Governor Dayton establishes new MPCA advisory committee

by Trevor Russell

August 17, 2015

Earlier this month, Governor Mark Dayton signed an executive order creating a Governor's Committee to Advise the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). While the new group, which will consist of eight members plus the MPCA Commissioner, won't have the same authority as the recently abolished MPCA Citizens Board, the committee creates an important a forum for public input on environmental decision-making by the agency.

The good, the bad and the dirty: The environment and the 2015 special session

by Trevor Russell

June 15, 2015

Following the chaotic end of the 2015 regular legislative session, the conservation community rallied to build public support for a veto of a highly controversial environmental bill: the Omnibus Environment and Agriculture Bill.

While Governor Dayton is to be commended for his veto of the original bill, a renegotiated bill surfaced during the recent legislative special session and was passed with many of the same dirty water provisions that were in the original bill.

Overall, the Omnibus Environment and Agriculture Bill remains one of the most anti-clean-water measures to come out of the state legislature in recent memory, and includes an especially egregious repeal of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Citizens' Board.

EPA releases Clean Water Act update

by Alicia Uzarek

June 12, 2015

On May 27, 2015, the Obama Administration released an update to the Clean Water Act called the Clean Water Rule or the Waters of the U.S. Rule. The rule will better protect water quality, aquatic life and clean drinking water for 1 in 5 Minnesotans by more clearly outlining which streams, lakes and wetlands are protected under the Clean Water Act.

FMR and allies urge Governor Dayton to veto Environment Budget Bill

by Trevor Russell

May 20, 2015

Send Governor Dayton a message asking him to veto the Environment budget Bill.

Following a disappointing and chaotic end to the 2015 legislative session, the conservation community is asking Governor Dayton to veto a highly controversial environmental bill. The bill makes deep cuts to environmental spending (24.3%), contains numerous rollbacks to environmental policies, and includes last-minute language violating a universal agreement on biofuels policy.

While the legislature's compromise on a modest stream buffer proposal was among several positive outcomes this year, funding for both the buffer initiative and UofM Forever Green cover crop research failed to pass before the clock ran out. As a result, a special session is almost certain to be scheduled in the coming weeks.

Did Minnesota's watersheds just fail their midterms?

by Trevor Russell

May 19, 2015

Minnesota's recently released report, "Swimmable, fishable, fixable? What we’ve learned so far about Minnesota waters", highlights Minnesota's watersheds at the halfway point of our 10-year monitoring cycle. The results show that about half of Minnesota's waters are unfit for safe swimming and fishing.

City of Fridley earns the Blue Star Award

by Alicia Uzarek

May 19, 2015

Congratulations to the City of Fridley for earning the Blue Star Award for Excellence in Stormwater Management!

Healthcare antibacterials earn FDA scrutiny

by Trevor Russell

May 19, 2015

Prompted by a federal lawsuit, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced plans to review the safety and efficacy of antibacterial products (including environmentally risky antibacterial soap) used in the medical industry.