As the 2016 legislative session came to a close, two of FMR's top legislative priorities were fully funded, the Working Lands Watershed Restoration Program and the University of Minnesota's Forever Green Initiative. Sadly, though, the bonding bill, with millions of dollars in priority funding for community drinking water and wastewater treatment upgrades, failed to pass before the clock ran out. Additionally, while the bigger-ticket items in the effort to artificially augment White Bear Lake were not approved, funds to obtain design-build proposals managed to make their way through at the last minute.
Legislative Updates (now The Water Blog between sessions)
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.
From the halls of the Legislature to the banks of the Mississippi, our Water Blog strives to keep you up to date on important water-quality issues.
Blog updates are also shared on social (Facebook and Twitter) and in FMR's Mississippi Messages newsletter.
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May 31, 2016
May 16, 2016
Water levels in White Bear Lake have fallen dramatically in the last decade, leading some to call for augmentation by pumping in water from nearby lakes, each of which is in turn backfilled by the Mississippi River. FMR has long advocated against such an expensive and uncertain system, instead promoting longer-term solutions to address the north and east metro's larger groundwater supply and demand issues. Thankfully, the author of the Minnesota Senate bill agrees and has removed all funding for augmentation while calling for investments in a more sustainable water supply for this area. Yet, $2.2 million in provisions supporting augmenting linger in the House.
May 16, 2016
As the clock ticks toward adjournment Monday, May 23, the fate of FMR's top legislative priorities will be decided by a bipartisan conference committee of state senators and representatives. In the next few days, FMR will likely be asking all River Protectors and friends of the river to contact their legislators to support FMR's top priorities this session.
May 3, 2016
The Minnesota Senate voted 39 to 24 in favor of the Senate Omnibus Finance Bill on Thursday, April 28. The bill includes several of FMR's top environmental initiatives, including The Working Lands Watershed Restoration Program and funding for the Forever Green Initiative.
April 28, 2016
FMR and our partners were pleased to host Governor Mark Dayton and more than one hundred elected officials, farmers, students and other interested residents for a tour of the University of Minnesota's Forever Green initiative on April 19th.
April 28, 2016
The bill includes a number of key environmental provisions, including FMR's top legislative priority for the 2016 session: The Working Lands Watershed Restoration Program.
April 28, 2016
The Minnesota House of Representatives Committee voted to approve its omnibus environment & natural resources policy and finance bill. While the bill includes a number of provisions requested by state agencies, it fails to include FMR's top legislative priority for the 2016 session: The Working Lands Watershed Restoration Program.
April 18, 2016
While the Minnesota Senate has included FMR's top 2016 legislative priority The Working Lands Watershed Restoration Program in its omnibus environmental bill, the House has declined to include this vital program for water quality in their version.
April 18, 2016
Late last week, the House Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee voted to approve its omnibus environment & natural resources policy and finance bill. While the bill includes a number of provisions requested by state agencies, it failed to include FMR's top legislative priority for the 2016 session: The Working Lands Watershed Restoration Program.
April 18, 2016
Late last week, the Minnesota Senate Environment and Energy Finance Budget Division unanimously passed the Omnibus Environment & Energy Finance bill. The bill includes a number of environmental provisions, including FMR's top legislative priority for the 2016 session: The Working Lands Watershed Restoration Program.