Soliciting Applicants for Joint Silica Sand Advisory Committee

MN Environmental Quality Board

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) have decided to constitute a joint advisory committee under Minn. Stat. 14.101, Subd. 2, to provide advice to the agencies on the rulemakings for silica sand required under Section 105 of Chapter 114 of Laws of Minnesota (2013). The Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) will also be participating in this advisory committee to receive advice on rules related to silica sand.

 

The role of the advisory committee is to provide comment on the subject matter of the possible rulemaking, prior to the publication of any proposed rules.

 

The MPCA and MDNR plan to convene an advisory committee of 12 – 15 people representing the wide range of stakeholders interested in the regulation of silica sand mining, processing and transport. This includes equal representation from local government units, industry, and concerned citizens. The agencies also envision that the committee will have balanced representation from the different geographic regions of the state where silica sand mining, processing and transportation take place.

 

The committee is expected to begin meeting in December 2013 or January 2014 and continue meeting on a monthly basis until the rule is proposed. It is likely that this process will take at least one year. Advisory committee members are expected to attend all meetings. The majority of the meetings will likely be at the MPCA or MDNR offices in St Paul.

 

Information on the meetings will be published on the web to ensure that all stakeholders are informed about the advisory committee’s discussions. Meetings will be open to the general public.

 

If you are interested in participating in this advisory committee, please send an email to Nathan Cooley (nathan.cooley@state.mn.us) at the MPCA expressing your interest. Your expression of interest should include information on your background in the silica sand issue area, including which category of stakeholder you fall into and the geographic area you represent.

 

Please express your interest by Friday, November 29.