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Ground Level Blog
Jennifer Vogel

Frustrated project manager retires from MPCA

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After seven years of trying to forge a plan to reduce sediment in the South Metro Mississippi River, which is filling Lake Pepin at an accelerated rate, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency staffer Norman Senjem has decided to retire from the organization. His last day is Sept. 27.

Stay tuned for a radio report Friday by MPR News reporter Stephanie Hemphill. (UPDATE: Here's a link to the story.)

In a farewell note to colleagues, Senjem expressed frustration with the process, especially when it came to working toward scientific consensus on the sources of sediment (suspended dirt particles). Of the battle between farmers and environmental advocates, he wrote, "I am most disappointed at my inability to establish trust with major stakeholder groups, including agriculture, a sector in which I worked professionally before joining the agency."

"Distrust of MPCA took the form of questioning the science time and again throughout the process, despite our attempt to establish a well-rounded and independent Science Advisory Panel, contract with the best research organizations we knew of to develop the basic river model, identify sediment sources, and investigate sediment transport processes from areas in the Minnesota River basin."

He noted that even after he'd gained broad agreement among scientists, he'd find "that the skeptics had not been persuaded."

Various parties around the state are attempting to build bridges between the agricultural and environmental communities in order to bring about widespread water conservation practices. Ground Level will run a package of stories discussing these attempts and other water quality issues starting next Tuesday, September 13th.

It's interesting to note that Senjem is leaving state government to work on water issues more locally.

After leaving the MPCA, Senjem will work part time for a nonprofit called the Zumbro Watershed Partnership. "I will be interested to see if people react differently to someone who does not work for the MPCA," he wrote.