Legacy Amendment would boost Mississippi cleanup funding

The Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment on the November statewide ballot would provide badly needed new funds for water cleanup programs, including Mississippi River water quality.

The proposed state constitutional amendment would provide significant funds for several high priority conservation needs, including projects to protect our drinking water sources…and to protect, enhance, and restore our lakes, rivers, steams, and groundwater.

The amendment would generate about $90 million in new funding annually for the Clean Water Legacy program, which seeks to identify, clean up and restore Minnesotas degraded lakes and rivers. About 4 of 10 water bodies tested fall short of state clean water standards — and the vast majority of water bodies have not been tested in the last decade.

Numerous stretches of the river in the Twin Cities metro fail to meet the standards, with problems ranging from fecal coliform to chemical contaminants from former industrial operations. The amendment would direct funds to stretches of the river like these, helping clean up toxic sediments, upgrade sewer systems, install buffers and reduce polluted runoff from land.

For more information on the Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment or to find out how you can get involved to help with the campaign go to: www.yesformn.org