Accessibility menu
State Representative Bob Dettmer
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4124
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
NEWS COLUMN
Rep. Dettmer Authors Rice Creek Watershed District Legislation
I have chief authored a bill that would establish a pilot project for the Rice Creek Watershed District wetland. HF 1927 authorizes the Rice County Watershed District to replace wetlands that are impacted as a result of water management projects such as drainage system repairs. The watershed district has to abide by specific requirements when replacing wetlands. This pilot project would result in significant savings to taxpayers in Washington, Anoka and Ramsey counties.
Consultation with local county governing boards is required, and if the replacement is to take place on state lands that are under the DNR's administration, the commissioner of the DNR needs to concur with the proposal. Replacement wetlands must also be located in areas of the state where less than 80 percent of pre-settlement wetlands are still intact. Generally, that translates to meaning the replacement must take place somewhere outside of the northeast quarter of the state.
When all is said and done for wetland replacement, the Rice Creek Watershed District together with DNR and the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) will submit two reports to the Legislature with the amount and location of wetlands that were or will be replaced, estimated costs of the water management projects, and also any further policy change recommendations. The status report is to be submitted by December 15, 2013 and the final report is to be submitted by December 15, 2017.
HF 1927 is different from the normal method of wetland replacement in that this bill would allow the watershed district to put wetland replacement anywhere in the state and create an agreement with the DNR to use state lands. HF 1927 is currently waiting to be heard in the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.
News Items
- LIMITED SPENDING AND COMPETITVE TAXES GROW OUR ECONOMY - (Posted: Jan 11 2013 3:29PM)
- BOB DETTMER SWORN IN TO FOURTH TERM AS STATE REPRESENTATIVE - (Posted: Jan 11 2013 3:28PM)
- April 5 Legislative Update - (Posted: 2012-04-05 00:00:00)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.