Approximately 750 people joined us at the Capitol to urge legislators and Gov. Mark Dayton to invest in clean water and protect Minnesota's great outdoors. >>
Water and Legislative Updates Blog
FMR is proud to be a leading voice to protect the water of our Big River, and all the people and wildlife who depend on it.
Our Water Blog strives to keep you up to date on important water-quality issues, from the banks of the Mississippi to the halls of the Legislature. (For political animals, here's a legislative-content-only version.)
Blog updates are also shared on social (Facebook and Twitter) and in FMR's Mississippi Messages newsletter.
Join us! Sign up to be a River Guardian to receive email action alerts when we need your help the most, plus invitations to educational happy hours and other events.
April 20, 2018
Ten bad water bills have been introduced this legislative session that are going to the House and Senate for passage. These bills undermine basic environmental science, roll back existing protections or block public participation in environmental decisions.
April 17, 2018
As we noted in the State of the River Report, chloride or salt pollution is a growing problem for Minnesota's waters. This session, FMR and our allies have been advancing a bill in the Minnesota Legislature to reduce it.
We're happy to report that the bill has garnered bipartisan support. However, it will most likely be wrapped into the House and Senate omnibus bills, making its fate murky at best. >>
April 17, 2018
On Monday, April 26, the Minnesota House of Representatives voted 69-56 to pass a bill to block the state’s Groundwater Protection Rule from going into effect without legislative approval.
Gov. Mark Dayton has promised a veto, but the blocking language exists in several other bills, meaning it may yet advance to the governor's desk as part of other legislation. >>
April 17, 2018
FMR and our allies just sent this letter to the Minnesota House opposing proposed legislation to block our state’s Groundwater Protection Rule. >>
April 10, 2018
The legislature is rolling up its sleeves and rolling back bedrock protections for water quality. Here's our top-10 list of bad water bills (so far) this session. >>
April 9, 2018
What do you do when administrative law judges strike down your Legislative provision as a violation of the Clean Water Act? Revive it, of course — and expand it. Welcome to the bad bill that just won't die. >>
April 6, 2018
Our Legislature is considering eliminating the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's ability to increase permit fees, potentially pushing the costs of monitoring and regulating water pollution onto taxpayers. >>
April 6, 2018
The Minnesota House and Senate are quickly advancing bills to eliminate water quality standards that protect wild rice – Minnesota’s state grain. >>
April 3, 2018
As reported by Josephine Marcotty in the Star Tribune, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' request to stay a groundbreaking court order restricting heavy water use around White Bear Lake has been roundly rejected.
The judge, Ramsey County Judge Margaret Marrinan, harshly criticized the agency for what she called a “stunning” history of failing to comply with state laws designed to protect the environment.
Now, however, the Minnesota Legislature is considering a bill to essentially override the judge's ruling. >>