EPA Transmits Addition of 32 Waters to Minnesota's 2020 Impaired Waters List

CHICAGO (November 9, 2021) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has transmitted its addition of 32 waters to Minnesota’s 2020 Impaired Waters List under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. The 32 waters listed have measured sulfate concentrations exceeding the criterion to protect waters used for the production of wild rice. These impaired and threatened waters (stream/river segments, lakes) require a total maximum daily load (TMDL) – a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that can enter a water body.

On March 26, EPA partially approved Minnesota’s list as submitted and disapproved the State’s decision to exclude those water quality limited segments (WQLSs) used for the production of wild rice where sulfate concentrations exceed the criterion. On April 27, EPA opened a 30-public comment period on the addition of 30 WQLSs to Minnesota’s list. The comment period was later extended by 30 days. On September 1, EPA opened another 30-day comment period on the addition of three more waters to the list.

After considering all public comments and tribal input, EPA determined that one of the additional waters (the Embarrass River (04010201-B00) segment) did not meet EPA’s screening criteria and removed it from the EPA additions to Minnesota’s list.

The list of 32 waters and EPA’s response to comments are available at: https://www.epa.gov/tmdl/epas-additions-minnesotas-2020-impaired-waters-list.