Mankato Area Environmentalists

1411 Pohl Road, Mankato, MN 56001-5751 • Phone: (507) 345-4494
email: enviros@hickorytech.net • email: gschmitz@ssndmankato.org
fax: c/o Sr. Gladys Schmitz: 507-389-4127

"To me the question of the environment is more ominous than that of peace and war. We will have regional conflicts and use of force, but world conflicts I do not believe will happen any longer. But the environment, that is a creeping danger. I'm more worried about global warming than I am of any major military conflict." — Hans Blix, Chief U.N. Weapons Inspector


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Putting Green of New Ulm blends environmental education with mini-golf

Putting Green will be an environmental adventure park featuring an 18-hole miniature golf course located along the banks of the Minnesota River in New Ulm, Minnesota.


MPCA seeks citizen advice on improving water quality in the lower Minnesota River

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Minnesota River Board will be holding public meetings this spring seeking advice on how to reduce impacts on the Lower Minnesota River. The first meeting will be 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 28 at the Redwood Falls Community Center. The second meeting will be 1 p.m. Monday, June 2 at the Country Inn & Suites, Mankato.

The meetings will focus on pollution resulting from phosphorus discharges that reduce oxygen levels during periods when the river is at low flow. Following the initial meetings, an advisory committee will be established and will meet in late June and July. The MPCA is seeking nominations for advisory committee membership. Nomination forms will be available at the public meetings.

"The advisory committee will offer input on methods to reduce phosphorus. It will represent the Minnesota River Basin geographically, by various interests, and by phosphorus source," said Larry Gunderson, MPCA Minnesota River Basin coordinator.

Rivers and lakes can handle certain amounts of pollutants and remain "fishable and swimmable." But many waterways, including sections of the Minnesota River and tributaries, are overloaded with one or more pollutants including bacteria, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), sediment, and mercury.

So far in the Minnesota River Basin, scientists have identified more than 80 lakes and 89 river reaches with pollution impairments. A single water body or river reach (about 20 miles) can have more than one impairment. A pollution impairment means the river or lake is not fishable and swimmable.

Citizens can have a voice in deciding how to remedy the impairments. The public meetings will focus on the dissolved oxygen problem in the Lower Minnesota River, from Shakopee to the mouth of the Minnesota River. Low dissolved oxygen can result in fish kills or harm to fish and other aquatic life. Low dissolved oxygen occurs when high amounts of phosphorus cause algae growth. When algae die, they are consumed by bacteria. Bacteria use the oxygen for consuming the algae that the fish and aquatic life need to survive.

Phosphorus loads during low water flow periods are of primary importance. During low flow conditions, the low oxygen situation also occurs. To solve this problem, wastewater treatment facilities, stormwater discharges or large feedlots will need reductions in phosphorus discharges. Contributions from general agricultural and urban runoff are limited during low flow conditions due to decreased runoff, although reductions will be needed from these sources also.

During high flow conditions, general agricultural and urban runoff sources contribute to turbidity and fecal coliform bacteria. Thus, these pollutant sources will carry a larger role in solving problems related to turbidity and fecal coliform bacteria as well as phosphorus in the Minnesota River, the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin. These efforts will be completed in coming years.

A recent study shows that reducing phosphorus levels will achieve the dissolved oxygen standard in the lower Minnesota River during low flow conditions. The study identifies one way of achieving the phosphorus reductions.

Sources of phosphorus include municipal wastewater treatment facilities that empty into the river, runoff from feedlot sites, runoff from farm fields, urban runoff, stormwater discharges from industries or municipalities, and failing individual sewage treatment systems. Information gathered at the meetings will help determine ways to reduce the phosphorus load from all sources.

For more information or for an advisory committee nomination form, contact Larry Gunderson, 651-297-3825. On the Web, visit Minnesota River Basin or Total Maximum Daily Loads and Minnesota's Waterways.


Don Gordon's articles now available online

Don Gordon is professor emeritus of biology at Minnesota State University, Mankato. He is an expert in organic gardening, vegetable gardening, landscaping, and growing fruit in the upper Midwest, and is a columnist for the Mankato Free Press.

Don is also the author of Growing Fruit in the Upper Midwest (get info about the book or buy online at amazon.com).


"Intensive Corn-Soybean Agriculture not Sustainable," says Professor Gyles Randall

Professor Gyles Randall, a University of Minnesota soils expert, says the problem of creating a sustainable agricultural system in the United States will continue to exist until this country:

  1. Becomes aware that current agricultural practices are destined to create an ever increasing number of problems in the future, and
  2. Decides to take action towards making agricultural systems truly sustainable—that is, producing efficiently without creating environmental degradation.


Networking with Other Environmental Justice Groups

MAE receives information from and partners with many statewide and national environmental groups including:

Cooperative Projects with Other Environmental Groups

MAE advocates:
  1. Cleaning up polluting feedlots in the Minnesota River Basin by passing responsible state feedlot rules, responsible local ordinances, and responsible state laws that provide assistance to "clean" producers.
  2. Preserving and protecting the Minnesota River by promoting full funding for and full implementation of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), which will permanently set aside flood plain and riverbank buffer land.
  3. Enhancing water quality by advocating for sustainable agricultural and urban storm water management.
  4. Promoting whenever possible an overall ethic of environmental stewardship in urban and rural areas.
  5. Raising awareness of food security and food safety issues, and promoting environmentally sound shopping to support environment-friendly farming practices and good stewardship of the land.
  6. Promoting a clean and sustainable energy policy at the state and national level, including more regional power production and further research into biomass projects that can provide new markets for Minnesota farmers.

Local Environmental Concerns

MAE strives to keep an eye on as many local environmental issues as possible, including:
  • The proposed DM&E Railroad expansion project
  • County planning and zoning issues in support of sustainable development
  • County river basin planning
  • The fate of the Rapidan Dam on the Blue Earth River

Proposed DM&E Expansion

While MAE supports the DM&E Railroad's crucial services in serving the rural upper Midwest, particularly in bringing grain to market, it opposes the railroad's proposed plan to ship coal from Wyoming to coal-fired power plants in the eastern half of the United States. The reasons for opposing this plan are numerous, but they boil down into two broad categories:
  1. The U.S. should not be investing new capital in highly polluting, inefficient 19th century energy technology in a 21st century world.
  2. The effect of 20+ coal trains a day running through many of our Wyoming, South Dakota, and Minnesota communities would harm the quality of life of the citizens of those communities, particularly those close to the tracks and who are most economically disadvantaged.
The negative impact of this proposed expansion can best be found through the following sources:

Promoting Local Sustainability

Don Gordon highly recommends a new publication entitled Home Grown: The case for local food in a global market by Brian Halwell, which can be purchased from the Worldwatch Institute.

Environmental Resources from the State of Minnesota

MPCA Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Minnesota River Basin Management
mnseek.net
Next Step

Home GrownReduce Waste

Other Points of Interest


Our Precious Planet The mission of MAE is to be an ongoing voice for environmental quality, a resource to other environmental and community groups, and a source of action to shape environmental policies and practices in the Minnesota River Valley - Bend of the River area of south-central Minnesota.

Organization of MAE

MAE is a loosely organized, totally grassroots 501(c)6 organization funded by a $15 annual membership fee, grants, and donations from friends and members. An annual meeting is held in late winter when the Board of Directors is elected. The Board makes policy decisions and determines positions on issues with the input of the membership.