Upcoming Meetings & Project Updates

Upcoming Meetings Full Council: The next meeting is Monday, September 16th (topics: deliberation on Clean Water Fund proposals for FY26-27 biennium). The packet from the August 19th meeting (topics: deliberation and public input on Clean Water Fund proposals for FY26-27 biennium) has been posted at our web site. Policy Committee: The next meeting is Friday, August 23rd (topics: Vanishing Shorelines report on shoreline management; sustainable aviation fuel; private well policy statement; review of public input with policy implications). The packet from the July 26th meeting (topics: proposed MPCA feedlot permit changes; new climate smart food systems grant; CREP; prevailing wage; latest private well policy statement draft) has been posted at our web site.  Budget & Outcomes Committee: The next meeting is Friday, September 6th (topic: discussion on Clean Water Fund proposals). The packet from the August 2nd meeting (discussion on Clean Water Fund proposals) has been posted.

Updates on Projects Supported by the Clean Water Fund

We Are Water exhibit moves to Leech Lake Tribal College: The traveling We Are Water exhibit examines water issues statewide through personal stories, histories, and scientific information. It will be at Leech Lake Tribal College’s Bezhigoogahbow Library in Cass Lake, 6495 Little Wolf Road NW, August 15-October 6. The interactive displays are fun and informative for all ages.

Clean Water Fund Role in PSIG Grants: In the last issue, we included a news item about projects funded by the Public Facilities Authority's Point Source Implementation Grant (PSIG) program. The Clean Water Fund is one of the funding sources for PSIG, and the PFA let us know that the following communities received PSIG funding from the Clean Water Fund specifically: Ogilvie, Foley, Otsego, Owatonna, Zumbro Township, St. Paul-Stormwater 1 Bush Desoto Pond.

A St. Louis River vision nears reality (startribune.com): The Star Tribune editorial board noted the successful cleanup of the St. Louis River estuary. The Clean Water Fund provides support for the MPCA's efforts on the program.

2024 Salt Symposium - Bolton & Menk (bolton-menk.com); If you missed the annual Salt Symposium, presentations are now available online.

Erosion control aids Wild Rice River water quality in Minnesota - Outdoor News: The Becker Soil and Water Conservation District has worked with landowners to install more than 660 water- and sediment-control basins during the past 20 years. 

Other Relevant Water News

Rulemaking on construction and demolition debris landfills to address groundwater contamination| Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: "Through this proposed Construction and Demolition Debris (C&D) Landfill rulemaking, MPCA plans to amend existing Minnesota Rules governing permits and solid waste landfills (chapters 7001 and 7035). The goal is to update these rules by incorporating lessons learned about the potential for groundwater impacts of unlined C&D landfills. MPCA monitoring has found pollutants in groundwater around unlined C&D landfills at levels which exceed standards to protect human health and the environment." 

Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ larger than average, scientists find | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (noaa.gov)

Recording Available for Aug. 12 Presentation on River Nutrient Levels - Updating Minnesota's Nutrient Reduction Strategy. (youtube.com): This MPCA information session focused on monitoring data, including how it is collected and used to track river nutrient levels. Monitoring levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in Minnesota's major rivers is done by local, state, regional, and federal governments. Experts from the U.S. Geological Survey, Metropolitan Council, and MPCA shared insights on the progress needed to meet nutrient reduction goals.

Water Policy Plan | Engage Twin Cities (metrocouncil.org): "The Water Policy Plan is a policy plan within the Metropolitan Council’s Regional Development Guide. The aim of this plan is to guide the region towards a present and future where water is clean and plentiful, the benefits of water and water services are maximized and equitable, and risks and negative outcomes are eliminated or minimized. By ensuring water is sustainable, adaptable, and resilient from both an ecosystem and public health lens, the region positions itself to meet the evolving needs of current and future generations." The linked website includes opportunities for public comment.

Here's the choice: Cheap McDonald's fries or health of Anishinaabe village of Pine Point • Minnesota Reformer: Winona LaDuke discusses the conflict over potato farming within the boundaries of the White Earth Reservation.