS_LOC_CODE.

Proprietary/confidential data

If your report contains proprietary data, you must submit two copies of your annual report: one that is "not public" containing all data, and a second that is "public" with the proprietary information redacted. The MPCA will no longer redact the solid waste annual report data; any information submitted in the public version will be available for review. If you only submit one report, it will be considered public.

Amendments. If changes are made to your ReTRAC forms, groundwater data, or other supplemental information, please submit the amended report with the permit number and “Amended” in the title. Amendments should be submitted to solidwastereports.pca@state.mn.us.

Quarterly report submittal process

Due dates for quarterly reports for permitted facilities.

Sampling event Tempo frequency Sampling window Due date
Summer monitoring April March 14 - May 14 June 30
Spring monitoring July June 21 - August 7 September 30
Fall monitoring October October 1 - November 21 February 1
Winter monitoring December December 1 - January 21 April 30
  1. Environmental data submittal to EQuIS including groundwater, surface water, leachate, or gas monitoring data
  2. Submittal of a complete file copy

Fact sheets

Information/assistance

Staff contacts for assistance with solid waste permit application forms.

Detroit Lakes area:
Compliance/permitting Jon Buck 218-846-8109
Engineering/permitting Lisa Mojsiej 651-757-2373
Hydrogeology Laura Pugh 651-757-2313

 

Duluth area:
Compliance/permitting Lee Field 218-302-6609
Engineering/permitting Greg Kvaal 651-757-2511
Hydrogeology Alex Hokenson 651-757-2440

 

Brainerd area:
Compliance/permitting Lee Field 218-302-6609
Engineering/permitting Dan Vleck 218-316-3856
Hydrogeology Kurt Carlson 651-757-2881

 

Marshall area:
Compliance/permitting Chris Green 507-476-4258
Engineering/permitting Tony Bello 651-757-2219
Hydrogeology Mark Rys 651-757-2685

 

Rochester area:
Compliance/permitting Jake Brady 507-206-2646
Engineering/permitting Sherri Nachtigal 507-206-2600
Hydrogeology Eric Porcher 507-206-2648

 

Twin Cities metro area:
Compliance/permitting Scott Parr
Shelly Siewert		 651-757-2638
651-757-2723
Engineering/permitting Abdi Hassan 651-757-2449
Hydrogeology Vacant  

 

Statewide:
Major industrial facilities Julie Henderson 651-757-2423
  Dan Aamodt 651-757-2435