Representatives from townships and cities may get a voice on the Board of Water and Soil Resources, under to a bill approved by the House Environment Policy and Oversight Committee March 12.
HF952, sponsored by Rep. Kent Eken (DFL-Twin Valley), would increase the BWSR board from 12 to 15 members by adding one township officer and two elected city officials to the governor-appointed board. One of the new seats would be filled by a Twin Cities metropolitan area city council member.
Representatives from townships and cities currently attend BWSR meetings but do not have voting privileges. Those who do include county commissioners, soil and water conservation district supervisors, watershed district representatives, commissioners from the departments of agriculture, health and natural resources and the Pollution Control Agency, the director of the University of Minnesota Extension Service and three citizen members.
“This has become an increasingly important place for cities, in particular on storm water issues,” said Craig Johnson, intergovernmental relations representative for the League of Minnesota Cities. “As storm water becomes a bigger and bigger part of city responsibilities, the Board of Soil and Water Resources is the body where rules … can be appealed for decisions on whether they are appropriate,” Johnson added.
A companion, SF850 sponsored by Sen. Lisa Fobbe (DFL-Zimmerman), was laid over March 4 by the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee for possible omnibus bill inclusion.
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