Toxic Traces Revisited

Local officials concerned about impact on tourism

Brainerd and Baxter were once small vacation communities in central Minnesota, but both cities have seen an explosion of growth in recent years. The area is heavily dependent on tourism, and news of the water contamination comes as a shock.

St. Paul, Minn. — Dennis Coryell, the city administrator in Baxter, says he's only heard about PFCs through news reports about contamination in the Twin Cities metro area.

"We were shocked," he says, about learning that PFCs were found in the discharge from the Brainerd wastewater treatment plant.

Because of the area's rapid growth, that wastewater plant is scheduled to be expanded. Coryell says local officials were on the verge of taking bids on the plant and beginning construction in the fall. Now all that is on hold.

The MPCA says the permit for that project is being suspended until it can do some more testing of the water.

The Brainerd area is a popular destination for tourists, in part because of its many lakes. In fact, the Brainerd Chamber of Commerce slogan is "It's gotta be the water." So the news about potential water contamination problems is not welcome.

Coryell says if further testing confirms the presence of PFCs in the water, it will have an immediate effect on tourism.

MPR's Tom Crann spoke with Coryell about the impact of this news on the area.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, 07/20/2007, 5:24 p.m.