PCA commissioner offers overview, answers questions

When Pollution Control Agency Commissioner John Linc Stine talks to school children about what his agency does, he often mentions a place he calls “away,” where many believe waste goes when the trash is picked up or the toilet flushed.

The PCA spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year dealing with “away” and the other issues that pose problems for the state’s air, land and water. Stine appeared before the House Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee Wednesday to update members on those efforts, provide an overview of how his agency works, and answer their questions.

“We view our job as avoiding waste, reducing waste and protecting the environment,” Stine said. “We consistently see that Minnesotans want to do the right thing.”

WATCH Full video of Wednesday's committee hearing 

Committee members questioned Stine on a number of issues, including PCA’s permitting process, which some members believe is confusing for businesses and adds unnecessary costs and delays.

Stine said the agency has about 18,000 permits “in operation” at any one time, and that 97 percent of the permits PCA issues meet its goals for a timely response. However, the agency continues to take more of its work online in an effort to speed up many of its functions.