Advocacy

Clean water rules! We hope the courts agree.

by Alicia Uzarek

September 11, 2015

The U.S. EPA’s Clean Water Rule, an update to the Clean Water Act of 1972, went into effect on August 28, 2015. Before the rule was finalized, North Dakota led 13 states in challenging the legality of the rule, exempting them from the rule until the courts make a decision. Now others are questioning whether enforcement of the rule in all states should halt while the courts decide its legality.

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.

Oversized development downsized at Mississippi and Minnesota River confluence

by Alicia Uzarek

June 12, 2015

Last month, FMR appealed the Saint Paul Planning Commission decision to grant a height variance in the confluence area because we believed it would greatly impact this significant portion of the river corridor. We are pleased that the Saint Paul City Council decreased the building height variance to allow a 60 foot building instead of a 73.5 foot building — a 13.5 foot decrease.

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.

Bold leadership from Governor Dayton on buffers

by Whitney Clark

April 28, 2015

Governor Dayton's proposal to establish shoreland buffers along all Minnesota waters will provide habitat for numerous species and pay dividends in improving water quality. Read more

Myths & facts: The Governor's buffer initiative

by Trevor Russell

April 28, 2015

During this month's State of the State Address, Governor Dayton expressed his displeasure with buffer opposition, saying he is "...unwilling to wait another year — or longer — for legislation that will significantly improve Minnesota’s water. While the Governor's buffer initiative presents an enormous opportunity to improve water quality and habitat in Minnesota, myths about the bill have proliferated in the halls of the capitol, often spread by opponents of the initiative. Read more

Legislative update: The session kicks into high gear

by Trevor Russell

April 28, 2015

The 2015 legislative session moves into high gear this month, as a raft of policy and finance bills move toward the floor in the House and Senate. While buffers, Forever Green research, and a strong biofuels bill are reasons to smile, FMR is also working hard to defeat a series of assaults on clean water protections from the GOP-controlled House. Read more