Legislators hold drinking water protections hostage
In a surprising move, GOP chairs of the Minnesota House and Senate made headlines by threatening to delay proposed drinking water protections if Gov. Mark Dayton fails to sign an unrelated ag policy bill.
Our letter to Gov. Dayton: Please veto the Wild Rice bill
The "Wild Rice” bill, HF 3422, proposes limiting and even eliminating protections for wild rice, Minnesota's state grain. Although Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed an earlier version of the bill, a revised version was passed and is awaiting gubernatorial action. This revised language does not represent a consensus and is opposed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, environmental groups, and several tribal nations.
Our letter to Gov. Dayton on the Environmental Trust Fund raid
FMR and our allies urge Gov. Mark Dayton to veto the raid of Minnesota's environment trust fund. Learn more from the Star Tribune or FMR's Legislative Updates blog. >>
The 2018 bonding bill: What’s in, what’s out and what trust fund got raided to pay for it
The House and Senate passed a final state bonding bill in the final weekend of the session. While the overall bill includes some excellent projects, the overall bill includes a massive $98 million raid to the state's Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) and $500,000 for regulated polluters to provide “oversight” of their own state regulators. >>
White Bear Lake legal ruling suspended by Legislature
New legislation has been signed into law that prevents the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) from complying with a judge’s court-ordered conservation measures for White Bear Lake. >>
Star Tribune's Dennis Anderson: Enviro Trust Fund raid is 'contrary to what Minnesota voters approved'
FMR and the Star Tribune's Dennis Anderson agree: Raiding Minnesota's Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund to service the debt on bonding projects is appalling.
Said Anderson, who opined on the issue from a sportsman's perspective: "In an unprecedented move and contrary to what Minnesota voters approved when they voted for the lottery, legislators this session cooked up a plan for the ENRTF to pay obligations on bonds the state will issue..."
Bad to worse: Raid on Environmental Trust Fund balloons to $98 million!
In an unprecedented move, a much-feared $47 million-dollar raid on the state’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund ballooned to a $98-million raid in the Minnesota legislative session’s final hours. >>
House & Senate offer $825 million bonding proposals
In January, Gov. Mark Dayton proposed a $1.5 billion capital investment or "bonding" bill. Dubbed the “Jobs Bill,” the package included much-needed investments in Minnesota’s water resources, including drinking water and wastewater infrastructure for communities across the state. >>
Great news: Governor vetoes wild rice bill!
Gov. Mark Dayton has fulfilled his promise to veto the wild rice bill (HF 3280)!
The bill would have abolished a longstanding state water quality sulfites standard. It would have violated the federal Clean Water Act, inevitably inviting litigation and turmoil into an already challenging situation. >>