FMR is proud to be a leading voice in protecting the water of our Big River and all the people and wildlife who depend on it.
From the banks of the Mississippi to the halls of the Legislature, our Water program strives to keep you up to date on important water-quality issues. (For political animals, here are all FMR posts related to legislative advocacy.)
Updates are also shared on social (Facebook and Instagram) and in FMR's Mississippi Messages newsletter.
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.
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"When people like [FMR director] Whitney Clark and Steve Morse call out the Minnesota Legislature for a 'full frontal assault' on the state’s traditions of environmental stewardship, for an 'unprecedented' trashing of established and accepted practice, it’s time to take notice," writes Ron Meador in MINNPost. We couldn't agree more.
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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.
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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:
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.
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FMR strongly supports a bill introduced by Rep. Paul Torkelson (R – Hanska) to allocate the Minnesota’s Clean Water Fund (Legacy Amendment) money as recommended by the state’s 28-member Clean Water Council. FMR applauds Rep. Torkelson for his leadership on this issue, and looks forward to working with him to help HF 1731 earn Gov. Mark Dayton’s signature.
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An unexpected amendment to the state's buffer law undermines Gov. Mark Dayton’s landmark buffer initiative by removing 50-foot buffers from as many as 48,000 miles of Minnesota streams.
In yet another attack on state agency authority, SF 1283 requires legislative approval of most state water quality rules and standards and suspends Minnesota’s hard-won river phosphorus standards pending legislative approval.
SF 1283 (Newman, Ingebrigtsen, Utke, Eken, Tomassoni)
Status: Introduced and referred to Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance
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