Tell the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board What You Think

Today is the state-wide kickoff of a series of citizen forums advertised as asking Minnesotans their thoughts about the future of Minnesota's Environmental policies. The forums are sponsored by the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB). I encourage Minnesotans to attend and/or send your comments to the EQB in writing. I especially encourage factual scientifically based and concrete experiential feedback for this collection of nine Governor-appointed State agency heads.

Citizen Forums

• November 27 – Rochester, Wood Lake Meeting Center [9:30am – 12:00pm]
• November 27 – Bloomington, Normandale Community College [6:30pm – 9:00pm]
• November 28 – Duluth, Lake Superior College [5:30pm – 8:00pm]
• December 10 – Worthington, Worthington High School [3:30pm – 6:00pm]
• December 12 – St. Cloud, Stearns County Service Center [5:30pm – 8:00pm]
• December 14 – Moorhead, Minnesota State University [3:00pm – 5:30pm]

Citizen Forums: The Governor's Cabinet will host six interactive Citizen Forums held in each region of the state to present report card findings, gather public feedback, and engage in meaningful local conversations about regional economic and environmental issues.

I've reviewed the "Report Card" which the EQB site bills as, "An environmental and energy report card measuring Minnesota’s performance in clean air, clean water, and clean energy." I can't see where it measures so much a propagandizes, but I encourage you to read it and provide your own thoughts to the EQB.

The EQB is pointing to Governor Dayton's Executive Order 11-32 as the origins of the Report Card, and the upcoming March 2013 Environmental Congress. I read the the Governor's order which points to recent legislation seeking coordination and streamlining of environmental permitting processes. I couldn't find any mention of, or any recommendations for, streamlining in the "Report Card".

A couple other notes of interest:

Ellen Anderson is apparently facilitating and hosting the citizen's forums. Ms. Anderson is a former Minnesota Senator and former Minnesota Public Utilities Chairperson.

Bill Grant is the primary person responsible for the content of the Report Card. Mr. Grant is the current Director of the Office of Energy Resources (formerly called the Office of Energy Security) at the Minnesota Department of Commerce. This office took over most energy facilities permitting activities from the EQB in 2007. Mr. Grant was the head of the Minnesota Izaak Walton League for 10 years prior to his current position. 

I asked Bill Grant why the 2007 Minnesota Renewable Energy Standards specifically exempt industrial wind from all electrical regulatory laws, including exemption from performing an environmental impact statement; and exemptions from agricultural land use laws and the Minnesota Constitution. Mr. Grant explained that the "design goal" behind Minnesota's industrial wind mandate was to "install as much wind as quickly as possible in order to get as much federal money as possible."

The Report Card makes much of Minnesotans passing a new tax on themselves - the Legacy Amendment for environment and the arts. But the Report Card seems to have forgotten a longstanding significant source of funding: the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund from the Minnesota Lottery and administered by the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).