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State Representative Michael Paymar
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4199
For more information contact: Tim O'Brien 651-296-8877
E-Update
2011-2012 Session Issues - Environment, Energy and Natural Resources.
On energy and environment matters, I voted against a bill to weaken the moratorium on building nuclear power plants in Minnesota. I'm convinced that we should not lift the moratorium unless there is proven and safe way to store nuclear waste. I did support numerous bills that promoted and funded renewable energy, including a bill that we hope will usher in the largest solar project in the upper Midwest.
On another environmental matter, I was disappointed that a bill I co-authored never got a hearing. The bill would have provided additional safeguards for any potential copper-nickel mining operations near the BWCA. PolyMet is proposing to build a processing facility near Babbitt that potentially could be harmful to wetlands near the BWCA and the watershed that flows into Lake Superior. This kind of nonferrous mining activity has caused disastrous environmental damage in this country and globally. We re-introduced the bill in the 2012 session and I’m again a co-author.
I was also disappointed that the Legislature and the Governor agreed to weaken environmental permitting processes by essentially allowing companies to hire a company to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) circumventing the Pollution Control Agency. Sort of like the fox guarding the hen house.
I am concerned that some of my colleagues have shown an aversion to sound science, research and evidence in their pursuit to roll back environmental protection and their lack of support for renewable energy. Recent revelations about air quality in the metro area should be a wake-up call that we need to pay attention to the causes of pollution. Prevention is cheaper than cleanup and our health should not be compromised by inaction.
News Items
- 2011-2012 Session Issues - Transportation - (Posted: 2012-06-06 00:00:00)
- 2011-2012 Session Issues - Labor - (Posted: 2012-06-05 00:00:00)
- 2011-2012 Session Issues - Taxes: Balancing the Budget - (Posted: 2012-06-06 00:00:00)
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