By George Boody Governor Mark Dayton announced in January his proposal to require an additional 125,000 acres of perennial vegetation along lakes, rivers and streams. There is a long history of utilizing such living borders to filter out fertilizers and herbicides, while fortifying streambanks and reducing the amount of eroded soil that ends up in… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Water
Forever Green: Relaying Resiliency
To Matthew Ott, three words could make all the difference as to whether farming systems that protect the soil year-round in Minnesota become a consistent agricultural presence in the state. “For me, the most exciting thing is to be able to use the term, ‘cash cover crops,’ ” says the University of Minnesota graduate student…. Read more »
MEP’s prepared testimony on advanced biofuel production incentive program
On February 18, 2015, Minnesota Environmental Partnership’s executive director Steve Morse delivered the below prepared testimony regarding proposals that would establish new incentive programs to advance biofuels production. In his testimony, he emphasizes the importance of crop diversity in our agricultural landscape and encouraged lawmakers rethink incentives that would continue reliance on few select crops…. Read more »
Why an EIS for Riverview Baker Dairy? Too Little Water, Too Much Manure
When Renville County dairy farmer James Kanne addressed a Minnesota Senate hearing on environmental review Jan. 29, he made it clear that size does matter when it comes to assessing the impact of an agricultural operation on the land and community. “If you have 50 cows in one spot, they have a small impact,” Kanne… Read more »
Minnesota wild rice protections rolled back by new bills
Saint Paul, Minn. (Feb. 16, 2015) – Senators Tomassoni, Saxhaug, Bakk and Ingebrigtsen introduced S.F. 868 today, which would roll back existing water quality rules set in place to protect our state’s natural wild rice. Companion bill H.F. 853 was introduced last week. The bill would suspend current sulfate standards in wild rice waters. Minnesota… Read more »
Minnesota Environmental Community Issues Statement on Bills to Undermine Water Quality Standards
Saint Paul, MN – February 9, 2015 – Today, a set of bills were introduced in the Minnesota Senate that directly attacks water quality standards set by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (SF689 and SF690, authored by Sens. Eken , Koenen, Rosen, and Hoffman). A companion set of bills were introduced in the Minnesota House… Read more »
Legacy Funds lead to tangible results on the North Shore’s Knife River
What would happen if we had all the money we needed for clean lakes, clean rivers, and vital habitat? In Minnesota, that’s not just wishful thinking, it’s a real strategic goal. The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment just finished its fifth year of funding conservation work across the state, and the results are tangible…including… Read more »
Student Voice Series: Death to the Deadbeat Dam
The Minnesota Environmental Partnership is proud to feature the following post as part of a series of columns as part of a Student Voices Series issues. This is part of a continuing collaboration with Macalester College’s Geography Department and its students. The river-damming era in this country must come to an end. We must stop building… Read more »
Student Voices Series: Dredging up problems today for a better tomorrow
The Minnesota Environmental Partnership is proud to feature the following post as part of a series of columns as part of a Student Voices Series issues. This is part of a continuing collaboration with Macalester College’s Geography Department and its students. Growing up in Upstate New York the Hudson River was a staple of my childhood…. Read more »
Student Voices Series: Road salt’s unintended consequences
The Minnesota Environmental Partnership is proud to feature the following post as part of a series of columns as part of a Student Voices Series issues. This is part of a continuing collaboration with Macalester College’s Geography Department and its students. Snowfalls are integral to Minnesota winters. From November to April, snow becomes an unavoidable part… Read more »