Last month, we lamented one of the more unusual results of the 2019 Legislative session: The administrative purgatory of the Legislative Water Commission. This month, we’ve got some great news! >>
Water and Legislative Updates Blog
FMR is proud to be a leading voice to protect the water of our Big River, and all the people and wildlife who depend on it.
Our Water Blog strives to keep you up to date on important water-quality issues, from the banks of the Mississippi to the halls of the Legislature. (For political animals, here's a legislative-content-only version.)
Blog updates are also shared on social (Facebook and Twitter) and in FMR's Mississippi Messages newsletter.
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July 15, 2019
After decades of delay, Minnesota’s Groundwater Protection Rule aims to protect public health by addressing fertilizer contamination in groundwater. This is the first time our state has exercised its regulatory authority over cropland agriculture to protect water quality. >>
July 9, 2019
Join us at lovely Willow Lake Farm for "Butterflies, Bluegreens, Kilowatts & Calories," August 16-17. >>
July 9, 2019
Early this month, the Wall Street Journal published a fascinating overview of the agricultural runoff challenges facing the length of the Mississippi River. And satellite images of the Upper Midwest in the Washington Post illustrate how this wet spring spells trouble for farmers and for the river. >>
July 9, 2019
New research from Cornell University suggests that methane emissions from fertilizer production facilities may be 100 times greater than industry estimates. In fact, it might be greater than the U.S. EPA’s estimate for all national industrial processes combined. >>
June 12, 2019
A surprising split-decision has left the Legislative Water Commission with an uncertain future. >>
June 11, 2019
Tired of all of the rainstorms yet? This year has been a historically wet and flood-prone year, impacting cities, towns and farms across the Midwest. In this news roundup, find out what's happening and why it matters. >>
June 10, 2019
As reported by the Star Tribune, new limits on farm fertilizer will benefit human health and wildlife. It's a huge step for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, but is the state doing enough to protect our drinking water and the Mississippi River? >>
May 29, 2019
The 2019 Legislative Session kicked on in January with Governor Walz presiding over the only divided state legislature in the nation.
This led to some core disagreements, missed deadlines and an assorted bag of victories and compromises for Minnesota's environment and the Mississippi River.
Here’s a brief summary of the major items we were tracking, and how each turned out. >>
May 29, 2019
Overall, the legislative session resulted in modest additional funding for some of our top priorities while many of the worst provisions were dropped. Along with our allies, we are deeply grateful to the FMR River Guardians who consistently demonstrated their strong support for the river and healthy lands and waters for all Minnesota communities. Learn more about which FMR priorities made it, which did not, and where we go from here. >>