Legislative Updates

Environment bill becomes law: What’s in & what’s out?

by Trevor Russell

June 2, 2017

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.

Sigh... Environment bill signed. Legacy funds shifted.

by Trevor Russell

June 1, 2017

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.

River Guardians happy hour: Legislative session wrap-up

June 1, 2017

Join us Tuesday, June 27, 4:30 p.m. to raise a glass to a good fight at the Minnesota Legislature this session. We'll hear from FMR's Capitol Crew experts Trevor Russell and Leili Fatehi about the good, the bad and the ugly. We'll also report back and share the stats about FMR River Guardians' great advocacy throughout the session and give you a glimpse into upcoming advocacy opportunities to protect and restore the Mississippi River.

Where the Legislature stands on water & the environment in its final week

by Trevor Russell

May 16, 2017

This 2017 Legislature has featured a series of sweeping assaults on our environment, including widespread rollbacks to bedrock environmental finance and policy positions that threaten to undermine water quality and river health throughout the state. Here's where things stand.

Gov. Dayton vetoes awful environmental bill! (But another is on the way.)

by Trevor Russell

May 12, 2017

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.

Stand with FMR at the Governor's Residence - May 15, 4:30-6:30 p.m.

by Trevor Russell

May 10, 2017

Come show your support for clean water! Join us in front of the Governor’s Residence at 1006 Summit Avenue, St. Paul. Feel free to bring signs, family and friends. But please RSVP if you can!

Clean water advocates remind Gov. Dayton to stay strong at the Governor's Residence.

Dennis Anderson (Star Tribune): Separating fact from fiction about Minnesota's buffer law

by Trevor Russell

May 5, 2017

Dennis Anderson, the longtime outdoors columnist for the Star Tribune: "Misinformation is rife about the state's buffer law, passed two years ago to clean up lakes and rivers, which requires farmers and other landowners to be in compliance with the statute by November."