On behalf of the Minnesota Environmental Science and Economic Review Board (MESERB), Flaherty & Hood attorney Steve Nyhus, in coordination with John Hall of Hall & Associates in Washington, D.C., provided oral and written testimony on draft nutrient standards for rivers and streams currently being considered by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). Nyhus and Hall advocated for cities’ concerns about the scientific underpinnings of the proposed standards and requested an independent peer review of the MPCA’s proposal.
If adopted as proposed, there is a serious risk that cities may spend millions on wastewater treatment upgrades that might not be necessary to protect rivers and streams from excess nutrients. The matter is currently before an administrative law judge, who is expected in the coming weeks to release recommended findings of fact and conclusions of law for the MPCA’s consideration.
