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 Permitting Compliance and enforcement Compliance and enforcement Monitoring and assessment Monitoring and assessment Cleanup and emergency response Cleanup and emergency response Environmental assistance Environmental assistance Impaired waters Whats 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 Phosphorus Trading Water Quality Trading Rule Final TMDL Impaired waters Clean Water Legacy Protect, restore and preserve the quality of Minnesota's surface waters Protect, restore and preserve the quality of Minnesota's surface waters Quality of Minnesotas surface waters closely tied to economy Quality of Minnesotas surface waters closely tied to economy MPCA receiving $31 million during FY to address impaired waters Funds to be used to monitor, assess and restore polluted surface water Funds to be used to monitor, assess and restore polluted surface water Permittees Affected by Total Maximum Daily 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 Mercury emissions in Minnesota Air Quality: How are we doing in Minnesota? Air regulatory program Permit and inspect facilities that emit air pollutants 3,310 permitted facilities across state 3,310 permitted facilities across state Permits limit amount of pollution, set operating conditions, require data collection and reporting 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 FY08-09: $22.2 million Improving Rate of Permit Completion 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