New silica sand website for Minnesota state agencies

Several state agencies have put together a new website for tracking the agencies' activities regarding the mining, processing, and transporting of silica sand, commonly called “frac” sand. The website, silicasand.mn.gov, provides links to the Environmental Quality Board (EQB), the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Pollution Control Agency (PCA), Department of Health, Department of Transportation, and Department of Agriculture. The agencies named to do rulemaking in recent legislation are the EQB, DNR and PCA. The other agencies don’t have specific rule responsibilities but were included in the new website because they are closely tied with some issues in the silica sand industry.