Thank you River Advocates! Hundreds submit cleanup comments

May 29th, the Minnesota Pollution on Control Agency officially wrapped up the public comment period for the South Metro Mississippi River and Minnesota River sediment TMDL cleanup plans. These TMDLs – pollution diets for these major river systems – are a vital step towards improving the health of the Mississippi River.

Hundreds of Minnesotans responded to our request for comments asking the MPCA to strengthen these cleanup plans. FMR would like to extend a well deserved thank you to everyone who wrote to the MPCA asking for strong TMDL cleanup plans for the Mississippi River.

Next steps

The MPCA has assigned a team to organize, review and respond to the comments, requests and petitions. This team will prepare a document listing all comments and the agencys response to them. This document will then become part of the TMDL report sent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval; it will also be posted on the MPCA website.

FMR will continue to work with agency leaders and members to ensure a swift response to public comments. For more information on the Mississippi and Minnesota river cleanup plans, please contact FMR Watershed Program Director Trevor Russell, 651-222-2193 x18 or by using our contact form.

Questions for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency can be directed to MPCA Regional Watershed Manager Robert Finley, 507-344-5247, robert.finley@state.mn.us.