Conference on the Environment

MPCA Update State of the Environment Current Activities On the Horizon

November 12, 2013

Our Mission: Protect and improve the environment and enhance human health

http://www.pca.state.mn.us/gp0r10bb

Air Update

David ThorntonAssistant Commissioner

Air Policy

State of the Air

Are we meeting standards?

Is our air healthy to breath?

Moderate progress

Current Activities:Clean Air Dialogue action areasOn and off road

mobile sourcesSmall business

sourceNew air alert

programWoodsmoke

Non-permitted sources (resi-dential and

commercial) 26%

Off-road vehi-cles and equip-

ment 20%

Onroad vehi-cles28%

Permitted sources (point)

26%

Current Activities:Clean Air Minnesota 2.0 focus areasBuild on the success

of diesel retrofitsModel contractsElectric vehiclesTargeted assistance

to small businessWoodsmoke

awareness and change-outs

Since 2008, MPCA has worked with Environmental Initiative to reduce PM2.5 emissions by the equivalent of removing 667,000 cars from the road.

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Current Activities:EPA Green House Gas Rule for Power PlantsEPA seeking comments from states

Determine the best system of emission reduction

Interstate electricity market Flexibility, partnerships

Challenge Workable/protective

standard for carbon from coal and natural gas

Minnesota Power’s Boswell Energy Center

On the Horizon:New Air Monitoring Activities

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Near road monitoring: EPA requirement I-94 in Minneapolis

Roving monitors: 2013 Legislative action Areas not well represented

by current long-term monitoring network

Winona Silica sand-related

One of 14 air monitoring stations throughout the state, nine of which are in the TCMA. Additional near road, roving and sand-related stations are planned in 2014.

Water Update

Rebecca FloodAssistant Commissioner

Water Policy/Agricultural Liaison

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State of the Water

How are our waters doing?

Good progress

How much has been tested?

Surface water protection and restoration

Good progress

Current Activities:Watershed Monitoring

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Intensive Watershed Monitoring Biological/Physical

monitoring – 10 year cycle Lake monitoring Flow/chemical/load

monitoring – ongoing

On track to complete state in 10 years

Current Activities:WRAPS going statewideWatershed Restoration and Protection

Strategies (WRAPS)

Local implementation Outreach and education• Ag Water Quality Certification

Sample Implementation Table

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Water Quality Parameter

Current Conditions

Water Quality Targets by Parameter. Strategies Required AdoptionRate

Measures Who Milestone

Total Suspended Solids Watershed Derived Sediment: approx. 35% Pervious Areas by land-use category

Current Loading byFlow Zone all sources. Very High – 29 T/dayHigh 4.9 T/dayMid - 1.6 T/dayLow – 0.49 T/dayVery low – 0.027 T/day

TSS levels reduced by _% by flow zones, to achieve WQ standards. Moving the 90% to 52mg/l TSS. Loading Capacity by Flow Zone all sources. Very High – 15 T/dayHigh – 3.1 T/dayMid - 1.2 T/dayLow – 0.40 T/dayVery low – 0.027 T/day

Source Prevention: Interception & Treatment: In-Channel Work:

All cropland continuously protected by 30% residue or equivalent. 100 year flood plan in permanent vegetation. * Top 5% of EBI areas protected. *

Percent of TSS reduced by flow zone per year to meet TMDL reduction targets

Land-ownersSWCDBWSRNRCS

100% in 10 years.10% or more protected during each year.

Total Suspended Solids Watershed Derived Sediment: Impervious Areas. - MS4

NA this watershed

TSS levels reduced by _% to achieve WQ standards. BMPs designed to achieve target levels.

Source Prevention: Interception & Treatment: In-Channel Work:

Compliance with SWPPP

None – no MS4s in watershed

NPDESPermit Holders MS4s.

Schedule of Compliance if needed.

Total Suspended Solids Near-Channel Derived Sediment. Approx. 65%

TSS levels reduced by _% to achieve WQ standards.Moving the 90% to 52mg/l TSS.Channel embeddedness.

Source Prevention: Interception & Treatment: In-Channel Work:

100 year flood plan in permanent vegetation. * Top 5% of EBI areas protected. *

Percent of TSS reduced from near channel sources to meet TMDL reduction targets

Land-ownersSWCDBWSRNRCS

100% in 10 years.10% or more protected during each year.

Phosphorus Nonpoint Phosphorus – by land-use category

Current Loading by Flow Zone all sources. Very High –82 lbs./dayHigh – 8.4 lbs. /dayMid - 2.4 lbs./dayLow – 0.90 lbs./dayVery low – 0.15 lbs./day

Reduce phosphorus levels to FWM 18.4 lbs. /day or less. This level set to achieve compliance with D.O. WQ standard during 7Q10 flows. WLA – 0.02 lbs./dayMOS 1.84 lbs./day LA:Very High –27 lbs./dayHigh – 4.7 lbs. /dayMid - 1.6 lbs./dayLow – 0.69 lbs./dayVery low – 0.13 lbs./day

Source Prevention: Interception & Treatment: In-Channel Work:

All manure applied at agronomic rates for phosphorus. 25 foot permanent vegetation buffers around all pasture lands.*

Percent of flow-weighted mean goal achieved from nonpoint sources

Land-ownersSWCDBWSRNRCS

100% in 10 years.10% or more protected during each year.

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Current Activities: Draft Nutrient Reduction StrategyMinnesota State and federal agencies and the

University of Minnesota worked together to create an effective draft strategy.

A stakeholder conversation begins now

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Current Activities:Nutrient Reduction Strategy FoundationBuilds on a foundation of good scienceSets goals based on water needsSets milestones to define progress that is

accountable 2025 – the milestone 2045 – the goal

Action plans directly relate to our outcomesStakeholders are involved in shaping strategy

On the Horizon:River Eutrophication Standards

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Numeric limit for PhosphorusNumeric limit for “Response Variables”

November 18 45-day Public Notice begins

January 8 Public Hearing MPCA St. Paul office with

video connection to all regional offices

Land/Legislative Update

Kirk KoudelkaAssistant Commissioner

Land/Legislative Policy

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State of the Land

What happens to solid waste in Minnesota?

Moderate progress

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Current Activities:Solid Waste Management

Reduce

Re-Use

Recycle

Organics Recovery

Resource Recovery

Landfill with Gas Recovery

Landfill

Solid Waste Management in the TCMA

Re so urc e Re c o ve ry

29%

Existing (2008) La nd filling

28%

Re c yc lin g

41%

O rg a n ic s Re c o ve ry

2%

Re so urc e Re c o ve ry

24% O rg a n ic s Re c o ve ry

15%

Maximum Objective (2030)

La nd filling 1%

Re c yc lin g 60%

6% Source Reduction

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TCE & Soil Vapor Intrusion

MDH Health Based Value (HBV) 0.4 ug/L EPA Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL) 5.0 ug/L

MPCA Strategy in Response

Potential Soil Vapor Intrusion in Como Neighborhood in SE Minneapolis

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UNSession

The Unsession is a first-of-its-kind effort to make government better, faster, simpler and more efficient for people. We want to improve service, shorten wait

times, eliminate old and outdated rules, and undo anything else that makes government nearly

impossible for people to understand.

gov.ideas@state.mn.us