Public Comment Period Now
Open on Groundwater Protection Rule
Public may submit written
comments during 80-day comment period and testify at hearings this summer
St. Paul, MN: The public comment period for the Minnesota
Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) proposed Groundwater Protection Rule (GPR) is
now open and will remain open until July 26, 2018.
Starting today, public comments on the
Groundwater Protection Rule can be made on the Office of Administrative
Hearings website at www.mda.state.mn.us/gwprhearingnotice.
“In an effort to ensure all stakeholders
have the opportunity to have their voices heard, we have extended the
traditional 30-day public comment period by 50 days and will hold an 80-day
public comment period,” said Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson. “I encourage
anyone with interest in the rule to provide their feedback through the
rulemaking process.”
Nitrate is one of the most common contaminants in Minnesota's
groundwater; elevated nitrate levels in drinking water can pose serious
health concerns for humans. The goal of the Groundwater Protection Rule is to
work with local farmers to reduce elevated nitrate levels in groundwater. The
proposed rule would regulate the use of nitrogen fertilizer in areas of the
state where soils are vulnerable to leaching and where drinking water supplies
have high nitrate levels.
Public input is important to the rule making process, and in
addition to submitting written comments online, the public can also testify on
the rule at Administrative Law Judge hearings scheduled this summer.
The Administrative Law Judge hearing schedule is as follows:
Farmington Monday, July 16, 2018 1:00 – 6:00 PM Robert Boeckman Middle School 800 Denmark Ave Farmington, MN
Stewartville Wednesday, July 18, 2018 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Stewartville Civic Center 105 1st Street East Stewartville, MN
Worthington Thursday, July 19, 2018 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Minnesota West Community and
Technical College 1450 College Way Worthington, MN
St. Cloud Wednesday, July 25, 2018 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM River’s Edge Convention Center 10 Fourth Avenue South St. Cloud, MN
Park Rapids Thursday, July 26, 2018 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM American Legion 900 1st Street East Park Rapids, MN
The public comment period ends on
July 26 and the Office of Administrative Hearings will conduct a post-hearing
comment period of a minimum of five business days until August 2.
Timeline for
Groundwater Protection Rulemaking
The publication of the proposed rule triggers a formal
comment period during which anyone can submit comments on the proposed rule to
the Office of Administrative Hearings.
April 30, 2018 – The State Register publishes the proposed Groundwater
Protection Rule and Statement of Need and Reasonableness.
April 30 – July 26, 2018 – Time period
for submitting comments on the rule to the Office of Administrative Hearings.
May/June 2018 – The Department of Agriculture holds information
sessions on the proposed Groundwater Protection Rule and how to participate in
the rulemaking process. (Attendance at an information session does not count as
providing input on the proposed rule; all input must be submitted to the Office
of Administrative Hearings at www.mda.state.mn.us/gwprhearingnotice.
Fall 2018 – The Office of Administrative Hearings reviews the
comments and drafts a report approving, approving in part, or disapproving the
proposed rule.
December 2018 – The Department of Agriculture submits the
final Groundwater Protection Rule to the Governor for signature.
The Groundwater Protection Rule is part of the state’s overall
Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan (NFMP) which was developed with broad
stakeholder input over a five year period and implemented in 2015. More
information on the rule and the NFMP is available at www.mda.state.mn.us/nfr.
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