Clean Water & the Amendment

Policy Initiatives

Problem:

We have made strides in regulating and reducing water pollution from industries and sewage treatment plants. But polluted runoff, with contaminants such as pesticides, chemicals and fertilizers from farm operations, is responsible for an estimated 86 percent of Minnesota’s water quality problems. Minnesota farm operations should follow regulations to protect our health and safety, water quality and wildlife habitat – just like other businesses.

Money from the Amendment is being spent to pay for voluntary clean-ups by agricultural pollution sources, but is not always being targeted to where it will do the most good. Clean-up plans for polluted waters must include clear goals, firm timelines and benchmarks for measuring success. In addition, the money should not be used to pay people merely to comply with existing laws.

Threatening bills:

Senate File 161
SF161 asks the MPCA to allow waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) to pollute at current levels during 8 months of the year – applying pollution reductions only during the 4 summer months. Minnesotan’s value clean and safe water resources, and passing this bill would block the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency from placing science-based effluent limits on WWTPs from October through May each year.

This bill would mean that the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin would fail to meet Clean Water Act -mandated water quality goals while representing a legislative “end-run” around a publicly supported stakeholder process to restore the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin. Download more information

Senate File 196
SF191 prevents agencies from completing rules that have been prepared by the Pawlenty administration and from adopting new rules needed to protect Minnesota’s water.

The rules are needed to update outdated standards, comply with federal law, and streamline regulatory requirements. This bill would waste the investment taxpayers have already made in developing new rules. Download more information

Position:

We will work with Governor Mark Dayton, his agencies and the Legislature to:

  • Ensure that the dedicated Amendment funding for clean water is not raided to solve Minnesota’s budget deficit.
  • Protect other traditional sources of funding for clean water.
  • Require that water pollution clean-up plans include goals, timelines and benchmarks for measuring success.
  • Require the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to prepare a priority funding list every two years ranking clean-up projects for polluted runoff on their anticipated effectiveness and their ability to achieve the greatest improvement for the money spent.
  • Require that implementation plans be adopted within one year of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of a clean-up plan.
  • Ensure that the Amendment dollars are not used to pay for protection or restoration practices already required by law.
  • Read a letter from MEP organizations to Legislative leadership, urging their support of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment during budget discussions
    03.11.11: Letter to Legislative leaders
  • Read a letter from MEP groups and other hunting, fishing and conservation groups urging leaders to uphold the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment
    02.02.11: Letter to Governor and Legislature

Download a PDF of the issue brief.

For more information about this issue, contact:

Kris Sigford
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
651-223-5969
ksigford@mncenter.org

Allison Wolf
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
612-750-5449
awolf@mncenter.org

Trevor Russell
Friends of the Mississippi River
651-222-2193
trussell@fmr.org

Patience Caso
Minnesota Environmental Partnership
651-290-0154
patiencecaso@MEPartnership.org

Gary Botzek
Minnesota Environmental Partnership
651-283-4511
gary@capitolconnections.com