160 likes | 251 Views
Stay informed with the latest legislative and agency updates from MPCA in 2007. Learn about priorities, new initiatives, air quality, permits, and more. Contact Brad Moore for details.
E N D
MPCA: An Agency & Legislative Update Brad Moore, Commissioner June 22, 2007
MPCA Mission • Working with Minnesotans to protect, conserve and improve our environment and enhance our quality of life.
MPCA Priorities • Core environmental programs • Permitting • Compliance and enforcement • Monitoring and assessment • Cleanup and emergency response • Environmental assistance • Impaired waters
What’s New • Annandale-Maple Lake implications • Clean Water Legacy implementation & TMDLs • Ethanol/mining initiative and biofuels study • Mercury TMDL • Air permitting improvements • Greenhouse gas reduction efforts • PFCs in groundwater
Annandale – Maple Lake • MPCA has authority to interpret environmental laws it enforces • MPCA made a reasonable interpretation of the Clean Water Act
NPDES Permitting: Moving Forward • Pre-TMDL Phosphorus Trading • Water Quality Trading Rule • Final TMDL
Impaired waters • Clean Water Legacy • Protect, restore and preserve the quality of Minnesota's surface waters • Quality of Minnesota’s surface waters closely tied to economy • MPCA receiving $31 million during FY08-09 to address impaired waters • Funds to be used to monitor, assess and restore polluted surface water
Permittees Affected by Total MaximumDaily Load (TMDL) Studies
Ethanol/Mining/Biofuels • $6 million from Environment Fund to speed permitting in fast-growing sectors • Process improvements to permitting • $300,000 for biennium on biomass gasification air emission study
Air regulatory program • Permit and inspect facilities that emit air pollutants • 3,310 permitted facilities across state • Permits limit amount of pollution, set operating conditions, require data collection and reporting • Major facilities have 95% compliance rate • Air program budget • FY08-09: $22.2 million
Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction • New legislation: Next Generation Energy Act of 2007 • Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group • The Climate Registry
Other Issues • Update on new PFC developments • E-waste legislation • SCORE grants • Working with stakeholders
Brad Moore — 651-296-7305 brad.moore@pca.state.mn.us www.pca.state.mn.us