Legalectric

Good, Minnesota got an extension from the MPCA of the Comment period — Comments on the Draft Solid Waste Policy Report.

Once more with feeling, here it is:

MPCA Draft Solid Waste Policy for Comment

And there’ s more info on the Solid Waste Policy page:

MPCA Solid Waste Policy page

The following Notice of Extension came this afternoon from Richard Andre of the MPCA:

Dear interested parties:

As you are aware, the MPCA sent out a comment draft of the 2007 Solid Waste Policy Report on December 21, 2007. A copy of the December 21 draft Report can be found at this website: www.pca.state.mn.us/2007policyreport

Stakeholder comments and information have started to arrive via email (thank you!), but the MPCA has also heard from some groups over the holidays that extra time beyond the December 21 – January 11 comment window would be appreciated. Some of the requests for additional comment time have noted that the MPCA is going beyond the usual solicitation of opinions and is also requesting specific information about energy, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental effects, ability to implement, and costs of specific policy proposals. In addition, we realize that some parties are only now becoming aware of this Biennial Report, despite our outreach to environmental groups, counties, cities, waste managers, the business community, and other interested parties that occurred from June through October 2007.

In the interest of giving more time for such useful information to be gathered, which will result in a better statewide policy, the MPCA has decided to extend the stakeholder response deadline two additional weeks, from January 11 to the close of business on Friday, January 25. This will move back the Report’s delivery date to mid-February 2008. At that point, the Report becomes information for legislative consideration, which offers the opportunity for additional public input prior to the actual decision-making process.

The contact information for sending your responses to the MPCA remains the same as previously provided on December 21 (see below). Responses via email are preferred.

The MPCA also invite stakeholders who are sending their comments and information by email to “reply all” to the list of email addresses on this message. That way, other interested parties can see your comments and information directly. Extending the opportunity for stakeholders to compare notes in this manner is another reason the MPCA is adding an extra two weeks to the comment period. As part of preparing the final version of the Solid Waste Policy Report, the MPCA will sort and summarize stakeholder comments and information and include that information in an appendix to the Report.

Also, MPCA Commissioner Brad Moore is making time available to meet briefly with groups that would prefer a face-to-face meeting in addition to submitting their written comments. There will be 15-minute time slots available on Thursday morning, January 31, 2008, from 8:30 to 11:30 am. Timeslots are limited. To request such a meeting, please contact Miriam Bergmark at 651/296-7302. Please be aware that in the interest of having time available for the full range of groups who might be interested in such an opportunity, such meetings will need to be short and focused so that others who are waiting to meet with Commissioner Moore may be accommodated.

In summary, please send your comments on the draft Solid Waste Policy Report along with any other information you would like to provide (e-mail is preferred) by the close of business on Friday, January 25, 2008, to the attention of:

Jim Chiles, Solid Waste Policy Report Staff Coordinator
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Municipal Division, Solid Waste Section
520 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, MN 55155-4194

jim.chiles@state.mn.us
651/ 296-7273 voice
651/ 297-8676 fax

That’s a win for the home team, small, but what the hell.  Anyway, of note is the short list that received this notice, guess how many look like more than waste industry toadies?  A small handful, a very small handful.