Minnesota Court of Appeals sends PolyMet permit back to MPCA
Another victory to environmental groups who oppose the project.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Minnesota wants anglers to go lead-free to help loons
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency estimates lead poisoning causes about 14% of loon deaths in the state.
Dayton vetoes revised bill on wild rice water standards, announces task force to make recommendations on protection, restoration
Wild rice is “great for nesting, for cover for fish. It’s a good food source for waterfowl that migrate through.”ST. PAUL, Minn. — Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed a bill Wednesday that he said would have unlawfully undermined Minnesota’s ability to enforce its water quality standard for protecting wild rice. Dayton, who vetoed a similar bill earlier, said in a letter…
DNR continues efforts to gauge Mille Lacs walleye population
Based on the number of walleye that were originally tagged and the total number of tagged fish that turn up during the recapture, the DNR said it can make an accurate estimate of the lake’s walleye population.
Department of Health advises against eating Lake Harriet largemouths, all Lake Elmo fish
MDH and MPCA officials say the most likely source of the elevated levels of PFOS in Lake Elmo is surface and groundwater contaminated by the former 3M disposal site in Oakdale. PFOS levels in Lake Harriet have been declining since the source of the PFOS – the nearby Douglas Corporation plating facility – was addressed starting in 2010.
Senate votes to nullify Minnesota wild rice water standard
More than 1,200 lakes and rivers in 54 counties contain wild rice, with concentrations of rice being the highest in Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Itasca and St. Louis counties.The Minnesota Senate voted 38-28 this week to nullify a water quality standard that’s meant to protect wild rice, a food central to the culture and diet of the region’s Ojibwe Indians….
MPCA urges judge to drop objection to wild rice rule change
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota regulators asked the state’s chief administrative law judge this week to reverse her rejection of their attempts to change the state’s water quality standard for protecting wild rice. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said in a 286-page filing that it has made technical changes to its proposal that should address the judge’s concerns. The MPCA has been…
DNR: Fish winterkill being reported in lakes near Brainerd, Hinckley, Twin Cities
(Minnesota DNR file photo)Cold winters with abundant snowfall can lead to fish die-offs and the Minnesota DNR has already taken reports of this process, known as winterkill, occurring in lakes near Brainerd, Hinckley and the Twin Cities area. “While seeing lots of dead fish can be disconcerting, we remind people that winterkill is normal and happens every year to some…
Goodhue County trout habitat helpers: Arresting upland erosion
Project eyes erosion-prone gullies where conservation fixes would improve water quality, habitat.
Public gets two opportunities to weigh in on draft permits for proposed mine
On Feb. 7 and 8, the Minnesota DNR and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will host public meetings in Aurora and Duluth, respectively, to provide information and comment opportunities regarding recently released draft permits for PolyMet’s proposed NorthMet mine. The meetings will include an open house where the public can learn more about the DNR’s draft permit to mine and the…
Judge rejects change to Minnesota’s wild rice water standard
Minnesota’s Ojibwe tribes consider wild rice to be a sacred and important food source that’s critical to their cultural identity. The tribes also argued that higher sulfate levels could translate into higher mercury levels in the fish they eat.
Excess chloride from road salt lands Minnesota waters on impaired list
Excess chloride can damage aquatic life reproduction.
Minnesota may see smoky skies due to western wildfires – next summer
A firefighting crew battles a blaze in California. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota could see a repeat of smoky skies next summer as huge fires continue in the western United States. Daniel Dix, an air quality meteorologist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, told Minnesota Public Radio that wildfires, such as the recent blazes in California,…
Minnesota wild rice rule irks industry, environmentalists
More than 1,200 lakes and rivers in 54 counties contain wild rice, with concentrations of rice being the highest in Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Itasca and St. Louis counties.MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency kicked off a week of public hearings Monday on changing a water quality standard that’s meant to protect wild rice, a proposal that has managed…
Minnesota agency: Studying fish key to getting a handle on state waters
The fish can tell a better story about the water’s state than just taking water samples.
Minnesota agency using electrofishing to learn about water quality
The different types of fish the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency team will catch through electrofishing can tell them about a river’s quality.
Study: Road salt levels spike, threaten Twin Cities lakes
Lakes reportedly so contaminated with road salt that they’ll no longer support native fish and plants within three decades.
Study: Trace medications, chemicals may be harming fish in Minnesota waters
Study confirms how common chemicals are in surface water, albeit at very low levels
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