For more information contact: Charlene Briner 651-296-5809

HOUSE BRIEFS

State Rep. Jim Davnie On the Issues - Environment

Now that the legislative session has concluded, I want to take a moment to share some of the great environmental legislation passed this session, as well some of the opportunities for improvement in future years.

There is no doubt that overall this was one of the most productive and efficient environmental sessions in many years. It was a session marked by compromise and bipartisan cooperation, resulting in achievements that all Minnesotans can be proud: a balanced budget, direct property tax relief to homeowners, additional resources for our schools and nursing homes, a major transportation initiative, health care reform, and a strategic jobs/capital improvements bill that focuses on higher education and environmental initiatives.

One of the major pieces of legislation was the proposed constitutional amendment, which both started and ended the legislative session this year. Early in the session, the Legislature passed a measure that will allow voters to decide whether there will be an increased 3/8 of 1% sales tax with the funds dedicated to: habitat conservation; clean water initiatives; parks and trails; and arts and cultural heritage initiatives. While we won't know the outcome of the vote until November, we felt it was important to guarantee citizen input into the process of distributing funds if the initiative passes. So in the last week of session, we passed legislation to give a citizen council an advisory role in distributing the habitat money and awarding "conservation partner" grants to private conservation organizations.

The environment also benefited this session from two bonding bills and numerous positive policy changes. The two main bonding proposals invested over $245 million in the environment including: significant investment in clean water initiatives; improvements for our state parks and trails; and the purchase of land for a future park on Lake Vermillion. All of these investments will help keep our waters clean and our outdoor recreational heritage alive and well. Locally, the bonding bill included $2.9 million for the restoration of the historic WPA walls in Minnehaha Creek and important reclamation work along the creek in the park.

We also looked at ways to prevent pollution from harming our health and atmosphere. Following up on last year's successful renewable energy standard and next generation energy act, the Legislature passed a framework for a potential carbon dioxide "cap & trade" system, as well as policy to more closely monitor greenhouse gas reduction in the state.

There were also some disappointments this year, such as the failure of the Clean Car Act and vetoes of several pieces of good environmental legislation by the Governor. These included bills to establish a groundbreaking paint-recycling program; ban dangerous chemicals in the production of children's products; and phase out the use of toxic flame-retardants. However, these disappointments leave us with a clear direction on where to focus our efforts in future years.

As we look to the future, it is my hope that upcoming sessions will build upon the significant achievements that were enacted this year, and continue forward progress that keeps Minnesota the finest state in which to live, work and play. I am committed to working on a bi-partisan basis for the good of our community and will always place Minnesota's long-term needs ahead of partisan politics.

Below you can read descriptions on a number of different environmental initiatives this session.





AG/ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
· Outdoors/arts & cultural heritage constitutional amendment: Voters will be asked in the 2008 general election whether to increase the state sales tax 3/8 of 1% to fund habitat conservation; clean water initiatives; parks and trails; and arts and cultural heritage initiatives. The "Outdoor Heritage Council" was created to advise the Legislature on how best to utilize the increased habitat funding that would result from passage of the amendment. The council will also accept applications for the Conservation Partner Program, which will allow private organizations to apply for matching funds for grants, should the constitutional amendment be adopted. The council will be made up of private citizens and legislators.
· Lake Vermillion State Park: Funding provided for a land purchase for a new state park.
· Lottery proceeds: Currently, 40% of the state's lottery proceeds is constitutional dedicated to environmental initiatives. This session the Legislature appropriated $23 million of those proceeds to: (1) land acquisition and restoration; (2) environmental education and outreach; and (3) natural resources research, including research on climate change, energy production, wildlife and habitat, and water resources.
· Biodiesel B-20: The biodiesel content of diesel fuel will gradually be increased from 2% to 5% on May 1, 2009; 10% on May 1, 2012; and 20% on May 1, 2015.
· Green Solutions Act - cap & trade: Creation of a framework to move toward enactment of a "cap and trade" program that places a limit (cap) on total greenhouse gas emissions that are allowed, and permits those emitting the gases to purchase and sell (trade) allowances to one another. The legislation builds upon the greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals that were enacted last year: at least 15% below 2005 emission levels by 2015, at least 30% below 2005 emission levels by 2025, and at least 80% below 2005 emission levels by 2050.
· Greenhouse gas reduction: In order to ensure proper legislative oversight and the development of policies to attain the state's greenhouse gas reduction goals, the commissioners of Commerce and the Pollution Control Agency shall regularly: (1) report to the Legislature on the progress being made toward meeting those goals; and (2) propose any legislation they deem appropriate to achieve those reductions.
· Legislative Energy Commission: The new commission will continuously evaluate Minnesota's energy policies and the degree to which they promote an environmentally and economically sustainable energy future; and monitor the state's progress toward meeting its renewable energy goals and greenhouse gas reduction objectives.
· Wind energy: Program established to facilitate the development of small-scale wind energy projects.
· Nuclear power: The moratorium on the construction of nuclear power plants was not repealed.
· Clean Car Act: California's emission standards were not adopted for Minnesota vehicles.
· Peak Oil*: A resolution memorializing the Governor to direct state agencies to assess the challenges presented by "Peak Oil." "Peak Oil" refers to the point in time when the maximum rate of global oil production is reached, after which the rate of production irreversibly declines, creating problems of scarcity and higher prices. The assessment would inventory state activities, their oil resource requirments, and the impact "Peak Oil" would have on each of those activities.
· Bovine TB: Cattle buyouts, fencing, and livestock testing for herds infected with Tuberculosis (TB). TB, an infectious respiratory illness, poses a serious threat to the state's cattle industry, as well as the state's deer population. The Board of Animal Health is given more authority to fight TB. For example, it can restrict the movement of animals within and between regions of the state.
· Fish virus-VHS: The commissioners of agriculture, health, and natural resources will form a work group to develop a plan for detecting and responding to the presence of the fish virus Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS). The Department of Natural resources given new authority to address the threat posed by VHS, which is a contagious fish virus that has affected a wide variety of species in the Great Lakes, including muskies and walleyes.
· Paint waste: Vetoed—a pilot program to collect and process used paint in order to reduce taxpayer costs and the environmental impacts of disposal.