On Thursday, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced findings that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination exceeded health-based guidance values determined by the Minnesota Department of Health in groundwater at 59 closed landfills in 41 counties across Minnesota. To address this contamination, the MPCA has requested use of funds from the Closed Landfill Investment Fund to respond to this contamination, which requires legislative action.
In response to the MPCA’s request, Senator Karla Bigham (DFL-Cottage Grove) released the following statement:
“The scale of contamination laid out by the MPCA makes it clear that we must take urgent action at the Legislature to provide the resources necessary to address this problem. We have a strategic guide in Minnesota’s PFAS Blueprint of the immediate, short- and long-term steps we can take to manage this contamination, but it requires the Legislature to fully fund it. I will work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that we provide the MPCA with the funds and flexibility to get this done.”