Public Comment Form

Commenting open: February 20, 2025 12:00AM CT - March 24, 2025 11:59PM CT.

Seneca Foods (Glencoe) - Wastewater Permit

We invite you to comment on the draft wastewater permit for the Seneca Foods in Glencoe.


Seneca Foods processes peas, carrots, sweet corn, and other vegetables during the vegetable harvest season at its facility in Glencoe. The facility discharges can contact cooling water to Buffalo Creek via an unnamed creek at average and maximum rates of 400,000 and 450,000 gallons per day.


The facility operates a wastewater treatment system for the treatment of contact stormwater and process and cleanup wastewater from vegetable processing. After pond treatment, the wastewater is discharged to Buffalo Creek via an unnamed creek and County Ditch 12A at average and maximum rates of 5.39 million and 7 million gallons per day. 


The draft water quality permit includes new limits for five-day carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, ammonia-nitrogen, total suspended solids, and an interim intervention limit for total phosphorus. The facility is expected to meet the biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids limits at permit issuance.


The permit contains a compliance schedule of seven years to meet the new limits for five-day carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand and ammonia-nitrogen. The draft water quality permit also includes an updated compliance schedule of two years to meet the interim intervention limit and seven years to meet the final limit for total phosphorus. 


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
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, Minnesota 55155



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