Legislative Updates

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."

A commentary in the May 5 Star Tribune co-authored by longtime FMR Board Member Peter Gove highlights major Minnesota companies that tout their environmental credentials while funding Chamber of Commerce legislation to roll back bedrock environmental protections for Minnesota's lands and waters. ​

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.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commissioner recently penned a thoughtful commentary on the threat of anti-environmental legislation moving forward at the Minnesota Legislature this session.

FMR is proud to be a signatory on a pair of letters to the Minnesota House and Senate asking members to vote ‘no’ on the Omnibus Environment and Natural Resources budget bills.

A pair of bills advanced in the House and Senate this week that re-write appropriations for the State’s Clean Water Fund. These bills:

• Undermine the Clean Water Council’s recommendations;
• Violate the Legislature’s 2015 promise to taxpayers on buffer funding; and
• Reduce or eliminate funding for drinking water, agricultural conservation, water monitoring and other core clean water programs. 

A bill poised to pass the Minnesota House with minimal hearings would make it possible for a single legislative committee to block or hamstring state agencies from adopting or even proposing rules to protect Minnesotans' environment, natural resources, health, and safety. Written by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, the bill explicitly elevates the interests of corporate polluters and other regulated entities above all other regulatory considerations.