Update December 1, 5:18 p.m.: Bluestem has obtained the response to the EPA by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Nov. 3 letter regarding efforts to reduce nitrate contamination of drinking water in eight southeastern Minnesota counties and to limit the health impacts where contamination has already occurred. See the embedded document at the end of this post. [end update]
n posts like Star Tribune dives into MN nitrate pollution. Bluestem's been scrutinizing the seeming inability of the State of Minnesota to craft regulations that will keep nitrates out of Minnesotans' wells, drinking water and aquifers.
As I began that post: At the Minnesota Star Tribune, Jeff Hargarten and Jennifer Bjorhus have done some powerful reporting in Nitrate contamination of Minnesota waters shows little sign of going away, despite years of effort; Farm pollution persists despite hundreds of millions spent to clean it up.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency isn't the only one to notice.
It looks like state representative Rick Hansen, DFL-S. St. Paul, who co-chairs the Legislative Audit Commission as well as the Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee, has been doing his job as a leader of the commisson, Bluestem has learned from his official Facebook page.
From Hansen's post on his official Facebook page:
Today I received this update from the Office of the Legislative Auditor on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Water Quality Standards for Nitrogen. In response to my inquiry, the OLA has placed this topic on the list of potential evaluation topics for the Legislative Audit Commission to consider in 2024. . .
The document from the post:
Update: the reply by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Nov. 3 letter:
MN Response to EPA SE MN Letter 231201 for Partners uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd
[end update]
Let's hope the MPCA is audited on this one.
Map: "Rural residents with private wells have been largely left out of the state's major nitrate control efforts, the groups said. The eight counties are: Dodge, Goodhue, Fillmore, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha, Houston and Winona." From Star Tribune's April articlevNitrate levels in 8 southeast Minnesota counties near crisis point.
Related posts
- Land Stewardship Project applauds court’s support of Winona County; launches ‘Story Center Powerline’ initiative for rural residents
- Minnesota district court rules against Winona County dairy expansion; owner will appeal
- Agweek Special Report on Rural Health: 10% of MN private wells pose a health problem
- Following emergency petition regarding nitrate contamination in SEMN karst region, EPA sees further action needed to protect public health
- On ‘Cancer Road,’ a group of southeastern MN families ask if nitrate exposure is to blame
- Strib scrutinizes MN Department of Ag action on nitrate-related Groundwater Protection Rule
- Nitrates in Southwestern Minnesota water: 'Do not give the water to infants' in Ellsworth
- Commentary from MinnPost: Can the state control nitrates in Minnesota waters?
- Minnesota Department of Health isn’t properly enforcing drinking water law, and kids will suffer
- Jean Wagenius: For climate and clean water, state agencies need Walz to lead
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