Advocating for clear air in canoe country

The BWCAW on a clear day

The BWCAW on a hazy day

On a good day, visibility in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is 130 miles. On a bad day, it can be as low as 33 miles.

» See what the air quality currently is, with an automatically-updated image.

Haze in the BWCAW is the effect of pollution from power plants, taconite processing facilities, cars and trucks and other sources around the region. The Clean Air Act requires states to eliminate such negative impacts on air quality in Wildernesses, National Parks, and other jewels of our country’s public lands.

As mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is developing a plan to eliminate human-caused contributions to haze in the BWCAW and its neighbor to the west, Voyageurs National Park.

The Friends is working closely with the MPCA, as well as the Superior National Forest and Voyageurs National Park and our partner organizations Voyageurs National Park Association, the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and the National Parks Conservation Association, to develop and implement the best plan possible to improve air quality in the Boundary Waters.

In meetings with MPCA staff, as well as in comment letters, we have provided science-based advocacy to help identify the complex contributors to regional haze and identify solutions that will have the greatest impact. In July, we submitted comments to the MPCA with our partner organizations. You can read those comments here.

You can submit your own comments to the MPCA until September 3. Take a moment to do so, and tell the agency that the Boundary Waters is important and every effort should be made to keep its air clean and clear for future generations.

Submit comments to Catherine Neuschler:

catherine.neuschler@state.mn.us
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Road N
St. Paul, MN 55155-4194

In the news:

• Minnesota working to reduce haze over Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Voyageurs Park – St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 24, 2009
• Air cleanup effort launched in Boundary Waters area – Minnesota Public Radio, August 19, 2009

Additional resources:

• MPCA regional haze site (includes draft plan)
• EPA regional haze site
• Regional haze page at Voyageurs National Park Association
• Regional haze page at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy

2 Comments

• Herb Davis says:

  August 28, 2009 at 5:17 am

  I wrote my letter and hope you will too! Please and Thanks.

  Reply
• Groups Request More Action to Reduce Haze in National Park and Wilderness Areas | Wilderness News Online says:

  September 9, 2009 at 1:52 pm

  [...] the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Voyageurs National Park Association and the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness asked the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to revise the state’s haze reduction plan to [...]

  Reply