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2008 Environment and Natural Resources updates
Update: April 29, 2009 10:40 a.m.
The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), gathered Tues., Apr. 28, to take action on two bills.
Sen. Mee Moua (DFL-St. Paul) authored S.F. 1126, which modifies procedures regarding uses and conveyances of tax-forfeited property. The bill creates new authority to convey parcels that were to be deeded to a local government as part of a development agreement prior to forfeiture and to a common interest community showing it was entitled to the parcel prior to forfeiture, Moua said. She said the measure also creates a 40-year expiration of the use restriction on certain deeds and establishes an application fee of $250 for use deeds where $150 is refunded if the application is denied. The measure was approved and re-referred to the Judiciary Committee.
S.F. 1542 was carried by Sen. Ann Rest (DFL-New Hope). The measure directs the Pollution Control Agency to adopt rules to limit emissions of high global warming potential (GWP) greenhouse gases. A high-GWP greenhouse gas can include any gas the agency determines to have a highly negative effect on the environment and contribute to global warming, Rest said. The measure was approved and sent to the Finance Committee.
Members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), met Mon., Apr. 6, to hear a variety of measures, including a bill providing for the regulation of nonconforming lands in shoreland areas.
S.F. 747, carried by Sen. Ann Rest (DFL-New Hope), regulates nonconforming lots in shoreland areas. Rest said the purpose of the bill is to provide an improved framework for cities, counties and townships to deal with non-conforming lots in shoreland areas and to deal with non-conforming structures in shore impact zones. She said the bill affects a small number of lakeshore property owners that own multiple contiguous lots that wish to sell off or subdivide a portion of their lakeshore property and property owners with structures located within the shore impact zone.
The committee approved the bill and re-referred the measure to the Judiciary Committee.
S.F. 576, sponsored by Sen. Don Betzold (DFL-Fridley), expands game and fish lottery and drawing preferences for service members. The committee laid the bill over for possible inclusion in the omnibus game and fish bill.
S.F. 1956, authored by Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.), establishes a grant program for assisting transit agencies in Minnesota with efforts to reduce diesel pollution. The committee approved the bill and re-referred the measure to the Finance Committee.
Sen. Tom Saxhaug (DFL-Grand Rapids) carried two bills, S.F. 1698, which requires a study on state and local water management, and S.F. 1773, which allows counties to make an abbreviated version of their waste water management report in 2010. The committee approved both bills and sent S.F.1698 to the Finance Committee and S.F. 1773 to the full Senate.
S.F 1203, sponsored by Sen. Paul Koering (R-Fort Ripley), establishes a grant program for diesel truck idling reduction technology purchases. The committee approved the bill and re-referred the measure to the Finance Committee.
S.F. 1663, carried by Sen. Katie Sieben (DFL-Newport), establishes the Minnesota Naturalist Corps and appropriates $540,000 in the 2010-11 biennium from the parks and trails fund to the commissioner of natural resources to place 30 members each year under the corps. The bill also appropriates money to hire eight additional naturalists and for the construction of additional information centers and kiosks in numerous state parks. The committee approved the bill and re-referred the measure to the Finance Committee.
Sen. Ellen Anderson (DFL-St. Paul) authored S.F. 1940, which requires the Pollution Control Agency to collect fees to cover the costs for permits and certifications and requires a project proposer to pay for the preparation of an environmental assessment worksheet. The bill was laid on the table.
Sen. Kathy Sheran (DFL-Mankato) carried a bill, S.F. 1323, that makes changes to the Infectious Waste Control Act regarding the disposal of sharps. The bill requires sharps, except those generated by a household, farm operation or agricultural business, to be deposited in a puncture-resistant container, Sheran said. The bill also requires sharps retailers to provide a free disposal container with every box of 90 or more syringes sold, Sheran said. The bill was recommended to pass and sent to the Senate floor.
S.F. 1804, sponsored by Sen. Lisa Fobbe (DFL-Zimmerman), removes land in the Rum River area from the wild and scenic rivers program. The bill was laid over for further work.
S.F. 1116, authored by Chaudhary, modifies game and fish provisions. The bill modifies refund provisions, definitions, publication requirements, restrictions in migratory feeding and resting areas and wild animal and fish taking, possession and licensing requirements, Chaudhary said. Saxhaug offered an amendment to delete a portion of the bill regarding the import of minnows for bait. The amendment was adopted by a vote of 7-6. Members approved the bill as amended and re-referred it to the Committee on Finance.
Night bow fishing bill heard
The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), met Wed., April 1, to hear six measures for possible inclusion in the committee's omnibus policy bill.
S.F. 1116, sponsored by Chaudhary, modifies game and fish and aquaculture provision. The bill includes fees for aquatic farms, modifications for protected animals, angling qualifications, and hunting provisions, said Ed Boggess, Department of Natural Resources. The bill was laid on the table as the vehicle for the omnibus policy bill.
S.F. 1656, carried by Sen. Lisa Fobbe (DFL-Zimmerman), allows up to 20 percent of minnows imported for aquatic farms to be sold as bait. The minnows currently imported are for sale outside the state. The bill helps small business owners by allowing some of the minnows to be used for sale as bait, said Fobbe. A representative from the DNR, raised concern about opening Minnesota lakes to invasive or diseased species. However, the measure specifies that any minnows sold as bait must not be on the official list of viral hemorrhagic septicemia susceptible species. The bill was laid over for further consideration.
S.F. 1502, sponsored by Sen. David Senjem (R-Rochester), modifies restrictions on the use of artificial lights (shining) to take wild animals with or without implements, provides exceptions for shining without implements and makes conforming changes to penalties. Executive Director Gary Botzek, Minnesota Conservation Federation, said the federation is supportive of the legislation. The bill was laid over.
S.F. 1798, sponsored by Chaudhary, modifies restrictions on bow fishing to take rough fish. The bill allows bow fishing at night to take rough fish. Chaudhary said the measure helps control invasive species. Members heard extensive testimony from members of the Land of Lakes Bowfishing Association in support of the measure. The measure was laid over.
Chaudhary also carried a bill, S.F. 1968, that modifies the requirements and fees for fishing contest permits. The measure provides that a person may conduct a fishing contest without a permit from the commissioner if there are 25 boats or less for open water contests and 150 participants or less for ice fishing contests, the entry fee is $25 per person or less, the total prize value is $25,000 or less, the contest is not limited to trout species only, all the participants are age 18 or under, the contest is limited to rough fish. The bill also requires the commissioner to develop a best practices certification program for fishing contest organizers to ensure the proper handling and release of fish and requires the commissioner to develop an online Web-based fishing contest permit application process. The bill also reduces the fees by 50 percent for a variety of fishing contests. The measure was laid
S.F. 1828, sponsored by Sen. Michael Jungbauer (R-East Bethel), establishes a lifetime spearing license and lifetime angling and spearing license. The measure was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill.
Members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, met Mon., Mar. 30, to discuss four bills.
Sen. Lisa Fobbe (DFL-Zimmerman) carried a bill, S.F. 1433, that provides for free angling licenses for residents who are 90 years of age and older. Irene Long, citizen, said the bill would be helpful for residents who are still able to go fishing over the age of 90 but may be suffering financially. She said the bill rewards individuals who are healthy enough to fish at that age.
S.F. 220, authored by Sen. Tom Saxhaug (DFL-Grand Rapids), authorizes spear fishing by nonresidents from dark houses.
S.F. 1528, sponsored by Sen. Thomas Bakk (DFL-Cook), provides free licenses to net ciscoes and whitefish to residents under the age of 16. He said that under current law, residents under the age of 16 may legally fish for free, thus the purpose of the bill is to provide consistency and allow those same individuals to net for free, too. Members adopted an amendment allowing duck decoys to be set out more than one hour before hunting as long as the hunter is in constant attendance.
All three bills were laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus policy bill.
Finally, Sen. Sharon Erickson Ropes (DFL-Winona) carried S.F. 1156, which extends the deer hunting season in certain areas of the state. The measure allows a nine-day early A season in Zone 3 beginning the Saturday nearest November 6 and a nine-day late B season in Zone 3 beginning the Saturday nearest November 20, Erickson Ropes said. After hearing considerable testimony on the measure, the bill was laid over for further consideration.
Members of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), met Fri., Mar. 27, to consider a number of measures, including the Lessard Outdoor Heritage Council (LOHC) appropriations bill.
Sen. Tom Saxhaug (DLF-Grand Rapids), sponsored S.F. 1927, which appropriates money for outdoor heritage. The Lessard Outdoor Heritage Council's mission is to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife," said Michael Kilgore, chair, LOHC. He said the council's recommendations total approximately $69.5 million dollars for 18 programs and projects. The council focused on strategic statewide conservation plans, resource, habitat, and species plans, as well as "shovel-ready" conservation projects, he said.
Former Sen. Bob Lessard said this is just the first of the 25 years the people of Minnesota voted to appropriate money to conserve state lands. The committee amended the bill to give the council the authority to set up its own staff. The bill, as amended, was approved by the committee and re-referred to the Committee on Finance.
S.F. 1892, sponsored by Chaudhary, modifies regulation of storm water discharges. Julie Westerlund, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, said the modifications in discharge would come from implementation of minimum impact design standards. These standards are met through a menu of techniques, calculated methodology, and specific performance standards, she said. The bill was approved and re-referred to the Committee on Finance.
S.F. 1123, carried by Sen. Dan Skogen (DFL-Hewitt), provides for private sales of state land to resolve trespass issues, adds to and deletes from state parks, and authorizes public and private sales of surplus state land. An amendment to delete a provision allowing for the public sale of surplus state land in Anoka County was adopted by the committee. A second amendment to delete a provision allowing the public sale of surplus state land in Cass County was also adopted by the committee. The bill, as amended, was approved and re-referred to the Finance Committee.
S.F. 74, carried by Sen. Michael Jungbauer (R-East Bethel), provides standards for use of recycled water. The bill is modeled after the California code of regulations, which have some of the toughest standards on recycled water in the country, said Jungbauer. Under the bill, the Pollution Control Agency will be overseeing the program, he said. The bill was approved and re-referred to the Committee on Finance.
S.F. 1629, sponsored by Chaudhary, makes wellhead protection areas eligible for the reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) reserve program. The bill was approved and re-referred to the Finance Committee.
S.F. 1836, also sponsored by Chaudhary, appropriates money from the clean water fund for clean water legacy and drinking water protection activities. The measure was re-referred to the Finance Committee without recommendation.
Members of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), met Mon., Mar. 23, to consider a number of measures, including the omnibus lands and waters bill.
S.F. 1123, sponsored by Sen. Dan Skogen (DFL-Hewitt), provides for the private sales of state lands to resolve trespass issues, authorizes public and private sales of surplus state land, modifies previous sales authorization and land descriptions and makes technical changes regarding boundaries at various state parks. Skogen said the bill is the annual omnibus lands and waters bill and is comprised of a number of measures approved by the Subcommittee on Lands and Waters.
The committee laid the bill over for further discussion and consideration.
S.F. 1314, carried by Sen. Paul Koering (R-Fort Ripley), authorizes the commissioner to acquire, from willing sellers, perpetual conservation easements on behalf of the state and federal government consistent with Camp Ripley's Army compatible use buffer project. The project, as described in the bill, is geographically defined as a three-mile zone around Camp Ripley in central Minnesota. Koering said the buffer is needed due to the large amounts of noise being generated at the camp. He said the bill allows local landowners to form a partnership with the military and provides them with equity for property they will be able to retain and keep undeveloped.
The committee approved the bill and sent the measure to the full Senate
S.F. 1225, carried by Chaudhary, removes bow and gun case requirements. Chaudhary said the bill regulates the actions of ethical, law abiding hunters, by allowing them to have uncased and unloaded long guns, not handguns, and unarmed bows in a motor vehicle. He said hunting from a vehicle and poaching will still be illegal and the bill does not in any way condone that sort of behavior.
The committee approved the bill and re-referred the measure to the Judiciary Committee.
S.F. 1486, carried by Sen. Linda Higgins (DFL-Mpls.), amends reporting requirements for manufacturers and retailers of video display devices. The bill also limits the amount of recycled electronics products that can be applied to future recycling obligations.
Higgins offered an amendment changing the effective date of the bill to July 1, 2009. The committee adopted the amendment, approved the bill and sent the measure to the full Senate.
S.F. 1564, authored by Sen. Rick Olseen (DFL-Harris), establishes the parks and trails legacy grant program to assist eligible units of local government in acquiring, developing, improving and restoring park and trail lands of regional or statewide significance.
The committee approved the bill and re-referred the measure to the State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee.
S.F. 1624, sponsored by Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.), authorizes uses for the Hennepin county solid and hazardous waste fund. Diblle said the fund amounts to approximately $700,000 per year.
The committee approved the bill and re-referred the measure to the Finance Committee.
S.F. 1657, authored by Sen. Mary Olson (DFL-Bemidji), calls for the reorganization, consolidation and restructuring of state environment and natural resource agencies and departments. The bill also abolishes the powers and duties of a number of the agencies and establishes the Environment and Natural Resources Structure Committee to advise the Legislature and governor on new structure.
The bill was laid over for future consideration.
The Environment and Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), convened Wed., Mar. 18, to take action on bills regarding all-terrain vehicle restrictions, the classification of electronic licensing information and technical modifications to sewage treatment system provisions.
Chaudhary sponsored S.F. 1655, which modifies operating restrictions for all-terrain vehicles. The bill provides for seizure and forfeiture of off-highway vehicles and provides criminal penalties for violations while operating an off-highway vehicle, Chaudhary said. A person may be convicted of a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor if they are in violation of provisions in the bill, he said.
Members adopted an amendment to allow confiscation of an off-highway vehicle after the second gross misdemeanor instead of the first gross misdemeanor. The bill was then approved as amended and re-referred to the Judiciary Committee.
S.F. 1341, authored by Sen. Mary Olson (DFL-Bemidji), classifies electronic licensing information and data maintained by the commissioner of natural resources. The bill provides that private data kept by the commissioner of natural resources may only be disclosed under certain conditions, including for use by a government agency, for use in connection with vehicle operator safety or theft, for use for information needed in court or for use by an insurance agency, among other conditions.
Members approved an amendment that places further restrictions on the release of data from the Dept. of Natural Resources. The measure was approved as amended and re-referred to the Judiciary Committee.
S.F. 1449, carried by Sen. Lisa Fobbe (DFL-Zimmerman), makes a number of technical changes to current sewage treatment systems provisions. The measure was recommended to pass and sent to the Senate floor.
Members of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), gathered Wed., Mar. 18, to discuss the omnibus policy bill.
S.F. 1110, carried by Chaudhary, modifies a number of natural resources, state park and outdoor recreation provisions. Chaudhary said the bill is the omnibus policy bill and is comprised of measures previously heard and approved by the committee.
Chaudhary offered an amendment to add a section regarding additional rules for game and fish regulation.
Members also heard two additional bills. S.F. 640, authored by Sen. Kenneth Kelash (DFL-Mpls.), provides for a temporary drawdown of public waters.
Kevin Bigalke, administrator, 9 Mile Creek Watershed District, said the bill makes changes to current law to allow for the drawdown of public water if the drawdown happens in reaction to a public waters project that is deemed beneficial by the commissioner and is approved by the majority of the riparian landowners affected by the project.
The committee approved the bill.
1399, sponsored by Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon (DFL-Duluth), approves the consumptive use of water for snowmaking in St. Louis County. Prettner Solon said the bill allows the Spirit Mountain Recreation Authority to draw water directly from the St. Louis County basin as opposed to drawing it from the Duluth city water utility for the intent of making snow for recreational purposes.
Renee Mattson, executive director, Spirit Mountain Recreation Authority, said the bill allows Spirit Mountain, which uses about 66 million gallons of water each season to make snow, to make snow in half the time it currently takes. The bill also relieves water consumption stress currently being imposed on the city utility, said Mattson.
The committee approved the bill. Chaudhary offered an amendment to include both S.F. 640 and S.F 1399 in the omnibus policy bill. The committee adopted the amendment, approved the bill and re-referred the measure to the Judiciary Committee.
After a long floor session, members of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), gathered briefly on Mon., Mar. 16, to begin public testimony on the Minnesota Clean Car Act
S.F. 674, sponsored by Sen. John Marty (DFL-Roseville), establishes the Minnesota Clean Car Act, which requires decreased emission of air pollutants and greenhouse gas pollution from new motor vehicles. Marty said the increased emissions standards will save Minnesotan's money while improving the quality of air in the state. Marty said the bill would likely increase the average cost of vehicles sold in the state, but the average consumer would end up saving roughly $24 per month because of reduced operating costs brought about by driving a "cleaner" car. The bill would also put pressure on car makers to use new technologies to develop more efficient vehicles, said Marty. Marty said the bill helps the state meet the goals recently established by the governor and the Legislature for cleaner air through reduced greenhouse gases brought about by automobiles burning cleaner fuels. Marty said 14 other states have already enacted similar legislation.
Kevin Paap, president, Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation, said uncertainties related to state government regulation, flexible fuel vehicle availability and consumer costs leave many farmers with an uneasy feeling about the bill. Although farmers are committed to respecting and protecting the state's natural resources, they must also consider the business implications of any regulation affecting their farms, said Paap.
Chaudhary said further discussion of Marty's bill will continue at a later date.
Members of the Environment and Natural Resources-Subcommittee on Public Lands and Waters, chaired by Sen. Dan Skogen (DFL-Hewitt), met Fri., Mar. 13, to discuss numerous land sale bills. .
S.F. 1123, authored by Skogen, provides for various state park additions and deletions and the public and private sale of state lands. Skogen said the bill is a vehicle for the omnibus public lands and water bill.
S.F. 175, carried by Sen. Tom Saxhaug (DFL-Grand Rapids), provides for the apportionment of proceeds from the sale of certain tax-forfeited land in Itasca County.
S.F. 176, also carried by Saxhaug, modifies lease terms for tax-forfeited lands in Itasca County. S.F. 812, sponsored by Sen. Thomas Bakk (DFL-Cook), authorizes public and private sales of certain tax-forfeited land that borders public water in St. Louis County.
S.F. 524, authored by Sen. LeRoy Stumpf (DFL-Plummer), authorizes conveyance of certain tax-forfeited land that borders public water in Red Lake County. S.F. 958, also authored by Stumpf, authorizes public sale of certain tax-forfeited land that borders public water in Kittson County.
S.F. 822, carried by Sen. Gen Olson (R-Minnetrista), authorizes conveyance of land to the city of Wayzata. S.F. 44, sponsored by Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park, requires the private sale of certain surplus state land bordering public water in Cass County.
All bills were amended onto S.F. 1123, recommended to pass and referred to the full committee.
The Environment and Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), met Thurs., Mar. 12, to hear bills relating to grassland definitions, school fund utility permits, the Northshore trail name change and protecting children's health from harmful chemicals.
S.F. 692, authored by Sen. LeRoy Stumpf (DFL-Plummer), repeals certain definitions related to grasslands. The repeal allows producers that are currently growing various grass seeds that may not conform to current statute definitions to market their grass, Stumpf said.
Mary Mueller, Mueller Habitat Restoration, Winthrop, said the measure provides seed growers the opportunity to grow more diverse kinds of grass. She also said the bill allows for grass species changing over time.
The measure was approved and sent to the Senate floor.
Sen. Tom Saxhaug (DFL-Grand Rapids) carried S.F. 121, which makes changes that will affect school trust land management and revenue. The measure specifies that revenue received from utility line permits be deposited in the permanent school fund, Saxhaug said. He said the bill also eliminates requirements relating to the location and public water access for exchanges of school trust lands for other state lands administered by the commissioner of natural resources.
The measure was approved and referred to the Finance Committee.
Sen. Thomas Bakk (DFL-Cook) authored S.F. 909. The measure renames the Northshore Trail as the C.J. Ramstad Memorial Trail. Bakk said C.J. Ramstad is an icon in the sport of snowmobiling. Ramstad passed away two years ago in a car accident with his son, Bakk said. The bill was approved and referred to the Finance Committee.
S.F. 225, sponsored by Sen. Linda Scheid (DFL-Brooklyn Park), requires disclosure by manufacturers of children's products that contain toxic chemicals, authorizes the PCA to require replacement of toxic chemicals with safer alternatives and authorizes participation in an interstate clearinghouse of chemical information.
Mike Sandusky, PCA, said there is a need for regulation of toxic chemicals in children's products. He also said that stakeholders need to have input in the regulation process.
Tony Kwilas, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber agrees with the premise of the bill but believes the process of eliminating toxic chemicals from children's products should happen at the federal level.
The measure was approved and sent to the Judiciary Committee.
The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), met Wed., Mar. 10, to hear four bills.
S.F. 353, authored by Chaudhary, prohibits sales of land within the outdoor recreation system for the purpose of anticipated savings to the general fund. Chaudhary said provisions of current Minnesota law require state agencies to sell lands that they own to help offset general fund deficits. He said the burden of selling land falls primarily on the Department of Natural Resources because the department has considerably more land than other agencies. Chaudhary said the bill doesn't completely prohibit the sale of outdoor recreational land; it just prohibits the sale of the land for the purpose of contributing to the general fund.
The committee approved the bill and re-referred the measure to the Finance Committee.
S.F. 805, carried by Tom Saxhaug (DFL-Grand Rapids), authorizes a forest management lease pilot project and directs the commissioner of natural resources to increase timber sales based on appraised value only. The bill permits the commissioner of natural resources to lease up to 10,000 acres of state-owned forest lands for forest management purposes for a term not to exceed 21 years. Upon implementation of the pilot project, the commissioner is required to provide an annual report to the Legislature on the progress of the project. The report must include a net revenue analysis comparing the lease revenue with the estimated net revenue that would be obtained through state management and silvicultural practices cost savings the state realizes through leasing. The bill also permits the commissioner to increase the amount of timber products sold from state lands under permits based solely on the appraiser's estimate of the timber volume described in the permit.
The committee approved the bill and re-referred the measure to the Finance Committee.
Before adjourning, the committee heard two bills that make technical changes to existing law. S.F. 988, sponsored by Chaudhary, modifies rulemaking authority for the cost-share program. S.F. 1094, sponsored by Saxhaug, modifies local match requirements for certain grants
Both bills were laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill.
The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), met Wed., Mar. 4, to hear five bills.
Sen. Jim Vickerman (DFL-Tracy) authored two bills, S.F. 171, which extends the Casey Jones Trail system into Blue Mounds State Park, and S.F. 34, which establishes the Des Moines River Valley Trail, originating in Jackson County at the Minnesota-Iowa border and connecting with the Dickinson Trail in Mini-Wakan State Park in Iowa.
Sen. Dennis Frederickson (R-New Ulm) offered an amendment to combine the two separate bills into one. The committee approved the amendment and sent newly-merged S.F. 34 to the full Senate.
S.F. 983, sponsored by Sen. Ann Lynch (DFL-Rochester), establishes the Great River Ridge Trail, which will originate in the city of Plainview in Wabasha County and extend southwesterly through the city of Elgin and the town of Viola to the Chester Woods Trail in Olmsted County.
The committee approved the bill and sent the measure to the full Senate.
S.F. 773, sponsored by Sen. Sandy Rummell (DFL-White Bear Lake), makes technical changes to the conservation reserve program and renames it as the Reinvest in Minnesota Resources law.
S.F. 850, carried by Sen. Lisa Fobbe (DFL-Zimmerman), modifies membership of the Board of Water and Soil Resources by adding one township officer and two elected officials as voting members to the board. Fobbe offered an amendment to change the geographic disbursement of the members by reducing the number of Metro Area representatives to four.
The committee laid both bills over for possible inclusion in an omnibus environmental policy bill.
A bill requiring plastic bag recycling was a highlight of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee meeting Mon., Mar. 2.
S.F. 267, authored by Sen. Ann Rest (DFL-New Hope), requires all Metro Area stores with over 5,000 square feet of retail or wholesale space, or stores that are part of a chain of stores, that provide plastic carryout bags to set up an in-store recycling program. An amendment was adopted directing the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency to study methods of establishing a plastic bag recycling program in Greater Minnesota.
Mike Anderson, a volunteer, said he and his wife spend weekends picking up trash in and along the Mississippi River. He said a great deal of the debris in the river is made up of plastic bags of one type or another.
Mark Blaiser, Minnesota Waste Wise, said the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, has a program, "it's in the bag," for most of the grocery store chains that recycles plastic bags. He said the program has recycled 5 million pounds of plastic bags and film since 2004. He said 1 million pounds were collected last year. The material is collected and sorted before being sold to a company that recycles the material into plastic decking and chairs.
Jaimie Pfuhl, Minnesota Grocer's Association, said the grocers are a partner in the "it's in the bag" program and there has been a 13.3 percent reduction in plastic bag use. In addition, some grocers offer incentive programs for customers to use reusable bags. Pfuhl said the record keeping and reporting provisions are burdensome for smaller stores.
Rest said she would be able to have the bill lay over in order to come to agreement over the provisions in the bill. The committee, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), laid the bill over for further consideration.
In other action, the committee heard and additional four bills. S.F. 105, authored by Sen. Steve Murphy (DFL-Red Wing), modifies the definition of deer bait or feed. The measure was laid over for possible inclusion in the committee's omnibus game and fish bill.
S.F. 275, sponsored by Sen. Dennis Frederickson (R-New Ulm), renames the Minnesota River Basin Joint Powers Board the Minnesota River Board. In addition, the bill clarifies the duties and membership of the board. The bill was approved and sent to the full Senate.
S.F. 880, carried by Sen. LeRoy Stumpf (DFL-Plummer), appropriates funds from the clean water fund to the Pollution Control Agency for a grant to enhance and expand existing river watch activities in the Red River of the North. Stumpf said the river watch activities involve students in water quality monitoring. He said students participate in the scientific monitoring of local rivers and streams, analyzing and reporting conditions and working partnerships to address actions needed for sustainable watersheds. The measure was approved and advanced to the Committee on Finance.
S.F. 231, authored by Sen. Pat Pariseau (R-Farmington), provides for free either-sex deer permits for recently discharged service members. The measure was approved and re-referred to the Agriculture and Veterans Committee.
The Environment and Natural Resources Committee met Wed., Feb. 25, to consider a bill making changes to the Critical Areas Act of 1973.
The bill, S.F. 671, carried by Sen. Katie Sieben (DFL-Newport), updates the Mississippi River critical area program by eliminating obsolete language and providing definitions. In addition, Sieben said the bill directs the commission of natural resources to promulgate rules regarding the establishment of districts, the standards and guidelines to be used in implementation of the program and fee requirements.
Sieben said the current provisions, enacted in 1973, need to be updated to reflect changes that have occurred over the last 35 years. She said the bill aims to protect and preserve the Mississippi River and adjacent lands and to prevent irreversible damages along the area from Ramsey and Dayton on the north to Hastings, Denmark and Ravenna Township on the south.
Mark Peterson, executive director, Audubon Minnesota, said the area is essential for providing habitat for migrating birds along the Mississippi flyway. He said some species populations have been staging a comeback along the flyway. He said the Mississippi River watershed covers 41 percent of the country across the heart of the nation and the flyway provides habitat for more than 325 species of birds.
Whitney Clark, executive director, Friends of the Mississippi River, said the rulemaking process will revise the critical area zoning districts and set statewide standards. He said current standards are inadequate and lack clarity. He said the bill also clarifies enforcement responsibilities of local municipalities and the DNR.
The bill was approved and advanced to the State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee.
Drainage law changes and a pilot paint recycling program topped the agenda of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee meeting Mon., Feb. 23. The committee, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), also heard a report on mercury in fish.
S.F. 364, authored by Sen. Dan Sparks (DFL-Austin), makes a number of changes in drainage law suggested by the Drainage Work Group. Al Dean, chief engineer, Board of Water and Soil Resources, explained the changes recommended by the work group. He said the bill clarifies the scope, procedures and responsibilities for the impounding, rerouting and diversion of drainage system waters. He said the clarification is needed for wetland restorations and other impoundment or diversion projects on ditch and tile drainage systems that involve rerouting of the system or a system that is in disrepair or failing.
Dean said the bill also clarifies information needed by the drainage authority, clarifies project funding sources and requires permits to be received prior to construction. The bill also clarifies provisions relating to the removal of property from and the partial abandonment of a drainage systems, Dean said. The bill also updates financial thresholds and requires a mailed notice to the owners of all property benefited by a drainage system when changes are made.
The bill was approved and re-referred to the Agriculture and Veterans Committee.
S.F. 477, authored by Sen. John Doll (DFL-Burnsville), sets up a paint stewardship pilot program to collect and recycle paint. Doll said the project is an opportunity to lead the nation in establishing a process to collect and recycle architectural paint. Under the bill, manufacturers pay a paint stewardship assessment for each container of paint sold in the state and retailers and distributors must include the assessment in the purchase price of the paint. The bill also requires reports to determine how well the program works.
Victoria Reinhardt, Ramsey County commissioner, said the pilot program discussions have been taking place for a number of years. She said the state already has an infrastructure in place to recycle the up to 10 percent of unused paint sold in the state. She said the partnership between industry and government will relieve the financial pressure on counties to deal with paint.
Hans Hirshfield, president, Hirshfield Paint Manufacturing, said Hirshfield Paint is committed to finding a viable solution to dealing with paint through recycling or proper disposal. He said the bill offers an opportunity for the reduction of hazardous waste, the reduction of the burden on local government and the education of consumers.
The bill was approved and advanced to the Business, Industry and Jobs Committee.
Members also heard a presentation on aquatic management areas. Dave Thompson, chair, Clean Water and Aquatic Management Areas, said aquatic management areas are shorelines that help filter water in lakes, rivers and streams. Thompson said use of legacy amendment funds to acquire aquatic management areas throughout the state would forestall habitat loss, erosion, and aid in preserving the ecosystem. He said that with increasing development pressure it is critical that lake, stream and river habitat be preserved. He said the committee has put together a series of recommendations for a broad strategy to enhance and protect water resources. He said the recommendations include expanded public and private partnerships to maximize resources, implementation of an aggressive funding program to acquire as much habitat as possible, provision of property tax shelters for land donations and a marketing program to entice private donation of property into conservation easements.
Bruce Monson, Pollution Control Agency, reported on mercury concentrations in selected lakes. Monson conducted a study, which was reported in the peer-reviewed journal, Environmental Science and Technology, showing the fish-mercury concentration in the majority of lakes has been increasing since the mid-1990s. He said the analysis was based on tissue contaminant measurements obtained from fish collected from 845 lakes. Some of the mercury that is deposited from the air is converted to methylmercury by bacterial that live in the sediment of wetlands and lakes, which is in turn becomes part of the aquatic food chain.
Monson said that because the trend is statewide, a local source of mercury is probably not responsible for the increase. He said the most likely cause is increased global mercury emissions outside the U.S. or factors associated with climate change, or both. He said global mercury emissions increased between 1990 and 1995.
The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), met Wed., Feb. 18, to hear two bills relating to the green acres program.
S.F. 386, sponsored by Sen. Rod Skoe (DFL-Clearbrook), modifies the green acres program to reinstate previous law provisions relating to green acres treatment and agricultural property classification. Thus, the bill changes back the provisions that created controversy since their enactment in 2008, Skoe said. He said the bill allows unproductive rural land to be eligible for the green acres program and removes the elimination of lands in the reinvest in Minnesota reserve or the federal conservation reserve program.
Deb Krueger, Christmas tree farmer in Lake Elmo, there is no way for the government to tell if land is unproductive or not because some farmers may only farm on 60 percent of their land, but the other 40 percent is serving the purpose of catching runoff or growing trees to block wind and prevent erosion.
Bobby King, Minnesota Land Stewardship, said he favors the bill. He said he thinks landowners are confused about the changes to the green acres program in recent years and the passage of the bill would restore landowners' faith in the Legislature.
The bill was approved and re-referred to the Committee on Taxes.
S.F. 240, authored by Sen. James Metzen (DFL-South St. Paul), creates the Minnesota land conservation property tax law, which provides for reduced property taxes on conservation land that would be based on the value of the land as conservation land. The law is modeled after the green acres program, Metzen said. The bill allows a landowner to transfer property from the green acres program to the Minnesota land conservation property tax law without paying additional taxes, he said.
Vance Grannis, resident of Eagan, spoke in favor of the bill. He said he thinks property taxes on other community residents will increase if the bill is not passed.
The bill was approved and re-referred to the Committee on Taxes.
A bill requiring yard waste bags and containers to be compostable was the focus of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee's Mon., Feb. 16, meeting
S.F. 383, authored by Sen. Rick Olseen (DFL-Harris), specifies that after Sept. 1, 2009, any bag or container containing yard waste delivered to a yard waste compost facility in the Metro Area must meet all the American Society for Testing and Materials specifications for compostable plastics.
Olseen said the bill also specifies that no one may manufacture or bring into the state a plastic bag or container labeled compostable, biodegradable or degradable unless the bag or container meets the ASTM standard specification for compostable plastic. The bill also sets a civil penalty, allows for injunctive relief and provides for rulemaking. Members adopted an amendment removing the rulemaking provision and deleting the word container from the bill.
The measure was approved and re-referred to the Business, Industry and Jobs Committee
Members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee devoted the lion's share of the Wed., Feb. 11, meeting to discussion of a bill setting forth greenhouse gas reduction goals and strategies. The committee, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), also approved a bill aimed at protecting children from harmful chemicals.
S.F. 549, authored by Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.), adds greenhouse gas reduction goals and strategies to various state and metropolitan programs and plans. Dibble said the bill also establishes goals for per capita reductions in vehicle miles traveled to reduce greenhouse gases.
Dibble said that changes in development patterns are needed for Minnesota to achieve the greenhouse gas reduction goals set in statute. He said the bill attempts to set policies and strategies to improve land use planning and development practices that target growth in ways that reduce the number and length of vehicle trips in order to meet the goals. Dibble said that what has worked in the past no longer works in planning development. "We need to make changes and to make use of the existing infrastructure more efficiently and effectively," Dibble said.
Dibble said the bill authorizes grants to local units of government for changes in municipal ordinance that will encourage development patterns that support providing citizens with save and convenient transportation alternatives, increasing the quantity and quality of wetlands, wildlands, lakes and rivers, increasing physical activity through community design changes and expanding lifecycle housing opportunities for all income levels.
The bill also requires that environmental assessment worksheets, environmental impact statements, alternative urban area reviews or other environmental reviews identify and consider alternatives and mitigation measures that will reduce, eliminate or offset any greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the project.
Dibble said the bill also contains provisions requiring the Dept. of Transportation and the Metropolitan Council to include policies designed to reduce the number of vehicle miles driven in planning documents. In addition, local units of government are required to identify strategies to reduce the number of vehicle miles driven in their comprehensive plan amendments.
John Bailey, 1000 Friends of Minnesota, speaking in support of the measure said the bill sets a policy framework for Minnesota. Chuck Dayton, Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group, and Julian Marshall, associate professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of Minnesota, also spoke in support of the bill, particularly the provisions aimed at reducing vehicle miles driven and including transportation options such as biking, mass transit and pedestrian ways in planning documents. John Jaschke, Board of Water and Soil Resources spoke on the provisions requiring the inclusion of carbon sequestration in determining the public values of wetlands.
Representatives from the Association of Minnesota Counties, the League of Cities and the Metropolitan Counties Association said their associations were concerned about the provision in the bill requiring environmental assessment worksheets, environmental impact statements, alternative urban area reviews or other environmental reviews to identify and consider alternatives and mitigation measures that will reduce, eliminate or offset any greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the project. They said the provision could prove both costly and cumbersome. Sen. Steve Dille (R-Dassel) offered an amendment to delete the provision. The amendment was adopted.
Members approved the bill and advanced the measure to the Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communications Committee.
Members also considered a bill phasing out the use of bisphonel-A in products for small children such as plastic baby bottles and sippy cups. S.F. 247, authored by Sen. Sandy Rummel (DFL-White Bear Lake), prohibits manufacturers from selling new children's products that contain bisphonel-A after Jan. 1, 2010 and infant formula containers that contain the chemical after Jan. 1, 2013. Rummel said that Bisphonel-A has been shown to be an endocrine disrupter and that the aim of the bill is to protect very young children.
Members adopted an amendment specifying that "children's product" does not include food or beverage products contained in a can, except those used to contain infant formulas. The bill was approved and re-referred to the Business, Industry and Jobs Committee.
The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), met Mon., Feb. 9, to hear reports from the Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota Forest Resources Council.
Director Ed Boggess and Ray Norrgard both from fish and wildlife, DNR, reported on the natural wild rice study. The study includes the current location, estimated acreage and area of natural stands, the potential threats to natural stands, and six recommendations for protecting and increasing natural wild rice stands in the state. Norrgard said the range of natural wild rice today includes 55 counties, which support a minimum of 64,328 acres of natural wild rice when growing conditions are favorable. Today, there is a complex mix of tribal, federal, state, and local laws and regulations associated with the formal recognition of the significance of natural wild rice and its protection, management, and harvest, he said.
Executive Director Dave Zumeta and Calder Hibbard, policy analyst, for the Minnesota Forest Resources Council presented the 2008 report on the implementation of the Sustainable Forest Resources Act. Zumeta said the four program areas of focus for the Council are forest policy initiatives, resource management, monitoring forest resources and practices, and research. The report also outlines major accomplishments.
Calder Hibbard expanded on the four major policy areas the council is focusing on. The first is forest land parcelization and development; second, forest biomass and biofuels harvest; third, forest carbon sequestration; and forth, threats to forest health. Zumeta concluded by stating the council's approach to prevention and research integrates the needs of urban forests as well as rural wilderness.
The Environment and Natural Resources Committee devoted the Wed., Feb. 4, meeting to a discussion of the re-invest in Minnesota (RIM) program and the federal wetland restoration (WRP) program. The committee, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), heard from John Jaschke, executive director, Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), and Roger Pederson, manager of conservation programs, Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
Jaschke said the RIM program has been in existence for 23 years and has 203,000 acres enrolled in 5,300 conservation easements. He said $250 million in federal funds have been leveraged in last 10 years. Jaschke said the aim of the program is to improve water quality, sequester carbon, reduce flood damage, enhance wildlife habitat and promote rural economic development. He said the RIM program coupled with the federal WRP program allows the state to leverage federal farm bill conservation dollars and results in competitive payment rates to landowners and the sharing of restoration costs. Minnesota received almost 20 percent of the nation's WRP funds last year, Jaschke said. In addition, the combination of state and federal funds for wetland restoration projects created or supported an estimated 527 full-time jobs.
Jaschke said the conservation benefits include retiring sensitive land, protecting and improving water quality, reducing soil erosion and enhancing fish and wildlife habitat. In addition, the benefits include the potential for biofuel production, he said.
Pederson said the U.S. has lost 16.8 million acres of wetlands since the 1950s. Water quality and ecological integrity is compromised on the remaining wetlands, he said. Pederson said RIM program management actions can restore wildlife habitat and water quality. The ultimate goal, Pederson said, is to improve the watershed in Minnesota.
Members of the Health, Housing and Family Security Committee, chaired by Sen. John Marty (DFL-Roseville), and members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), met Mon., Feb. 2, to hear two bills and an update on interagency atrazine collaboration.
Greg Buzicky, director of the Pesticide and Fertilizer Management Division, Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture, said the Dept. of Agriculture, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Dept. of Health are performing an interagency registration review of the herbicide atrazine. "We may have taken on one of the most extensively studied pesticide products in the country," Buzicky said. They are examining whether additional restrictions and limitations are needed on the use of atrazine, he said.
S.F. 247, sponsored by Sen. Sandy Rummel (DFL-White Bear Lake), prohibits the sale of children's products, including infant formula containers, that contain bisphenol-A. The bill specifies that it applies to products for children ages three and younger. The bill states that by Jan. 1, 2010, no manufacturer may sell any new children's product that contains bisphenol-A, and as of Jan. 1, 2013, no infant formula containers containing bisphenol-A may be sold.
Dr. John Peterson Myers, founder, CEO and chief scientist of Environmental Health Sciences, said that small changes in the course of development of infants can significantly affect their future health. Exposure to low doses of bisphenol-A can cause obesity and increased risk of heart attack and type II diabetes, Myers said.
Steve Hentges, American Chemistry Council, urged members to oppose the bill. He said there is no proof that other products would be safer than bisphenol-A. Dr. John M. Rost, North American Metal Packaging Alliance, said the use of bisphenol-A in epoxy coating in metal packaging doubles the shelf-life of food. Rost said the longer shelf-life also means less food waste and greater conservation of energy.
No action was taken on S.F. 247.
S.F. 225, authored by Sen. Linda Scheid (DFL-Brooklyn Park), requires the Pollution Control Agency (PCA) to publish a list of chemicals of high concern found in children's products by July 1, 2010. The products will slowly be phased out and the PCA will routinely review the list of chemicals and designate additional qualifying priority chemicals, Scheid said.
Kathleen Roberts, American Chemistry Council (ACC), spoke in opposition to the bill. She said there are many hazardous chemicals in children's products and to attempt to substitute each of these chemicals with safer materials would not only be a lengthy process, but might also end in substituting one problem for another.
No action was taken on the bill.
The Environment and Natural Resouces Committee devoted the Wed., Jan. 28, meeting to hearing reports and discussing the use of lead bullets.
The panel, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), began with a report on a study done by the Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) on bullet fragmentation. Lou Cornicelli, big game program coordinator, DNR, said the study was done to provide data to hunters so they can make informed decisions when selecting bullets and to discover bullet fragmentation tendencies in order to allow hunters and meat processors to minimize lead fragments when processing deer. Cornicelli said several common types of bullets were tested to determine the amount of expansion and fragmentation. He said the study concluded that selecting an appropriate bullet design is the best way to manage fragmentation. Cornicelli said lead was not found when enclosed lead core bullets and copper bullets were used. In addition, practicing markmanship and outdoors skills to get cleaner, closer and better shots also helps in managing fragmentation, he said. Cornicelli said traces of lead were consistently found much farther from the wound channel than expected.
John L. Stine and Erik Zabel, both of the Dept. of Health, reported on a Center for Disease Control (CDC) study, done in North Dakota, assessing human health risk from consumption of wild game meat with possible lead contamination. The study concluded that participants who consumed wild game had higher lead levels than those who did not consume wild game. However, the study said no participant had higher lead levels than the CDC recommended threshold.
Dr. Heidi Kassenborg, Dept. of Agriculture, reported the results of departmental test on donated venison. Kassenborg said lead was found in 32 percent of 239 samples. In addition, evidence of metal was found in 22 percent of 1,239 samples collected from 39 processors, and the percent of samples with metal evidence varied by individual processor, ranging from 0 percent to 77 percent. She said in response, all venison processed for donation is being collected and tested for metal prior to distribution. Kassenborg said about six percent of the product collected had evidence of lead.
The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), gathered on Wed., Jan. 21, for a citizen-led discussion on lake and river protection.
Phil Hunsicker, president of the Crow Wing Lakes and Rivers Association, addressed the issue of shoreland management. Hunsicker said poor development planning and inadequate ordinances are threatening lake water quality and decreasing the value of lakeshore property. Hunsicker also said there are a number of citizen-led organizations working to develop comprehensive planning and ordinance revisions to better protect shorelands. Hunsicker urged members to support and pass the new minimum statewide shoreland standards recommended by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Hunsicker also encouraged members to support incentives such as tax breaks for organizations that work to preserve natural shorelines.
Dann Siems, aquatic biologist with the Beltrami County Lakes and Rivers Association, presented information on aquatic invasive species. Siems said aquatic invasive species pose significant ecological, aesthetic, and economic risks to numerous Minnesota lakes and streams. Siems said the actual and perceived impacts of aquatic invasive species are poorly understood. Siems also said there is widespread concern that invasive species may threaten the ecological integrity of economically critical water surfaces and his organization is working to minimize the impact of aquatic invasive species in Minnesota's public waters. Siems noted three strategic steps he would like to see taken by the DNR to reduce the introduction and spread of aquatic invaders. First, Siems said he would like to intensify public education efforts focused on minimizing the probability of "aquatic hitchhikers" and other invaders with potential to compromise water quality. Next, Siems said he would like the DNR to reduce the invisibility of surface waters by enhancing the diversity and integrity of native plant and animal communities. Finally, Siems said that he would like to see the creation of a regional entity that would cooperatively address potential migration and infestation of aquatic invaders.
Darrell Swanson, board member of the Pine River Watershed Alliance, spoke on the topic of surface and ground water quality. Swanson said his organization, along with other citizen-led groups, has been developing, directing and implementing county-wide water quality monitoring programs. Swanson said increased septic tank inspection regulations and improved shoreland management could improve water quality as it relates to excess phosphorous loading.
Finally, Marian Bender, executive director, Minnesota Waters, said citizen-led organizations are taking responsibility for the long term protection and preservation of Minnesota's most priceless natural resources, its waters. The partnerships and collaborate efforts between the volunteer groups and state-funded environmental organizations will be crucial to the ongoing lakes and streams protection initiative, said Bender.
The Environment and Natural Resources Committee devoted their first hearing of the year Mon., Jan. 12, to presentations and discussion relating to water quality.
Gene Merriam, president, Freshwater Society, and former commissioner of the Dept. of Natural Resources and former Senator, gave a presentation of a report by the Freshwater Society Guardianship Council. The full report may be found at : Water is Life: Protection a critical resource for future generations. Merriam said that clean, fresh water is key to our image of who we are as Minnesotans and it is essential for our regional and national economies. He said the Freshwater Society has worked for 40 years for the conservation and rational management of freshwater resources. Merriam said ground water is the source of all or part of the drinking water consumed by nearly 90 percent of Minnesotans and is also used for a multitude of other purposes. Ground water use increased 26 percent, or 52 billion gallons, between 1995 and 2005, he said. Merriam also said the report recommends that ground water monitoring be intensified, that there be aggressive research on the potential harm of various chemical contaminants found in small concentrations in groundwater and that there should be put in place cost-effective measures to protect aquifers and ground water recharge areas from contamination.
Merriam said that the state has failed to adequately address nonpoint source pollution that may harm surface water quality. He said recent testing has shown waters are threatened by chemical compounds known as endocrine disrupters, which may affect human health and are affecting fish. He said the report recommended embracing land and water stewardship practices that have been demonstrated to be effective and adopting best management practices for preventing runoff in both urban and rural settings.
"We need a cultural shift in our thinking about our water resources, similar to the cultural shift we have had about smoking or drinking and driving," Merriam said. He said a cultural shift is necessary to for the sustainability of Minnesota's water resources for future generations.
The committee, chaired by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), also heard from Shannon Lotthammer, manager of water quality monitoring, Pollution Control Agency (PCA). Lotthammer spoke on citizen monitoring of surface water quality, a program dating back to the 1970s. She said legislation passed in 2002 enabled the PCA to encourage citizen monitoring by providing more technical assistance, developing and promoting monitoring programs and integrating citizen monitoring data into water assessments. She said the strategy is to monitor and assess lakes and streams on a 10-year cycle. Lotthammer said there are four components to the monitoring process-monitoring done by the agency, monitoring done by other agencies, monitoring done by citizens and remote sensing. In 2007, 1,187 volunteers monitored 2,207sites on 1,263 lakes. Also in 2007, 490 volunteers monitored 831 sites in the stream monitoring program, Lotthammer said. She said that participation is growing and that many volunteers partner with local groups to monitor water quality. The agency also wants to recruit volunteers for watershed monitoring sites, increasing participation in the program and providing the needed staff support for training, data entry, quality assurance review, analysis and reporting.
The final speaker, Princesa VanBuren, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Quality Board (EQB), gave a report on building a framework for management of sustainable water resources. She said the EQB's mission is to develop policy, create long-range plans and review proposed projects that would significantly influence Minnesota's environment and development. VanBuren said water management challenges include understanding how much water may be available, understanding the impact on the environment and people and recognizing the complexity of a dynamic system. VanBuren said the EQB, working with other agencies is charged with considering standards to address environmental impacts of proposed water uses, finding a way to put consideration of proposed water uses into a broader framework and summarizing the need and options for collecting additional data for comprehensive analysis.
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