Multiple bills undermine state drinking water protection authority
We can all agree that clean, safe drinking water should be accessible and affordable for everyone regardless of geography or income. Unfortunately, no fewer than five bills have already been introduced this session that undercut state authority to protect public and private wells from contamination through the 1989 Groundwater Protection Act. >>
Our 2018 legislative priorities
Minnesotans from across the state gathered in the Capitol rotunda to support clean water during the 2017 Water Action Day.
Budget uncertainty, election-year politics and a sometimes-heated debate on environment and conservation issues should make for a fascinating legislative session. Here are our priorities for the 2018 session, which kicks off Tuesday, February 20.
Media coverage of our lawsuit against the state
As articles about our lawsuit roll in, we'll be sure to post them here. First up, the Star Tribune. >>
Evaluating the final Clean Water Fund bill
HF 707 betrays the expectations of Minnesota voters by raiding $22 million in Clean Water Fund money for administrative costs for local governments, while failing to heed the recmmendations of Minnesota's Clean Water Council.
How water fared in the legislative session + a happy hour invitation
While the 2017 Minnesota legislative session didn’t go as well as we hoped — we failed to make any meaningful progress on water quality — we can say for certain that the final bills were a great improvement over those originally vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton.
Thank you FMR River Guardians, Water Action Day participants and everyone who joined in our efforts to stand up for clean water this session!
Learn more from our Legislative Updates blog and join us for happy hour, Tuesday, June 27 to recap the session with the FMR Capitol Crew and discuss what's next.
Environment bill becomes law: What’s in & what’s out?
The Minnesota Legislature's original environment bill was one of the most sweeping anti-environmental bills to advance at the Capitol in many years. Luckily, it was vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton on May 12. So what made it into the final bill that the governor signed on May 30? Some rollbacks, no water quality progress, but not the worst provisions were removed during final negotiations with the Dayton administration.
Sigh... Environment bill signed. Legacy funds shifted.
We're pretty sure that when Minnesotans passed the Legacy Amendment, this isn't what they — what we — had in mind. Just signed by Gov. Mark Dayton, the environment bill shifts voter-mandated conservation funds to administrative costs. Thank you to all the River Guardians who tried to prevent this, we look forward to inviting you to happy hour soon to recap the session.
River Guardians happy hour: Legislative session wrap-up
Join us Tuesday, June 27, 4:30 p.m. to raise a glass to a good fight at the Minnesota Legislature this session. We'll hear from FMR's Capitol Crew experts Trevor Russell and Leili Fatehi about the good, the bad and the ugly. We'll also report back and share the stats about FMR River Guardians' great advocacy throughout the session and give you a glimpse into upcoming advocacy opportunities to protect and restore the Mississippi River.