A baby dies, a brewery town runs dry — 'Water Pressure' illustrates MN & WI water problems
While we're sad to see Josephine Marcotty leave her post as the Star Tribune's long-time environmental reporter, we're grateful for her parting "Water Pressure" series.
If you've been saving up your free, online-access Star Tribune stories, this trio is worth the clicks. >>
Why we need the Groundwater Protection Rule
About 75% of Minnesotans get their drinking water from public and private wells. Many of these wells are susceptible to nitrate contamination from cropland fertilizers, which can make the water unsafe to drink.
Today, at least 537 public water supply wells across the state have elevated nitrate levels. About 10% of private wells in vulnerable areas exceed the Health Risk Limit (HRL), including some townships where 30% to 40% or more of private wells are unsafe to drink from!
Sigh... Environment bill signed. Legacy funds shifted.
We're pretty sure that when Minnesotans passed the Legacy Amendment, this isn't what they — what we — had in mind. Just signed by Gov. Mark Dayton, the environment bill shifts voter-mandated conservation funds to administrative costs. Thank you to all the River Guardians who tried to prevent this, we look forward to inviting you to happy hour soon to recap the session.
Gov. Dayton vetoes awful environmental bill! (But another is on the way.)
Friday, May 12, Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed a historically bad omnibus environment bill. It sought to give polluters the right to write their own environmental impact statements, slashed funding for environmental agencies and even prevented cities from banning plastic bags. In short, it threatened to undermine Minnesota’s long tradition of protecting the water we drink and the air we breathe.
Act now: Save the buffers! Protect our waters
The Minnesota Legislature is considering rolling back the buffer law, undermining critical protection for Minnesota’s public waters.
FMR is asking all supporters of clean water to act now to protect Minnesota’s buffer law. Contact your representatives today!
Press statement re: Gov. Mark Dayton's '25 by 2025' announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
To reduce water pollution 25 percent by 2025 we must change crop practices. We need crop diversity, farm drainage reforms, and new markets for sustainable, water-friendly perennial crops.
Feb. 3, 2017
Governor’s 2017 bonding proposal: $270 million for clean water & habitat
On January 4th, Gov. Mark Dayton and Lt. Gov. Tina Smith announced their 2017 bonding proposal. Dubbed the “Jobs Bill,” the proposed $1.5 billion package includes much-needed investments in the Minnesota’s water resources, including drinking water and wastewater infrastructure for communities across the state. Here are some of FMR's top bonding or funding priorities.