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State Representative Rick Hansen
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-6828
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PERMITTING BILL GIVES ADVANTAGE TO CORPORATIONS AT PUBLIC’S EXPENSE
(ST. PAUL) – Yesterday, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed HF 2095, a bill that would give a permitting advantage to corporate interests at the expense of the State and the public interest.
The bill would establish a new process where an applicant for a permit could use a “permit application professional" to write their own permit instead of applying for a permit and the Pollution Control Agency writing the permit. With a new 60-day deadline to review permits prepared in this way, the Department is likely to deny many more permits due to lack of adequate time for review.
State Representative Rick Hansen (DFL – South St. Paul) says the bill wasn’t developed with the public’s best interests in mind.
“This bill tips the balance of environmental permitting and protection from the public interest to corporations and private interests,” said Rep. Hansen. “Minnesota can grow good jobs and protect our environment, but this bill will do neither.”
HF2095 would also prohibit a permit from being terminated or suspended in the event of a full or partial government shutdown affecting the DNR or PCA. This is a proposal in response to concerns that arose during the 2011 state government shutdown about businesses not being able to renew a permit. This provision, however, does not include a clause to resume normal permit operations after a shutdown ends.
“This provision would literally allow all permits to continue for the rest of time if a shutdown ever occurred again,” said Rep. Hansen. “We shouldn’t resign ourselves to another government shutdown and we should never leave government on autopilot.”
Finally, the bill allows construction to begin before a permit has been issued or approved, and doesn’t require biofuel facilities to submit environmental impact statements.
“Once again, the Republican majority has chosen to stick up for corporate interests at the expense of the rest of us,” added Rep. Hansen.
News Items
- House Passes Environment, Natural Resources, & Agriculture Conference Committee Report - (Posted: May 19 2013 12:00AM)
- Rep. Hansen: Legacy Bill Good For Environment, Cultural Institutions - (Posted: May 13 2013 12:00AM)
- House Passes Rep. Hansen's Sick Time Leave Legislation - (Posted: May 21 2013 11:51AM)
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