The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is seeking public review and comment of a draft proposal for regulating the use of nitrogen fertilizer in Minnesota.

The purpose of the proposed Nitrogen Fertilizer Rule is to minimize the potential for nitrate-nitrogen contamination from fertilizer in the state's groundwater and drinking water. Nitrate is one of the most common contaminants in Minnesota's groundwater, and elevated levels of nitrate in drinking water can pose serious health concerns for humans.

The MDA is seeking public input and will be holding five public listening sessions throughout the state to discuss the proposed Nitrogen Fertilizer Rule, at which written comments can be submitted.

The draft rule can be viewed online at the MDA Nitrogen Fertilizer Rule webpage.

All comments regarding the proposed rule must be submitted in writing. After consideration of comments received, the MDA expects to publish the final draft of the rule in fall 2017. The rule is expected to be adopted in fall 2018.

The draft Nitrogen Fertilizer Rule is based on the Minnesota Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan, which recommends steps for minimizing impacts of nitrogen fertilizer on groundwater and emphasizes involving the local community in developing local solutions.

The NFMP went through an extensive development process with input provided by farmers, crop advisers and others in the agricultural community.

Listening sessions on the draft rule will be held at the following locations:

• Thursday, June 22, 5 p.m., Marshall Public Library, 201 C St., Marshall
• Wednesday, June 28, 6 p.m., Chatfield Center for the Arts, 405 Main St., Chatfield
• Thursday, June 29, 2 p.m., University of Minnesota Extension, 4100 220th St. West, Farmington
• Thursday, July 6, 3 p.m., Great River Regional Library, 1300 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud
• Tuesday, July 11, 6 p.m., Robertson Theatre, Wadena-Deer Creek High School, 600 Colfax Ave. SW, Wadena

Written comments on the draft Nitrogen Fertilizer Rule should be submitted by Friday, Aug. 11, via mail to Larry Gunderson, Fertilizer Technical Unit Supervisor, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, 625 Robert St. North, St. Paul, MN, 55155-2538; or by email to him at [email protected].

All comments should, but are not required to, include a contact name, phone number and/or email address to provide for follow-up discussion on specific comments.

To stay up to date on the rule writing process, visit the MDA Nitrogen Fertilizer Rule webpage.

Source: MDA