The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will hold an open house and informational meeting April 20 on U.S. Steel Minntac's preliminary proposal to discharge wastewater from its taconite tailings basin into the St. Louis River system.
The open house will be from 6-9 p.m. at Mesabi Community College, 1001 Chestnut St. W. in Virginia. The meeting will include formal presentations by the PCA and U.S. Steel from 7-8 p.m.
The company revealed its plans last month and is expected to submit a draft permit application to the PCA this summer.
The taconite plant currently has no official discharge from the tailings basin, although considerable water seeps out of the tailings basin. Under the proposal, Minntac would pump 7.2 million gallons of water out of the tailings basin every day, sending it into the West Two River system, which flows into the St. Louis River. The route was picked over an earlier plan to send the water north into the Dark River or Sandy River.
The company wants to discharge the water to improve water clarity in the tailings basin. The basin water is recycled through the plant.
Issues expected to be raised surrounding the water diversion include possible mercury levels, sulfates, chlorides and sediment as well as the volume of water.
The article can be found at: http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/local/14276402.htm
My only concerns are with the mercury and bad crap getting into the St. Louis River. We spend a lot of time on it. I am fine with more water, that's probably needed.
What do you think?
Glad they didn't dump it in the Dark River. If its the same Dark river that is managed for stream trout, then that would have been a killer for sure. Not to sure on the Sandy River.
Its messed up that they want to improve water clarity (quality) while making NATURAL water sources more polluted, doesn't make sense. And if it eventually effects the St. Louis river, thats just plain stupid.
I actually might head to the meeting and see what is its all about. I didn't start fishing the St. Louis River alot until I joined the MMTS league. I've been out there before, but now it alot more fun to fish once you know where to look. The river is an awesome fishery and I'd like to keep it that way. The river is in most peoples backyards and easy acessible which is why I like to fish it.
If I go, I'll let every1 know what I heard from the meeting.