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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Jim Davnie (DFL)

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Legislative Update - September 5, 2017

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Dear Neighbors,

I hope everyone had a Happy Labor Day, and took a moment among the visits to the fair, backyard BBQ’s, or however you marked the holiday, to reflect on the importance of the Labor movement in building and supporting the middle class. As the summer draws to a close I want to share a few updates and opportunities for you to engage in community events.

Community Water Meeting – September 13th

On Wednesday, September 13th, Rep. Jean Wagenius, Sen. Patricia Torres Ray and I will be hosting a community informational meeting that is all about water. We have invited water experts from Friends of the Mississippi River, MN Center for Environmental Advocacy, and others to help answer all your questions about the state of our water and how to get involved. I look forward to seeing you there!

What: Community Water Meeting

When: 6:30-8:30 pm; Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Where: Nokomis Community Center, 2401 E. Minnehaha Pkwy, Minneapolis

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President Trump’s Action Against DACA Recipients

Today, President Trump’s Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, announced that the Department of Justice would be ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program authorized by President Obama in 2012. The administration is giving Congress six months to fix the policy by legislative means. Meanwhile, I’ve joined my colleagues in sending a letter [link] to the White House demanding the President move to protect Dreamers in Minnesota and across the country by continuing DACA until immigration policy that works for Dreamers can be approved by Congress. The DACA policy by President Obama would not be needed if Congress could only act on comprehensive immigration reform.

There are at least 6,300 DACA recipients who live in Minnesota, and 800,000 nationwide. Their DACA application allows them to live legally in the US for a period of two years if they arrived here as a child and meet the other program requirements. An estimated 95% of those recipients are enrolled in classes or working. This is a very difficult day for many of our neighbors who have been positively impacted by DACA. I am already receiving questions about the impact of this change on Minnesotans and I want you to know that you can always feel safe reaching out to me as your state representative if you have questions or concerns.

MPCA Seeks Public Input on Where to Locate New Air Quality Sensors

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency received a grant of $700,000 for “Using new technology to understand urban air quality,” an air pollution project in St. Paul and Minneapolis. With these funds, they are installing 50 state-of-the-art air monitors in key areas to drill down on the levels and types of air pollutants.

The two-year project will operate a network of sensors to monitor fine particles, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide in each of the 38 ZIP codes in the two cities.

The MPCA and the two cities have scheduled a series of open houses to talk about the project and seek the public’s input on where to locate the sensors. The open houses are:

  • Sept. 6, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Powderhorn Park Rec Center, 3500 15th Ave. S., Minneapolis
  • Sept. 7, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Audubon Park Rec Center, 1320 29 Ave. NE, Minneapolis
  • Sept. 11, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Farview Park Rec Center, 621 29th Ave. N., Minneapolis

The MPCA plans to begin placing the sensors in January 2018. For more information, visit the project website.

Minnehaha Academy

Classes begin at Minnehaha Academy Upper School September 5th at the former Sanford-Brown Institute in Inver Grove Heights. The tragic explosion at the North Campus on River Road in August damaged an institution in our community, one with many current students, staff, and alumni living in the neighborhood. After attending an event there the night of the explosion, I know that they are a strong and resilient school community. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued its preliminary report [link] on the accident, citing problems caused by gas line work that led to the explosion. I want to thank the NTSB for reaching out to my office, something federal agencies don’t consistently do. There will be more information coming out as the NTSB finishes its report, and I’ll be sure to share their findings.

It is an honor to represent you, and I encourage you to contact me with any questions, comments or concerns.

Sincerely,

Jim Davnie

State Representative