PCA ordered to shut N. Mpls air monitors or justify them to court

A judge has ordered the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to shut down two air monitors that bracket property owned by the Northern Metal scrap yard in north Minneapolis or explain by July 27 why not.

Ramsey County District Judge John Guthmann issued his order last Thursday in an action brought by Northern Metals, which alleges that it is unfairly being singled out by the agency as it investigates five instances in which an area monitor recorded air particles over the allowable standard.

Read more in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

City council backs silica sand air monitoring, will wait on state's rules

The city of Winona officially supports the idea of monitoring frac sand in the air at the city’s sand facilities. The City Council on Monday approved a resolution that urges the state to come up with laws to regulate the silica sand industry — emphasizing that it supports the idea of requiring air monitors at the fence line of each frac sand operation.

Read more in the Winona Daily News.

MPCA: Monitoring shows silica sand not a concern in Winona

Frac sand in ambient air does not pose a health concern for Winona residents. The first look Tuesday at eight months’ worth of air monitoring data in downtown Winona showed silica sand was, for the most part, undetectable.

Read more in the Winona Daily News.

Winona to hold public discussion on frac sand monitoring results

City staff should get an idea next week from the results of more than nine months of monitoring downtown Winona air for ambient frac sand and emissions.

Read more in Winona Daily News.

First Winona air monitor results in; frac sand levels not final yet

A look at the first set of data from one of Winona’s air monitors shows that city residents have little to worry about when it comes to breathing in fine particles — though the study will require more data and there’s no word yet on the impact of frac sand in the air.

Read more in Winona Daily News.

NSSGA gives OSHA additional info on proposed silica rule

NSSGA filed additional information and data with OSHA following the agency’s public hearings in March and April on a proposed respirable crystalline silica rule.

NSSGA says OSHA’s proposal is important to its members because a silica standard would directly affect ready-mix and asphalt concrete operations, many aggregate sales yards, and practically all members’ customers.

Committee pushes for extensive frac sand monitoring in Winona

The Winona Citizen's Environmental Quality Committee is recommending several additional air monitors be installed in Winona to measure the impact of frac sand processing and transportation on ambient air quality.

Read more in the Winona Daily News.

Producers, associations implore OSHA to reconsider proposed silica rule

Concrete, aggregate and cement interests are well represented in parties challenging the rationale, compliance costs and burdens—along with a timeline from announcement (August 28) to close of a four-month public comment period (February 11)—tied to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica.

Read more in Concrete Products.

Air check: Winona frac sand, diesel monitors to start recording this week

Winona now has a pair of monitors that will soon start recording levels of frac sand and diesel emissions in the air near the interstate bridge, one of the first tests of its kind in the state.

Read more in the Winona Daily News.

Minnesota Will Investigate Whether Frac Sand Particles Are Blowing Off Trucks In Winona

Minnesota officials plan to study a busy roadway in Winona to see if harmful dust is blowing off of trucks hauling frac sand to and from Wisconsin.

Read more at Wisconsin Public Radio.

Buffalo County health department says it's largely done studying frac sand

The Buffalo County health department has said it will no longer study the potential impact of frac sand, other than to respond to requests from zoning officials. The department said at a recent committee meeting that continued us of staff time to research the frac sand is not required.

Read more in Winona Daily News.

With Ban on Drilling Practice, Town Lands in Thick of Dispute

This old farming town near the base of the Rocky Mountains has long been considered a conservative next-door neighbor to the ultraliberal town of Boulder, a place dissected by the railroad and where middle-class families found a living at the vegetable cannery, sugar mill and Butterball turkey plant. But this month, Longmont became the first town in Colorado to outlaw hydraulic fracturing, the oil-drilling practice commonly known as fracking.

Read more the The New York Times.

Air analysis: DNR to examine data from EOG's monitors

One of the largest oil and gas companies in the U.S. is hoping new air monitors in Chippewa County will help clear the air about concerns over silica dust.

Watch the story at WQOW TV- Eau Claire.

Experts: Some fracking critics use bad science

In the debate over natural gas drilling, the compaies are often the ones accused of twisting the facs. But scientists say opponents sometimes mislead the public, too. Critics of fracking often raise alarms about groundwater pollution, air pollution, and cancer risks, and there are still many uncertainties. But some of the claims have little -- or nothing -- to back them.

Read more at Minnesota Public Radio.

Health department asks for frac sand moratorium extension

The Buffalo County public health department is calling for an extension to the frac sand moratorium as its expiration date approaches.

Read more in the Winona Daily News.

Industrial sand request delayed for environmental study

A permit to process silica sand just north of Mankato was set aside indefinitely Tuesday as the Lime Township Board voted to wait for an environmental study to be finished. This second delay . . . came at the request of Scott Sustacek. He's the CEO of Jordan Sands, the Coughlan Companies affiliate seeking the permit.

Read more in the Mankato Free Press.