- Haze Over Voyageurs National Park. Photo courtesy MPR.org
The clear skies of the Boundary Waters are sometimes compromised by haze. The Environmental Protection Agency is concerned that Taconite mines on the Iron Range are major contributors to this condition. Local congressman Democrat Rick Nolan is asking the EPA to give Taconite producers more time to meet air quality standards. Environmental groups criticize the delay based on concerns that pollutants causing the haze are damaging the environment and are detrimental to public health.