The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s assessment that more than half of Minnesota’s lakes, rivers and streams now fail to meet water-quality standards compels bold action to ensure that our state’s remaining clean waters remain healthy.
Because we have a wealth of water in Minnesota, it is tempting to think it will always be there. However, it is clear that if we do not target protection and restoration work, more of our best waters that we enjoy today to go fishing or swimming in will be added to the state’s list of polluted waters.
One of the state’s top priorities should now be to ensure that we protect our most significant rivers, lakes and streams that currently enjoy good water quality.
Protecting healthy waters costs far less than restoring degraded waters. While in truth we simply cannot afford to allow any more of our waters to become impaired. They are too valuable to our state and local economy, our quality of life and our public health.
Minnesota has been a national leader in monitoring, planning and restoring degraded waters. It’s time we take action and become a national leader in protecting our clean waters. That’s the only way to ensure that the state’s list of impaired waters does not get any longer.
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Please join us 6:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 5 in Central Lakes College Cafeteria, 501 W. College Drive, Brainerd, for a community forum on Minnesota’s waters.
Dean Borgeson
Crosslake
