MPCA board to revisit Voyageurs, BWCA haze rules

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The citizens board of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is taking another crack at approving rules meant to cut the haze that sometimes clouds the views at Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

The haze comes mostly from the state's coal-fired power plants and taconite plants on the Iron Range. The board was due to vote on the new rules last month. But the board decided to hold off until today's meeting so MPCA staffers could address concerns raised by Cliffs Natural Resources about how new nitrogen oxide emissions limits would affect its Hibbing Taconite and United Taconite operations.

MPCA staffers say they've made changes that should address Cliffs' primary concerns.
The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service say the MPCA plan won't cut haze enough.