Internal emails reveal blind spot for Minnesota regulators after recent environmental spill

As more than five million gallons of potentially toxic coal ash wastewater spilled from a power plant in northern Minnesota last summer, state regulators scrambled to address the crisis.

The concern was over the environmental impact to both the groundwater in the area and the spill reaching private wells that supply drinking water.

But the state agency that oversees water quality – the Minnesota Department of Health – wasn’t even aware of the spill, according to internal emails obtained by 5 INVESTIGATES.

“MDH is hearing about these incidents from the media which is not ideal,” wrote a health department manager to leaders at Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, or MPCA.

That manager went on to sound the alarm that the lack of coordination between the agencies “seems to leave private wells unaddressed.”

5 INVESTIGATES obtained the internal emails as part of a public records request to get a behind the scenes look at the state’s response.

The extraordinary exchange that played out behind the scenes was released to 5 INVESTIGATES as part of a public records request filed as a way to better understand how regulators responded to the spill.

But it’s now raising questions about the health and safety of drinking water, particularly in rural Minnesota.

“I’m not surprised,” said Dag Knudsen, a private well owner in southeast Minnesota.

‘Red flag’

Knudsen said this latest response is reminiscent of the state’s response to nitrate pollution that contaminated thousands of wells in his community in in recent years. In that crisis, the federal government had to force the state to come up with a response plan that included bottled water and special filters.

“I depend on the state agencies to tell me if I am subject to problems, especially when they’re outside of my control,” he said.

Despite the mandate from the feds, the internal emails suggest state agencies continue to struggle in a crisis.

The same manager from MDH’s drinking water division wrote that “this is yet another example of the need to have a more robust way for MDH to be notified promptly” during an emergency and that it raises questions “about risks to public and private drinking water supplies.”

CURE Minnesota, a nonprofit group that advocates for a clean environment, described the internal emails as a red flag.

“This is an indication that people are going unprotected. And both these agencies know it,” said Hudson Kingston, the group’s legal director.

“This is a concern in rural areas across the state,” he said.

State Response

MPCA ignored at least three requests for an on-camera interview, and followed up with what appeared to be a threat to stay away from the public agency, noting that the building and parking lot are on leased, private property.

MPCA email to 5 INVESTIGATES noting the public agency is on private property.

5 INVESTIGATES followed up with a list of questions, asking what steps the agency is taking to ensure better coordination in the future.

MPCA sent a joint response with the health department that did not answer the question. The agencies said “it’s committed to working together to share important information with the public in a timely manner.”

Pollution Control never directly addressed the concerns raised in the internal e-mails obtained by 5 INVESTIGATES, but called these types of spills “complex” and said that it “works closely with other state agencies to ensure any situation is managed appropriately.”

The agency added that it determined there was no immediate risk to wells but will continue to monitor the situation.

Paul Wotzka, who used to work for the agency but now advocates for private well owners, said he is disturbed by the response.

“We try to be polite, we try to be understanding. We’re willing to have civil discourse, but patience runs out,” he said.

He says he believes the state has let them down.

“Private well owners have been kind of left out of the loop,” he said.

RELATED: State regulators warned Minnesota Power about leaks months before coal ash spill in July