Public Comment Form

Commenting open: April 15, 2024 12:00AM CT - May 15, 2024 11:59PM CT.

Le Sueur Cheese - Wastewater Permit

We invite you to comment on the draft industrial wastewater permit for Le Sueur Cheese in Le Sueur.


Le Sueur Cheese produces cheese and whey products at its facility in Le Sueur, where it generates condensate of whey, non-contact cooling water, and reverse osmosis reject wastewaters. The condensate of whey is treated by membrane filtration and reverse osmosis. All three waste streams are then combined and discharged to the Minnesota River at an average rate of 200,000 gallons per day and a maximum rate of 279,000 gallons per day. 


The draft water quality permit adds monitoring for ammonia nitrogen and new limits for total phosphorus and total sulfate. The permit contains a compliance schedule of approximately four-and-a-half years to meet the new phosphorus and sulfate limits.


Wastewater from industrial and commercial sources may contain pollutants at levels that could adversely affect the water quality in area wetlands, streams, rivers, and lakes. Water quality permits - or National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits - establish specific limits and requirements to protect Minnesota's surface and groundwater quality. All wastewater must be treated before it goes into surface water to protect human health and aquatic life. Permits are regularly reviewed and updated as they expire, allowing the MPCA to incorporate new information about the impacts of pollutants on the environment in future permits.



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Thank you for providing feedback on this project. We value your comments and will use them to assess this project further. Please submit your comments and feedback before the end of the comment period.


If you want to submit a letter, you can upload the letter on this website or submit it via US Mail to the following address:


Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
c/o Christine Bianchi
520 Lafayette Road N
Saint Paul, MN 55155

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You may attach up to five 20 MB files to accompany your submission. Allowed formats are pdf, jpg, jpeg, png, txt, gif, doc, docx, xlsx, xls. If you experience technical difficulties submitting your comment please contact the person listed at the bottom of this page.


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