Dear Neighbors,
Last week, twelve Greater Minnesota legislators including myself, sent a letter to Attorney General Lori Swanson, asking her to join twenty-seven other states challenging the Waters of the United States Rule in a federal court. The rule, which is part of the Clean Water Act (CWA), was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and will redefine virtually all waterways in Minnesota, taking away local authority over state waters and adding levels of burdensome federal regulations and oversight.
Set to go into effect August 28, this rule will greatly expand the scope of federal authority over seasonal streams, wetlands, ponds and even ditches, creating significant economic risk and uncertainty for agriculture and other businesses in Greater Minnesota.
Minnesota is proud to be the Land of 10,000 Lakes and has a history of successfully protecting our environment and waters at the state level. The significantly expanded scope of federal power under EPA rulemaking, however, will undermine state regulatory authority, as well as cut out the voices of small businesses, state leaders, farmers, local officials and other individuals in our communities.
We recently heard back from Attorney General's office that they will be consulting with the DNR and MPCA, who handles water regulation in our state, about possible federal litigation. I am hopeful that they will take action on this soon and join a coalition of states that are looking to stop this federal overreach.
I will keep advocating for Greater Minnesota on this issue, and update you when I learn more.
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My door is always open to the needs and priorities of our area. Please feel free to let me know if I can be of assistance to you and your family. I am here to serve you!
Dan
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