05/02/1994 Park Board Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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r Wetlands perform essential hydrologic and water quality functions such as lowering of flood peaks, providing interchange between surface water and groundwater,and filtering and absorbing pollutants. Because of these functions,wetlands are critical for reducing nonpoint source pollution to area lakes and rivers. The Metropolitan Council In September, 1988 the Metropolitan Council adopted its Water Resources Management Wastewater Treatment and Handling Policy Plan (hereafter the policy plan). Local governments were notified of the policy plan contents in the April, 1989 systems statement and pursuant to the Metropolitan Land Planning Act, had nine months to amend their comprehensive plans. The need to reduce nonpoint source pollution, to especially the Minnesota River Basin, through regulating land development is well documented in the Council's policy plan. However,because of the potential that nonpoint pollution may impact MWCC wastewater treatment plants effluent limits in the future the Council adopted Policy 1-1 of the Council's Wastewater Treatment and Handling Policy Plan which states: Mtreatment levels required for wastewater treatment plants in the metropolitan system should clearly recognize the need to control both point and nonpoint sources of pollution from within and outside the Metropolitan Area (p. 9). The Council has actively pursued the implementation of its policy to reduce nonpoint source pollution to area water bodies. The Council's policy plan outlines the responsibilities for implementing policy 1-1. These include, but are not limited to: 1. working with watershed management organizations (WMOs) and the MPCA on monitoring and managing nonpoint source pollution programs; and, 2. evaluating the efforts of WMOs and local governments to control nonpoint source pollution and their impact on river water quality and effects on treatment plant effluent limits. (p. 10) The Council has also used its authority under the Metropolitan Land Planning Act of 1976 to review and comment on comprehensive plan amendments and environmental reviews to implement its policy on reducing nonpoint source pollution. These comments have generally focused on the need to reduce nonpoint source pollution and the possible tools that may be used to accomplish this task. In addition to policy 1-1 of the Council's Water Resources Management Plan, Part 1, the Council has two other policies addressing the environmental effects of nonpoint source pollution and water quality. The Council's Water Resources Management Plan, Part 3 states in policy 3-4 that: The Council,through its numerous review and approval authorities,will preserve all protected and unprotected natural watercourses -- including associated wetlands, channels, floodplains and shorelands -- to enhance water quantity and quality and to preserve their ecological functions (page 3-26);