A public informational hearing will be held in La Crosse on Jan. 30 to gather public input on reissuing a Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) Permit for Dairyland Power Cooper-ative.

Dairyland has held the permit that allows them to discharge water into the Mississippi from its Genoa power plant but the permit gets reviewed every five years. There are some proposed changes in the permit, including a request by Dairyland to discharge water that contains mercury at a higher level allowed in DNR regulations.

A DNR notice on the hearing states “Issues to be considered at the hearing are the proposed requirements and effluent limitations of the WPDES permit as they relate to protection of aquatic life in the Mississippi River and protection of the river user’s health and welfare.”

The notice goes to say “persons wishing to comment on or object to the proposed permit action are invited to do so by attending the public hearing or by submitting any comments or objections in writing to the Department of Natural Resources, at the permit drafter’s address.”

The hearing will be held Wednesday, Jan. 30, at 5 p.m. in rooms B-19 and B-20, DNR Service Center, 3550 Mormon Coulee Rd., La Crosse. More information, including a copy of the proposed permit, is available for downloading at the WPDES public notices page or you can call Jeff Brauer at (608) 267-7643.