Uncertainty amid promise of agriculture climate solutions (Yale 360)
As policymakers and advocates look to croplands to sequester carbon, a recent article from Yale 360 points out that flows of greenhouse gases into and out of soil are complex, and outcomes can be uncertain. >>
Join the fight to protect landmark environmental law
The Trump Administration announced proposed changes that would severely undermine the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) – a decades-old law that ensures thorough scientific review and public participation in major environmental projects. >>
Why rivers flood
Community water supplies at risk. Sediment and pollutants washing downstream. Catastrophic floods right around the corner — A recent Star Tribune article reminds us of the growing threat high flows and erosion pose for the Minnesota River — and the toll that takes on our waters and communities. >>
State names cities to be protected by Groundwater Protection Rule
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has reached a major milestone by identifying which communities are eligible for protection under the state’s new Groundwater Protection Rule. >>
Report: One in eight Minnesotans drink groundwater with elevated nitrate
Drinking water for an estimated half a million Minnesotans is drawn from groundwater contaminated with elevated levels of nitrate, a toxic pollutant that is linked to cancer and is especially dangerous for infants, according to a recent Environmental Working Group analysis of federal and state test data. >>
FMR’s 2020 legislative priorities
Minnesota's 2020 legislative session kicks off on February 11. Here’s a look at what to expect, and what FMR's top four priorities are this year. >>
Governor Walz releases ambitious $300M water infrastructure proposal
Gov. Walz has proposed investing $300 million in much-needed water infrastructure through the state’s 2020 bonding bill. Find out what's in the governor's proposal. >>
FMR Water Program 2019 highlights
From pushing through a snowstorm to lobby our legislators to expanding our programs to address a major threat to the health of our river, agricultural pollution, FMR staff, members and River Guardians have a lot to be proud of from 2019! >>
Projected $1.3B state surplus could be good news for clean water
In a delightful bit of news, the State of Minnesota’s December 2019 budget forecast estimates a $1.3 billion preliminary budget surplus for 2020.
While sure to ignite debates regarding both new investments and planned tax cuts during the 2020 Legislative session, this could bode well for much-needed clean water funding. >>
More than half of Minnesota’s waters don’t meet water quality standards
Every two years, the state publishes a list of “impaired” waters that do not meet water quality standards. This year’s list shows that 56% of Minnesota’s lakes, rivers and streams fail to meet standards. >>