The Minnesota House and Senate Omnibus Environmental bills fulfill many of the campaign promises made last election. They reduce spending and remove regulatory obstacles for businesses. But in doing so, ever more pressure will be pushed down to the local level. Aquatic Invasive Species programs will fall more and more to local lake associations and local units of government. The bills do nothing to provide additional authorities so that local communities might develop more efficient and effective programs.
Cuts to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the DNR, and the Environmental Quality Board will again push more of the financial burden down to local communities to protect the public waters. Changes to the rulemaking and permitting processes will make it harder for engaged citizens to have a voice, and truncated schedules will leave even less time in which they can act to impact the decision making process.
Our lakes are the primary economic driver in Greater Minnesota. Clean and healthy lakes support our tax base, many of our businesses and our way of life. But the waters in Minnesota are public – they belong to every citizen in the state. The ability of citizens to take actions to protect the waters that are so important to everyone in the state should be expanded, as should funding for their efforts.
After all, when a lake becomes fouled with AIS or pollution, it is the local community that will suffer the worst impacts. I am writing to encourage our elected representatives to work to increase the role local citizens can have in the permitting and rulemaking process, to support their volunteer efforts with state funding.
Streamlining the process and limiting red tape is a laudable goal, but must not come at the expense of preventing citizen engagement and voice in decisions that will impact them and their children.
Amanda Weberg
Grand Marais
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