An unexpected amendment to the state's buffer law undermines Gov. Mark Dayton’s landmark buffer initiative by removing 50-foot buffers from as many as 48,000 miles of Minnesota streams.
In yet another attack on state agency authority, SF 1283 requires legislative approval of most state water quality rules and standards and suspends Minnesota’s hard-won river phosphorus standards pending legislative approval.
SF 1283 (Newman, Ingebrigtsen, Utke, Eken, Tomassoni)
Status: Introduced and referred to Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance
A bill recently introduced in the Minnesota Legislature aims to make dramatic rollbacks to Minnesota’s environmental review and permitting processes while eliminating the Environmental Quality Board.
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A handful of rollbacks to Governor Dayton’s landmark 2014 Buffer Rule continue to capture legislative attention at the Minnesota Capitol this session.
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A hearty welcome to Daurius Mikroberts! With so much energy, enthusiasm and experience, Daurius is sure to be a great addition to both the FMR office and our outdoor volunteer and education events.
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As dusk approaches on a cold winter night, Twin Cities residents may notice an unusual number of crows flying overhead. Each winter, they show up by the thousands to roost in metro neighborhoods. While the gatherings may seem ominous to some, they serve an important purpose for these intelligent birds.
Read moreWater quality standards must be based on expert science and public input. We need to reject rulemaking by judges and oppose this legislation.
Read moreA bill introduced by Republican Rep. Steve Green (Fosston) would require the state to conduct a new referendum to replace the Legacy Amendment with funds for a narrow list of highway and bridge projects and bar Clean Water Fund spending on most clean-up and restoration projects.
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Under H.F. 551, the MPCA and DNR would no longer have any rulemaking authority and all their existing rules would expire by 2022 unless the Minnesota legislature chose to enact them. The bill likely precedes others that will seek to give the legislature veto power over agency rulemaking, a move that will deny the public a voice in regulatory decisions.
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