Jan. 4, 2011, Star Tribune
Legislators will be presented Wednesday with a revolutionary wish list that, if adopted, could ensure the future of clean water in Minnesota.
The only catch is that it would take 25 years and billions of dollars.
But Deborah Swackhamer, a University of Minnesota water expert who led the yearlong effort, says the Legislature should start now. The project was conducted at the request of the 2010 Legislature, in part to provide guidance on how to spend $80 million a year of Legacy Amendment funds dedicated to clean water.
The funding and the plan, she said, provide Minnesota with a rare opportunity do what no other state has done — to create a sustainable future for the state’s beloved waters.