Make Sure NEW Rules Broadly Define “Wild Rice Waters” to Protect Natural Wild Rice from Sulfate Pollution

Northern Minnesota’s waters are naturally low in sulfates, which is why wild rice was historically abundant across our region. To protect natural wild rice, a Minnesota rule was enacted in 1973 limiting sulfates in wild rice waters to 10 milligrams per liter, a level low enough to sustain wild rice stands and the fish, waterfowl and mammals that depend on this natural grain.

During the past several decades, Minnesota regulators haven’t consistently enforced the wild rice sulfate water quality standard. As a result, waters located downstream of taconite mining tailings basins and waste rock piles have become contaminated with sulfate pollution. Wild rice beds have suffered. Sulfide mining poses even a greater threat to natural wild rice.

The mining industry, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and other sulfate dischargers are now doing everything they can to weaken or eliminate the wild rice sulfate standard and prevent its enforcement to protect natural stands of wild rice. In the spring of 2011, they lobbied the Minnesota Legislature to eliminate or weaken the 10 milligrams per liter limit on sulfate pollution in wild rice waters. They did not succeed -- because the federal Clean Water Act only allows states to weaken water quality standards if there is reliable scientific information showing that the resource would not be degraded if the standard changed.

These polluters now are lobbying the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) in the administrative rulemaking process to weaken the wild rice standard and restrict the number of waters and natural wild rice stands to which it applies.

In the fall of 2012, the MPCA will propose a new rule definition to explain which wild rice waters will be protected from excessive sulfate pollution.

Your voice is needed. Send an email now to the MPCA, asking that the new rulemaking protect natural wild rice growing in waters throughout Minnesota.

Subject: Broadly Define “Wild Rice Waters” to Protect Natural Wild Rice from Sulfate Pollution

Your Letter:

Dear Ms. Lotthammer:

I appreciate the efforts of MPCA staff to uphold water quality standards that protect natural wild rice (manoomin).

I understand that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is now considering an amendment of Minnesota Rule 7050.0224, the wild rice sulfate standard, to more precisely define "waters used for the production of wild rice" protected from sulfate levels above 10 mg/L.

The proposed changes would both list additional specific wild rice waters where the standard applies and establish criteria that would allow application of the standard to unlisted wild rice waters.

I would strongly request that the MPCA, in considering this rule change:

1) list additional lakes, streams, creeks, rivers and wetlands on which natural wild rice grows and has grown within the Lake Superior Basin and in all other Minnesota watersheds;

2) protect natural wild rice for wildlife uses and preservation of genetic diversity as well as for protecting larger and more accessible stands used for human harvest;

3) protect waters where wild rice has grown since the November 28, 1975 Clean Water Act "existing use" date and protect waters where wild rice was harvested by tribes, whose right to harvest is protected by treaties.

Thank you for your commitment to protecting Minnesota’s state grain -- natural stands of wild rice.

Shannon Lotthammer, Section Manager

MPCA
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, MN 55155-4194
US