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.)
Blog updates are also shared on social (Facebook and Twitter) and in FMR's Mississippi Messages newsletter.
A new state rule aimed at reducing groundwater contamination by farm fertilizers could be delayed by a legislative move made formal on Monday, June 11. But Gov. Mark Dayton is calling the move unconstitutional and has instructed the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to proceed as planned.
At this time, public hearings about the new and much-needed water protection rule are still on the calendar, including one in Farmington, Monday, July 16. Expect a River Guardians Action Alert this July as well. >>
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The 2018 Minnesota legislative session resulted in very good news for a 48-acre riverfront site in North Minneapolis known as the Upper Harbor Terminal. An influx of $15 million state dollars will help kickstart its redevelopment into housing, offices, stores, restaurants, an amphitheater, parks and trails. >>
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While many of the most troubling bills and provisions were eventually defeated this Minnesota legislative session, a mixed bag of stand-alone items were passed and signed into law. ...And, oh yeah, the Legislature unnecessarily raided $98 million from the state’s voter-approved Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund.. >>
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Gov. Dayton has signed the Legislature's 2018 bonding bill.
The governor used a line-item veto to remove one controversial provision but (reluctantly) approved the rest of the bill — including an unprecedented $98 million raid of the state’s Environmental Trust Fund.
Here’s a summary of what got funded, what got line-item vetoed and what got raided. >>
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Here’s how Working Lands and Forever Green legislation fared this session.
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One of the most promising pro-environment legislative initiatives this session was about reducing chloride (salt) pollution. Here's how chloride legislation fared this session.
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In a major defeat for Minnesota's environment, Gov. Dayton has signed off on the legislature's $98 million of the state’s Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund to pay for debt on state bonds.
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