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Mission:
To protect and promote the natural, recreational and historic resources of Voyageurs National Park.
Plan to Reduce Minnesota Air Pollution in Limbo
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The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Citizens’ Board met October 27th, 2009 to decide whether to send the revised Regional Haze State Implementation Plan to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Board voted 4-3 to move the plan on to EPA, but state law requires at least 5 votes for a decision. Therefore, a revote is necessary.
At the Citizen’s Board meeting, Voyageurs Superintendent Mike Ward and Superior National Forest Supervisor Jim Sanders outlined the shortcomings of the draft plan. Voyageurs National Park Association and our partner organizations have expressed similar concerns (learn more about our concerns). One recent milestone is that the Department of the Interior certified our petition that the Xcel Energy Sherco facility in Becker is one of the most significant contributers to air pollution in the state, especially as it concerns Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Wilderness.