Facts, resources, and additional information to understand water quality challenges and solutions in southwestern Minnesota
EDGERTON, MN – On Wednesday, March 30, 2016, at 11:30am, Governor Mark Dayton and key members of his Cabinet are visiting Edgerton, Minnesota, to discuss water quality challenges facing southwestern Minnesota, and solutions that can help assure clean, affordable drinking water for area residents. The following facts and resources will help prepare reporters and editors for Wednesday’s discussion with Governor Dayton and for continued coverage of these issues in the weeks and months ahead.
Meeting Purpose
The purpose of this meeting is to: 1) inform and engage rural editors and reporters in a conversation about water quality in southwestern Minnesota; 2) describe in further detail the challenges and concerns facing water quality in southwestern Minnesota; 3) highlight the good work and successes that are happening to improve water quality in the region; and 4) answer any questions that reporters have about water quality in southwestern Minnesota.
Meeting Agenda
· Opening remarks from Governor Mark Dayton (3-5 mins)
· Remarks and presentation from
Pollution Control Commissioner John Linc Stine (5 mins), who will discuss the report
“Swimmable, Fishable, Fixable?” and provide an overview of water quality challenges in the region
· Remarks and presentation from Health Commissioner Dr. Ed Ehlinger (5 mins), who will discuss the health impacts of water quality in the region, including the human health impacts of nitrates and phosphorous; discuss success stories in the region of improved water quality; and highlight future needs the region will have to assure high-quality drinking water for all area residents
· Remarks and presentation from Board of Water and Soil Resources Executive Director John Jaschke (5 mins), who will discuss the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, buffers, the progress of local implementation of buffers, and Southwest Minnesota’s Clean Water Fund grants
· Remarks and presentation from Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson (5 mins), who will discuss the Ag Water Quality program and its successes, and opportunities for low interest loans through the Department’s AgBMP program for conservation tillage, erosion control, manure management, and more.
· Presentation of certification in the Minnesota Agriculture Water Quality Certification Program to Ian Cunningham, a Pipestone County Farmer. Ian currently operates Cunningham Farms, an 800 acre livestock and crop operation that places an emphasis on soil health and water stewardship. Ian utilizes cover crops, no-till practices, rotational grazing, and rotational diversity to maintain his land’s legacy. (2-3 mins)
· Remarks from Paul Lanoue, Lyon County farmer who has installed buffers beyond 16.5 feet and who helped to organize a local meeting with hundreds of area landowners to discuss the state’s new buffer law; Mr. Lanoue works in the Farm Business Management Program at Minn West Community/Technical College and is a former high school ag teacher (3-5 mins)
· Questions and discussion with reporters and editors (45 mins)
· Adjourn no later than 1:00pm
Local Leaders Expected to Attend
• Dennis Bleyenburg, Edgerton Council Member
• Jerry Brink, Edgerton Council Member
• Ron Williams, Edgerton Council Member
• Del Hulstein, Edgerton Council Member
• Laura DeBeer, Pipestone County Conservation and Zoning Office
• Jason Overby, CEO, Lincoln/Pipestone Rural Water (Local Water Utility)
• Jerry Lonneman, Commissioner, Lincoln/Pipestone Rural Water
• Dan Wildermuth, Pipestone County Commissioner
• Bruce Kooiman, Pipestone County Commissioner
• Danielle Evers, Pipestone Soil and Water District Ag Certification Specialist
• Laura DeBeer, Pipestone Soil and Water District Water Resources Technician
• Kyle Krier, Pipestone County Conservation and Zoning Office
Pollution Control Agency’s “Swimmable, Fishable, Fixable?” Report [Link]
Last April, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) released a report,
"Swimmable, Fishable, Fixable?", which found that poor water quality is concentrated in certain regions of the state, especially in southern Minnesota. MPCA researchers noted that in heavily farmed areas, surrounding lakes and streams had high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment. These high levels make it difficult to support aquatic life, and in some cases prohibit people from swimming in lakes and streams. The report's findings conclude that poor water quality in southern Minnesota waters is caused predominantly by agricultural runoff. Urban areas also suffer from elevated levels of water pollution caused by runoff. [
Read More]
·
Maps of Water Quality Concerns – These maps demonstrate the condition of Minnesota’s waters for swimming, recreation, and aquatic life. [
Link]
Health Department’s Annual Drinking Water Report [Link]
Last May, the Minnesota Department of Health released the findings of its
annual drinking water report. The report showed that nitrate levels in drinking water supplies are of increasing concern in Minnesota. Elevated levels of nitrate – which can lead to Blue Baby Syndrome in infants and other adverse human health effects - have caused an increasing number of Minnesota communities to install expensive nitrate treatment systems to ensure their water supplies are safe to drink. Some communities have resorted to temporarily distributing bottled water to their residents after detecting unsafe levels of nitrates in their drinking water. The report also shows that as much as 10 percent of small ("non-community") drinking water systems in the state have source water with elevated levels of nitrate – a significant cause of concern for human health. [
Read More]
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Map of Nitrate Concerns – Map of nitrate contamination in Minnesota cities. [
Link]
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Drinking Water Report – The full 2015 drinking water report can be found here. [
Link]
Agriculture Department Resources
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture provides several important resources to engage farmers and landowners in the work of protecting and improving water quality. Some of those resources include: 1) the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification program; and 2) the Agriculture Best Management Practices (AgBMP) Loan Program.
·
Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program [Link] – This is a voluntary opportunity for farmers and agricultural landowners all across Minnesota to take the lead in implementing conservation practices that protect our water. Those who implement and maintain approved farm management practices will be certified and, in turn, obtain regulatory certainty for a period of ten years. Already, the program has:
o Certified 104 farms in the program
o Enrolled 60,000 acres in conservation practices
o Implemented 215 new conservation practices
o Promoted the program statewide, with an expected 450 new applications by May
·
Agriculture Best Management Practices (AgBMP) Loan Program [Link] – The AgBMP Loan Program is a water quality program that provides low interest loans (typically 3 percent) to farmers, rural landowners, and agriculture supply businesses. The purpose is to encourage agricultural Best Management Practices that prevent or reduce runoff from feedlots, farm fields and other pollution problems identified by the county in local water plans. To-date, over $13 million from the Clean Water Fund has been awarded to local units of government to improve the AgBMP’s capacity to help solve pollution problems. Funds are available through the program for practices such as: wetland restoration; manure application; conservation tillage, and erosion control practices.
o
Find a Local Lender – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has a helpful online database, where Minnesota famers and landowners can look up lenders in their area to participate in the state’s AgBMP initiative. [
Link]
Governor’s Clean Water Infrastructure Proposal [Link]
In January, Governor Dayton proposed a
$220 million investment to modernize Minnesota’s aging water infrastructure – providing cleaner, more affordable drinking water for more Minnesotans. The proposal, which is included in the Governor’s Jobs Bill, includes: 1) $167 million to improve water quality and ease water and sewer bills for Minnesotans living in communities that need costly improvements; and 2) $30 million for communities working on water quality buffer strip projects, streambank stabilization initiatives, and the purchase of conservation easements. Here is what you need to know about the proposal:
· $11 Billion – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Minnesota communities will need $11 billion in water infrastructure improvements over the next two decades. This funding is necessary to replace aging wastewater and drinking water systems, upgrade treatment facilities to meet higher standards, and expand systems to accommodate growth. Approximately 60 percent of the needed improvements are in Greater Minnesota.
· $300 Million – The Governor’s plan would allow the State of Minnesota to increase its assistance to municipalities from an average of $160 million to $300 million per year. After this one-time influx of funding, an additional $100 million a year in state bonding would be needed for the next 20 years to address Minnesota’s water infrastructure needs. If approved by the Minnesota Legislature, Governor Dayton’s water infrastructure plan would allow the state to fund up to 80 projects a year, compared with less than 50 projects now.
·
Map of Projects – See where Governor Dayton’s proposed investments in clean water infrastructure would be. [
Link]
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List of Projects – Look up clean water infrastructure projects by city. [
Link]
·
Fact Sheet – Get a quick look at Governor Dayton’s proposed investments in clean water infrastructure, and why they matter. [
Link]
·
Public Meetings – Read more about the clean water infrastructure public meetings that were held across Minnesota, and the input received by the Administration. [
Link]
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Proposal [Link]
Governor Dayton has submitted a $795 million proposal to the United States Department of Agriculture for a
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) for Minnesota. This federal, state and local partnership would work with farmers and other landowners across Minnesota to implement conservation practices on up to 100,000 acres of land to restore and protect water quality. Funding provided through CREP would provide additional financial support for farmers and landowners as Minnesota works to implement bipartisan buffer legislation enacted last session. [
Read More]
Governor’s Buffer Initiative [Link]
Following a series of reports highlighting a concerning decline in water quality across Minnesota, Governor Dayton and lawmakers worked throughout the legislative session with farmers, landowners, environmental advocates, and public health experts to develop a solution that will reduce runoff and improve water quality. Together, they enacted legislation that will help significantly improve water quality in Minnesota.
The new buffer law will designate roughly 110,000 acres of land for buffer strips alongside Minnesota's waterways. These new perennial vegetation buffers along rivers, streams, and ditches, will help filter out phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment before it enters the water supply. With the support of local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the new law will provide flexibility and financial assistance for landowners to install and maintain buffers, and boost compliance with buffer laws across Minnesota.
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Read More About the Law – This news release, announcing the start of the buffer initiative, provides more information about how the law works. [
Link]
·
Buffer Website – This one-stop website provides a good overview of the initiative, including frequently asked questions. [
Link]
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Financial Support for Landowners – This factsheet from the Board of Water and Soil Resources provides a list of financial and technical supports available for farmers and landowners as they implement buffers or alternative water quality practices. [
Link]
Governor’s Water Summit
On Saturday, February 27, 2016, Governor Dayton convened the first-ever Governor’s Water Summit to focus public attention on the serious challenges facing Minnesota’s water supplies – in both rural and urban areas of the state. The Summit continued statewide dialogue around steps that must be taken to address the challenges facing our lakes, rivers, streams, and drinking water infrastructure. It brought together nearly 1,000 water quality experts, farmers, legislators, regulators, business leaders, members of the public, local leaders, and a wide variety of other stakeholders. The Summit also sought public input online from people across Minnesota. Over 200 pages of public comments collected at the Summit and online are still being compiled by the Governor’s Office, which will help inform the state’s approach to crafting solutions to clean water challenges across Minnesota.
Governor’s State of the State Address [Link]
During his annual State of the State Address, Governor Dayton devoted a significant portion of his speech to water quality concerns across Minnesota. The Governor’s remarks, as delivered, included this:
We face another growing problem with the quality of our water in some parts of our state. Left unattended, this problem will become a crisis for some of our citizens and communities.
We face the immediate challenge to provide help, especially to smaller communities in Greater Minnesota, who must treat their incoming drinking water to make it safe for human consumption. The cost of those treatment facilities is prohibitive for some.
My bonding bill proposes over $220 million of low-interest loans, grants, and technical assistance. It will not be enough, but it will be a start.
Then we must face the multiple causes of our increased water contamination. This is a complex problem, without a single or simple solution. But it is one we cannot avoid.
Minnesota has a proud history of tackling environmental problems and finding effective solutions. When I was a boy in the 1950’s, our neighboring town of Long Lake was dumping its untreated sewage into its namesake, Long Lake. It produced giant, 70 pound carp, for unsuspecting customers in Japan; but it made the lake unfishable and unswimmable for humans. A modern waste-water treatment plant starved the carp, but saved the humans. That was progress.
On an even larger scale, I recall the 1970’s, when Reserve Mining Company was dumping its untreated taconite tailings, filled with asbestos and other contaminants, into Lake Superior. There was a huge uproar, when the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and finally a federal judge ordered them to stop.
The company threatened to close, eliminating thousands of jobs, if it had to change its ways. But they did change, and the plant has operated to this day – until the recent industry shutdown.
We will hear the same refrain from some, who wish to avoid their share of responsibility for contaminating our state’s waters. Fortunately, increasing numbers of their neighbors have accepted the challenge and are leading the way forward.
In partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, our state Agriculture Department has developed the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program.
It provides voluntary opportunities for agricultural landowners to implement conservation practices that protect our water. In return, they gain regulatory certainty for ten years.
To date, our Agriculture Department has certified 104 farms totaling 60,000 acres. An additional 340 applicants are currently working toward certification, and another 450 applicants are expected by June 1st through partnerships with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
The program has already reduced sediment loss on those properties by over 4,600,000 pounds per year, prevented over a ton of phosphorus from entering our waters, and reduced nitrogen losses by an estimated 49 percent.
That is important progress. But we must make more.
All Minnesotans should have the right to clean, safe water, for their drinking, bathing, and recreation. No one else should be allowed to take it away from them. Assuring that safety is our legal and moral responsibility.
Water Quality in the News
The following news articles shed light on some of the water quality challenges facing Minnesota.
Star Tribune – In farm country, tainted water is ‘just the way it is’
Star Tribune – Town's contaminated water highlights a larger problem for Minnesota
Pioneer Press – Their water systems crumbling, Minnesota cities seek state help
Worthington Daily Globe – Making a difference: Watersheds offer programs to improve water quality
Worthington Daily Globe – Land of Impaired waters: Though lakes ‘not as good as they could be, we still love them’
Star Tribune – Minnesota cities are on the hunt for an ocean of lost water
ECM Publishers – Editorial series preview: Protecting Our Water – Minnesota’s water needs more attention
Pioneer Press – 800 voices on how to save Minnesota’s water: Dayton holds summit
