Under federal law, Minnesota is required to make reasonable progress in returning visibility in the Boundary Waters and Voyageurs National Park back to natural conditions. Today, views in these iconic Minnesota parks are obscured by haze-causing pollution from power plants, industry, and vehicles. This same pollution is also the known cause of many public health problems, including asthma and heart conditions. Minnesota has submitted its plan to reduce haze, called the Regional Haze State Implementation Plan (SIP), to EPA for approval.
MCEA and its partners criticized the state’s plan because it does not demonstrate that adequate progress will be made to improve visibility. In particular, Minnesota regulators gave Xcel’s Sherco – the largest and most polluting coal plant in the state – a pass, not requiring the plant to install the best technology to lower its emissions even though the plant is the state’s biggest polluter.
MCEA and its partners criticized the state’s plan because it does not demonstrate that adequate progress will be made to improve visibility. In particular, Minnesota regulators gave Xcel’s Sherco – the largest and most polluting coal plant in the state – a pass, not requiring the plant to install the best 
technology to lower its emissions even though the plant is the state’s biggest polluter.
For the rest of Minnesota’s coal-fired power plant fleet, MPCA failed to require any control technologies and instead is relying on a federal pollution trading program, the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. This pollution trading program is intended to clean up the air in cities in the eastern half of the country, and MPCA has not shown it will have a positive effect on visibility in Minnesota’s parks. Because it is a rule that allows trading, no Minnesota plant will actually be required to install controls
In addition, the plan does not require real reductions from taconite facilities, many of which continue to pollute without modern day control equipment. The MPCA plan only requires the taconite industry to use “good combustion practices” in operating its existing equipment. The failure to require actual control equipment to reduce emissions is a huge concession to the industry and does not conform to federal law. MCEA will be requesting EPA to reject the state plan and require installation of available controls. EPA is required to rule on the power plant portion of Minnesota’s SIP by May 30, 2012. It has until November 15, 2012, to consider the portion related to taconite facilities.
MCEA Documents
Notice of Intent to Sue Pursuant to the Clean Air Act for Failure of the Administration to Promulgate a Regional Haze FIP for Sherburne County Generating Station in Minnesota
Comments on Proposed Approval of the Minneota State Implementation Plan for Regional Haze and technical support attachment
Comments on Draft State Implementation Plan Supplement
Comments on Revised Draft Haze State Implementation Plan
Media
Green groups threaten EPA with lawsuit, Minnesota Public Radio, May 9, 2012
Press Release: Clean Air Groups Call on EPA to Require Clean Up at Minnesota's Dirtiest Coal Plant
Pollution board approves BWCA, Voyageurs haze rules, Minnesota Public Radio, April 24, 2012
Clean Air Advocates Urge EPA to Protect Minnesota’s Public Health, Economy and Natural Resources, ENews Park Forest, April 24, 2012
Rules to cut haze over Voyageurs, BWCA OK'd amid criticism, Star Tribune, April 24, 2012
MPCA board approves Voyageurs, BWCA haze rules, The Examiner, April 24, 2012
Minnesota: BWCA, Voyageurs haze rules would get update, Pioneer Press, March 25, 2012
MPCA postpones decision on BWCA haze plan, Minnesota Public Radio, March 27, 2012
State works to cut haze in northern Minn. wilderness areas, Minnesota Public Radio, March 27, 2012
Minnesota: BWCA, Voyageurs haze rules would get update, Pioneer Press, March 25, 2012
Minn. updating rules for fighting haze that can mar views in BWCA, Voyaguers National Park, The Republic, March 25, 2012
Your Turn: Boundary Waters marred by air pollution, Sctimes, March 23, 2012
Environmentalists take on MPCA over pollution in BWCA and northern parks, MinnPost, March 20, 2012