Our letter on the Senate's controversial environment omnibus bill
Earlier this week, the Minnesota Senate's Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Omnibus Bill includes some helpful provisions, but also includes cuts to state environmental agencies, a package of policy rollbacks, and a raid on a constitutionally dedicated environmental fund. >>
How the American Rescue Plan could protect your water
Did you know the American Rescue Plan specifies that relief funds can be used for water infrastructure? FMR and our allies recently asked Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan to use a portion of Minnesota's ~$2.6 billion in state relief to improve drinking water and water quality statewide through lead service line replacement and other measures. >>
MN House & Senate propose very different environment budgets
While the House has proposed a substantial increase in environmental funding, the Senate has proposed significant cuts, despite an overall budget surplus. >>
Competing Clean Water Fund bills move forward in Legislature
The Clean Water Fund is designated to protect, enhance and restore water quality in lakes, rivers and streams, as well as protect groundwater. Both the Minnesota Senate and House have authored spending proposals, but they're very different, leaving the fate of our legislative priorities — like clean-water crop funding and lead service line replacement — uncertain. >>
FMR to MN Environmental Quality Board: Include climate change in environmental review
On Monday, FMR submitted written comments to the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board in support of their draft recommendations on integrating climate change into the state's environmental review process. Here's what we said. >>
Minnesota's new budget forecast redefines legislative session
Last November's projected state budget deficit turned into a projected $1.6 billion surplus. What does that mean for clean water, soil health and other environmental issues this legislative session? >>
FMR hails bipartisan support for state land conservation funding
In a major win for conservation and water quality this legislative session, funding for the state’s flagship land protection program now has bipartisan support. >>
Research roundup: Is cropland ag carbon sequestration as effective as we want it to be?
Storing greenhouse gases in cropland soils is all the rage these days, as Fortune 500 companies, conservation initiatives and even the Biden administration seek to reward farmers for sequestering carbon beneath our feet. But how sound is this approach? We pulled together some of the latest news about no-till farming, cover crops and how effectively these practices sequester carbon. >>
Minnesota gets a bad report card for nitrate reduction (part two)
How do we get a better grade for nitrate pollution reduction? We have to change the mix of what we grow. In this follow-up, we explain why it isn't feasible to rely on incentive payments to farmers alone to move the needle on our water quality problems. And we offer an exciting solution that could improve water quality by AND sustain farmers' livelihoods. >>
FMR's 2021 legislative priorities
With elections in the books and a revised state budget forecast, it’s time for us to look ahead to the 2021 legislative session in Minnesota. Here’s what's in store for the river and our environment, and how you can get involved as a River Guardian. >>