Watershed Protection

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.

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.

Legislation to undermine agency rulemaking adopted in State Government Finance Conference Report

by Leili Fatehi

May 3, 2017

This week, the State Government Finance Conference Committee released its conference report which includes 30 pages of redundant, regressive, time-consuming, and expensive hurdles that agencies must go through in order to adopt or even propose rules to protect our environment, natural resources, health, and safety. These provisions were written by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, which characterizes them as "streamlining" the agency process. The reality, however, is that this legislation will result in significant delays and administrative expenses.

House bill aims to replace the Legacy Amendment

by Trevor Russell

February 9, 2017

A bill introduced by Republican Rep. Steve Green (Fosston) would require the state to conduct a new referendum to replace the Legacy Amendment with funds for a narrow list of highway and bridge projects and bar Clean Water Fund spending on most clean-up and restoration projects.

Survey: What would you like to be called?

by Alicia Uzarek

February 3, 2017

FMR is shoring up our advocacy program. In addition to offering opportunities to sign petitions, write letters and speak up at meetings, we're coordinating fun and educational happy hours, training sessions and networking events. We're also amping up our communications to better support our growing community of river advocates. Help name our improved advocacy program and sign up to join us! Read more

Bill seeks to strip MPCA and DNR rulemaking authority and sunset all existing rules

by Leili Fatehi

February 2, 2017

Under H.F. 551, the MPCA and DNR would no longer have any rulemaking authority and all their existing rules would expire by 2022 unless the Minnesota legislature chose to enact them. The bill likely precedes others that will seek to give the legislature veto power over agency rulemaking, a move that will deny the public a voice in regulatory decisions.