Setting Standards and Developing Rules With measurements in hand, the MPCA sets standards that protect the environment and develops rules based on those standards. When monitoring indicates that current rules are not effectively controlling pollution problems, or when new problems are discovered, MPCA rules are changed in response to the information. Monitoring also helps the agency set its priorities by showing where the most serious problems are. Much environmental protection is achieved by issuing permits to potential sources of pollution. The agency s environmental review staff examine plans for major development projects that might affect the environment in order to foresee and prevent environmental damage.
Public comment is invited at several stages of the environmental review process.
Citizens may also petition the state Environmental Quality Board for an environmental review if they believe a proposed project may damage the environment. Providing Technical Assistance and Training Information and training services provided by MPCA reach thousands of Minnesota s businesses, organizations and individuals each year. The MPCA helps the regulated community meet the requirements of pollution rules using written materials, workshops, informational phone lines, technical newsletters, conferences and speakers. The MPCA library is also open to the public for on-premise use of the materials. Available documents include more than 70,000 EPA publications, copies of most MPCA publications and online computer access to over 300 databases and 3,500 books, directories and technical documents.