MPCA to Host Public Meeting on Minntac Permit
Dear Members,
Our treasured Lake Vermilion is facing challenges. It is designated an impaired body of water due to high levels of both mercury and sulfate contaminations. The Minnesota Department of Health has issued a health warning about the consumption of fish caught in Lake Vermilion due to high levels of mercury in the fish. The Vermilion Lake Association’s mission is to protect and improve Lake Vermilion. We take our mission seriously and support several programs, such as AIS prevention, water testing, and fishery monitoring, that impact the wellbeing of the lake and your enjoyment of it.
Given the current challenges facing the lake, we have begun tracking actions the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency takes that impact the lake. In June, we submitted comments to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency asking it to include clear, measurable mercury reduction standards in its proposed air emission permit for Minntac. We did this to protect the lake, its inhabitants, and those who enjoy a fish dinner.
Now, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is calling for comments on a proposed permit governing sulfate contamination from Minntac’s tailing pond which holds water contaminated during taconite processing. See the MPCA Notice at:
The tailings pond is huge. According to the MPCA, it covers 13.6 square miles (about 8700 acres). If it were a lake, it would be the 14th largest in Minnesota (about the size of Pelican Lake near Breezy Point in the Brainerd area). Toxic seepage from the tailings pond flows into Lake Vermilion’s Pike Bay on the west end via the Pike River. Sulfate sampling at this point has ranged from 19 to 54 mg/L in the period January 14 to September 9, 2026 – the law allows 10 mg/L.
VLA leadership is working to understand how the MPCA’s proposed permit covering the tailings pond will impact Lake Vermilion. We have participated in a meeting with the MPCA and we have reached out to Water Legacy, which has litigated against sulfate pollution, to gather information. We are writing to you to give you a heads up about the proposed permit and our efforts to understand its impact. Once we have sufficient information to form a course of action, we will report back to you and ask that you check VLA’s website for updates.
One way you can take action is to attend a public meeting the MPCA is hosting on September 29, 2026 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at Iron Trail Motors Event Center, 919 6th St. S, Virginia, Minnesota. At this meeting you will hear from the MPCA and have an opportunity to ask questions about the permit. We encourage you to attend.