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~~ / s--1 __ - - -_ ~~ ~- _ ~-~ ~, Water Resources Center UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Driven to Discover' S SS June 2009 ~ VlIRC receives water framework funding 2 Director's Corner ~ MinnAqua teaches new Minnesotans about stewardship r~. OSTP updates waste water study 5 OSTP septic system research article reaches broad readership 6 Community NeWS and Student News 7 Publications and Resources The Water Resources Center is afFliated with the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences and University of Minnesota Extension. Water Resources Center University of Minnesota 1985 Buford Avenue St. Paul, MN 55108 612-624-9282 Legislature approves $750,000 funding for WRC to create sustainable water framework for Minnesota After hours of debate in the Minnesota Leg- islature, the Clean Water, Land and Legacy bill was passed into la+v at 11:55 p.m. on Ma?= 18, 2009. The bill is expected to spend $ 397 million over the next t+vo years. The money, generated From a three eighths of one percent sales tax increase, +vas divided into three parts, 588 million to Fund outdoor habitat, 515 ] mil- lion to the Clean Water Fund, and 5158 million to support parks and trails and the arts. The WRC was allocated 5750,000, effective july 1, 2009, to create a 25-year +vater frame- work for the state, protecting, conserving and enhancing the quality and quantity of surface and ground +vaters. According to the bill, the framework will contain an "implementation schedule and associated benchmarks for policy, research, monitoring, and evaluation in order to achieve sustainable round and surface +vater use." It goes on to sa}•, "+vater use is sustainable +vhen current use does not harm ecosystems, degrade +vater quality, or compromise the ability of future generations to meet their o+vn needs." W RC co- director Deb Swackhamer laid out the reasoning for a Minnesota sustainable water plan to the Min- nesota legislature, citing a lack of comprehensive federal water policy or national vision. To fill that leadership gap, some states are creating individual water policies that fit their unique +vater needs. The WRC will hire a framework project coordi- nator, who will collaborate with state and local agencies, water management organi-rations, citizen groups and private business. Issues to be Water framework continued on page 2 Model will allow managers to forecast impact of policies on toxic chemicals in the Great Lakes Home to 35 million people, the Great Lakes Basin contains 22 percent of the +vorld's freshwater-and several classes of synthetic organic chemicals that pose potential threats to "legacy" pollutants such as PCBs, and chemicals of more recent concern such as polybrominated Biphenyl ethers and perfluorooctane sulfonates. PBTs can be found in industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals, pesticides, Lake Superior contains several classes of persistanl biochemical and toxic chemicals (PBTs). This model will help resource managers prioritize research and monitoring to reduce PBTs in the Great lakes. human and ecological health. These synthetic compounds, referred to as persistent bioaccu- mulative and toxic chemicals, or PBTs, include and even everyday personal care products. PBTs are of critical concern to +vater quality experts because they transfer easily across air, v+rater, and land, v ~ and span geographical and Z generational boundaries. Individuals who cat lame amounts of E'ish from waters contaminated with certain PBTs arc at risk for adverse c health effects, and mothers can pass these chemicals to their unborn children. Birds and mammals at the top of the food chain are also threatened -the most Great Lakes basin continued on page 2 Wl'C.iAIT121.eC~U