Tell MPCA to List Wild Rice Impaired Waters

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s 2012 list of Impaired Waters contains 187 new reaches of creeks, streams and rivers.  Read more at our Impaired Waters webpage.

Despite progress in protecting fish, the MPCA’s 2012 Impaired Waters list has an important omission. It fails to identify any waters of the State that are impaired for their use to support natural stands of wild rice.

The MPCA has received information from citizens, tribal authorities and from its own monitoring reports demonstrating that many wild rice waters have levels of sulfates that exceed water quality standards and impair the propagation and maintenance of wild rice. Listing wild rice impaired waters is required under the Clean Water Act and is an important step in limiting the total levels of sulfate pollution that can be released to wild rice waters.

Read WaterLegacy’s Comments on the 2012 Impaired Waters list.

ACT NOW.  Contact the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency before the February 27, 2012 deadline for public comment by email to howard.markus@state.mn.us or by calling Howard Markus at 651-757-2551 or 800-657-3864. Let the MPCA know:

1. The MPCA’s work to identify and list Minnesota’s waters that are impaired for aquatic life is a positive step to control pollutants, including sulfates and toxic metals from existing and expanding mines, that harm fish and the aquatic ecosystem;
2. The MPCA must also identify and list Minnesota waters that are impaired for ability to sustain wild rice and are in violation of Minnesota’s wild rice sulfate standards.

You can monitor lisings and learn more at the MPCA’s Impaired Waters web site.

Citizen Action is important to save Minnesota’s Natural Wild Rice.

• Read:  WaterLegacy’s Wild Rice Sulfate Fact Sheet
• Duluth Tribune, John Meyers April 10, 2011, In sulfate debate, future of Iron Range mining projects hangs in balance article quoting Len Anderson to explain risks to wild rice of sulfide mining

• Meetings of the Wild Rice Advisory Group are open to the public to listen and observe.
• Court proceedings in the Chamber of Commerce case challenging the sulfate rule that protects wild rice also are open to the public. Check back for updates on the schedule.

SUGGESTED MESSAGE TO PROTECT WILD RICE (put these talking points in your own words):

• “Minnesota’s state grain, Wild Rice (manoomin) is under attack by the mining industry in state rulemaking, in court, and in the Legislature.
• “Please protect natural stands of wild rice and preserve the sulfate standard of 10 milligrams per liter that is needed for wild rice to thrive.
• “Defend the standard in administrative rulemaking, by fighting the Chamber of Commerce lawsuit and by vetoing any bills that propose to weaken water quality standards that protect wild rice.”

Reach out to your friends and neighbors to protect wild rice. Download and print the Save Wild Rice flyer, the Wild Rice Sulfate Facts, and Wild Rice Protection Postcards to Governor Dayton, and educate others in the community.