ST. PAUL – Rep. Dale Lueck, R-Aitkin, issued the following statement Wednesday after Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed H.F. 3280, a bill Lueck authored to update a water quality standard related to wild rice:
“I’m deeply disappointed with the governor’s veto of a bill that would have moved us forward on properly protecting wild rice,” Lueck said. “We have a 45-year-old, defunct sulfate standard that is impossible to implement and has not protected a single kernel of wild rice. We put a bill before the governor that provided a fresh start on protecting wild rice.
“I also am disappointed with the governor’s refusal to meet with people from communities across Minnesota that are being impacted by the defunct sulfate standard. Mayors, steelworkers, boilermakers, building trades and industry leaders all came to St. Paul to explain to the governor the importance of removing the uncertainty surrounding this matter. The governor’s staff listened politely and then, without relaying the people’s message to the governor, ended the meeting by announcing the governor already had decided to veto the bill.
“I will continue to work on realistic ways to protect wild rice despite the administration’s unwillingness to take serious steps to resolve this issue.”
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