Our 2018 legislative priorities
Minnesotans from across the state gathered in the Capitol rotunda to support clean water during the 2017 Water Action Day.
Budget uncertainty, election-year politics and a sometimes-heated debate on environment and conservation issues should make for a fascinating legislative session. Here are our priorities for the 2018 session, which kicks off Tuesday, February 20.
Forum reveals where leading gubernatorial candidates stand on environmental issues
Joining in from 10 different locations across the state, about 3,000 Minnesotans participated in the Our New Environment Forum with six leading gubernatorial candidates. Check out the video to see where each stands on the environmental and conservation issues important to you! >>
Test for contaminated drinking water? Brown County says ‘no’
Bowing to pressure from ag groups, the Brown County Board of Commissioners in south-central Minnesota recently declined a free state program offering free private well testing for drinking water contamination. >>
It’s time to put our waters on a low-salt diet
We use salt to manage snow and ice in Minnesota, but too much can irreparably harm our lakes and streams. It's time for Minnesota to go on a low-salt diet. (Photo Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.)
Just 1 teaspoon of salt is enough to permanently pollute 5 gallons of water. Chloride pollution to Minnesota’s waters has made headlines recently, and it's time for new strategies to protect our water. Learn how you can help, both long-term and this winter as you shovel (or sweep!) your walk. >>
Neighboring suburbs helped dry up White Bear Lake
As reported by the Star Tribune, new state agency findings are helping us understand the relationship between unsustainable groundwater use and White Bear Lake, one of many lakes known for "shrinking" in Minnesota.
Combined with a recent related ruling, we hope the new report will push us towards real progress to protect the Land of 10,000 Lakes' vital water resources. >>
State studies confirm: 40 percent of MN lakes and rivers are polluted
The Lake Pepin-Mississippi watershed is among many that feel to meet water quality standards. (Photo courtesy of the MPCA)
In the land of 10,000 lakes, about 40 percent of Minnesota’s waters fail to meet basic health standards according to a pair of new state water quality reports — with our namesake river, the Minnesota, among the most polluted. >>
Judge faults DNR for allowing overpumping of White Bear Lake’s aquifer
Water levels in White Bear Lake have fallen due to excessive pumping from the aquifer underneath the lake.
In a sweeping order, Ramsey County Judge Margaret Marrinan faulted the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for authorizing unsustainable groundwater pumping; depleting the aquifer and artificially lowering water levels in White Bear Lake. The ruling could have widespread implications for groundwater management in Minnesota.
Evaluating the final Clean Water Fund bill
HF 707 betrays the expectations of Minnesota voters by raiding $22 million in Clean Water Fund money for administrative costs for local governments, while failing to heed the recmmendations of Minnesota's Clean Water Council.
How water fared in the legislative session + a happy hour invitation
While the 2017 Minnesota legislative session didn’t go as well as we hoped — we failed to make any meaningful progress on water quality — we can say for certain that the final bills were a great improvement over those originally vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton.
Thank you FMR River Guardians, Water Action Day participants and everyone who joined in our efforts to stand up for clean water this session!
Learn more from our Legislative Updates blog and join us for happy hour, Tuesday, June 27 to recap the session with the FMR Capitol Crew and discuss what's next.
Environment bill becomes law: What’s in & what’s out?
The Minnesota Legislature's original environment bill was one of the most sweeping anti-environmental bills to advance at the Capitol in many years. Luckily, it was vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton on May 12. So what made it into the final bill that the governor signed on May 30? Some rollbacks, no water quality progress, but not the worst provisions were removed during final negotiations with the Dayton administration.