This past legislative session was said to be the worst session for the environment in decades if not ever! The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Citizen’s Board was eliminated. Water quality and energy rules were changed to benefit special interests.

Many members of the Izaak Walton League (IKES) called, wrote and e-mailed our legislators as did many IKES around the state asking their legislators to vote against the environment bill. Minnesota IKES were involved throughout the session and most of us were very disappointed in the final outcome: pollinators lost as the law was changed to allow deceptive advertising of plants treated with pesticides being “pollinator friendly,” solar energy lost ground with net metering fees that utilities can charge to people with personal solar arrays, and water quality “up north” will suffer as the legislature eased permit requirements and water quality standards for sulfide mining in several ways and the MPCA Board was eliminated.

One bright spot was the passing of a provision to provide a buffer strip on Minnesota waters in the environment bill. However, it was stripped down from what the Governor proposed. A required perennial buffer of fifty feet was changed to an average width, with no less than 30 feet on public waters and 16 1 /2 ft. on public ditches; no buffer is required on most private ditches. Public waters buffers will be required to be in place within two years (within three years for those private ditches on which they are required) with money provided to the Board Of Water And Soil Resources (BWSR) for enforcement and the Soil and Water Conservation Districts for additional staffing for technical assistance. This is progress, as we should see at least some buffers on many ditches and all public waters within a few years. Our thanks go to Governor Dayton for his leadership on this issue, making this progress possible.

Whether it made a difference or not in the manner that our local legislators voted, we had a successful trip to the capitol in April. We had a bus load of IKES and friends including Austin High School Go Green Club students. These students represent our future and now are aware of how the legislature works and who these people are that make our laws. Hopefully they will decide to stay involved with the passing of laws that will affect them and their future.

Senator Sparks and Representative Poppe have accepted an invitation to speak to our Chapter on at 7 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Ruby Rupner Auditorium at the J.C. Hormel Nature Center. We wish to invite anyone interested in hearing our legislators discuss their views on environmental issues to join us in asking questions.

Bill Buckley, President

Merlene Stiles, Vice President

Austin Chapter 10 Izaak Walton League of America