After months of wrangling over how to ensure safe air quality in Minnesota’s indoor ice arenas, legislators, arena managers and state officials may have reached a compromise.
Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul) sponsors
HF3512, which aims to improve monitoring of arena air quality and reduce traces of carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, which are emitted from some ice maintenance equipment. Hansen’s work was prompted by a constituent who was diagnosed with chronic carbon monoxide poisoning after many years as a figure skater and coach.
The most recent version of the bill was approved by the House Cultural and Outdoor Resources Finance Division May 3 and sent to the House Finance Committee. A companion,
SF3175, sponsored by Sen. Ellen Anderson (DFL-St. Paul), awaits action by the Senate Finance Committee.
Under the bill as amended, indoor ice arenas and their operators would need to be licensed by the Department of Health beginning in March 2011. By 2015, an arena would need to exclusively use electric equipment, contain a continuous air monitoring device, or meet criteria to be exempt from both. The bill does not include an earlier provision that required all non-electric ice maintenance equipment be equipped with a three-way catalytic converter by next spring. Also, a trained arena operator may be on-call when the arena is in use, instead of a previous requirement to be present at the facility.
Some of the ideas in the bill are from members of the Minnesota Ice Arena Manager’s Association.
“I don’t think it would be 100 percent satisfactory for everybody in our association, but I think as we move through the pieces of this … there’s areas that people feel comfortable with,” said Michael Sheggeby, president of the group’s board of directors. Members of MIAMA were scheduled to discuss the revised bill at a convention May 5.
Meanwhile, Health Department officials are in the midst of revisiting rulemaking on indoor air quality, which began prior to the introduction of Hansen’s bill.
HHS bill is DOA but hoping for CPR
Supporters cite gaining federal funds, governor concerned about spending
(view full story)
Published 5/13/2010
House passes HHS budget bill
Members reluctantly vote for cuts; governor says bill is too costly
(view full story)
Published 5/6/2010
Not cutting as deep
Although painful now, omnibus HHS budget bill could set stage for reform
(view full story)
Published 4/29/2010
Revisiting GAMC
Program participation questionable, hospitals favor earlier federal reform
(view full story)
Published 4/22/2010
A distress call for SOS?
State Operated Services plans programmatic redesign, amidst criticism
(view full story)
Published 4/22/2010
Minnesota Index: Health coverage
Figures and statistics on health coverage and other vitals
(view full story)
Published 4/22/2010
Inking a deal for donors
State oversight of body arts could reduce donor deferrals
(view full story)
Published 4/15/2010
Nursing a level playing field
Sides differ on who should pay for nursing home costs
(view full story)
Published 4/8/2010
Saying ‘sorry’
House resolution would apologize for practices done decades ago
(view full story)
Published 3/25/2010
And the cupboard is bare
More Minnesotans struggle to put food on the table
(view full story)
Published 2/25/2010
Future of GAMC uncertain
Legislators consider health care for state’s poor, sick
(view full story)
Published 2/11/2010
At Issue: Health care law quagmire
Sustainability at issue in law line-item vetoed by governor
(view full story)
Published 5/29/2009
At Issue: More compromise, more reductions
Cuts in health and human services finance bill called ‘painful’
(view full story)
Published 5/15/2009
At Issue: Cuts hang in the balance
Much depends on tax increases
(view full story)
Published 5/1/2009
At Issue: Providing ‘pretty darn good coverage’
A new approach to public health could save millions in benefits, advocates say
(view full story)
Published 4/10/2009
First Reading: Complex problem, complex solution
Cuts to health and human services could create reform opportunity
(view full story)
Published 4/3/2009
Minnesota Index: Health boards
Figures and statistics on health licensing board in Minnesota
(view full story)
Published 3/13/2009
At Issue: Medical marijuana
Controversial treatment clears first committee hurdle
(view full story)
Published 2/20/2009
Minnesota Index: Less lighting up
Figures and statistics on smoking in Minnesota
(view full story)
Published 2/20/2009