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MPCA denies Stacy request, delays order to improve sewer plantBy Barbara Brown Stacy may be able to save residents money by joining a southern county regional wastewater treatment project instead of adding on to its own sewage treatment area. The city had asked the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to reduce its requirement for discharge of nitrate and phosphorus from its sewage treatment facility. In a letter to the council, the MPCA denied that request, but said it would hold off requiring the city to build a new chemical treatment plant if it does join the Chisago Lakes Joint Sewage Treatment Commission. However, if no commitment by the city is made to join that project, the city would be required to submit plans by June 30 for its own treatment improvements with construction required before December 2004. Otherwise, the city will begin to rack up fines for not being in compliance with MPCA requirements. The joint commission is trying to connect the wastewater treatment operations of Chisago City, Center City, Lindstrom and Wyoming. Joining several city systems into one is meant to save money, labor and environmental impact from sewage treatment. In the meantime, Stacy must maintain the required 10 milligrams per liter of nitrate to be discharged in the water left over after wastewater treatment at its sewage plant. The city had asked the agency to drop the requirement to a ìmonitor onlyî status that would mean less strict discharge requirements. The joint treatment project could cost the city millions of dollars to join, but building everything that is required to bring the cityís current treatment facility up to MPCA specs could cost even more. In May, the sewage commission was officially authorized by the county to create a joint powers agreement although plans for the facility have been in the works for nearly two years. Stacy council members will attend the joint sewage commissionís regular monthly meetings to learn more about the project and what Stacy would be asked to contribute. Also at the Oct. 28 meeting, the council approved a request by Maintenance Manager Tom Archibald to limit the times people can access the cityís leaf drop-off area. Archibald told the council he had been finding trash, lumber, appliances and all sorts of other items in the drop-off area. The council approved changing the drop-off times to Thursdays between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Drop-off would only be available for residents, who must show their identification before being allowed to unload. The councilís regular Nov. 11 meeting was rescheduled to Nov. 10 in observance of Veterans Day. ©ECM Post Review |