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Citizens’ Board does a good thing; Powers of Darkness push back; Action Alert

By on December 5, 2014 in "biomass", "Streamlining" and "Improvement", climate change, Environmental Justice, Environmental Quality Board, Environmental Regulation--Protecting Minnesota, Frac sand mining, Garbage, Mining, Minnesota energy policy, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, MPCA Citizens' Board

Feedlot Action Alert, and: Update: “Strange nonsense at the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (and the MPCA)”

In June I did a post critical of the MN Environmental Quality Board and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, suggesting that the environment of Minnesota isn’t being protected very well.  The email of this post had a higher readership than any other I’ve written.  One friend called it “very depressing.”  It garnered me some disapproving looks from EQB and Citizens’ Board members.  What’s happened since?

(The rest of this post relates to the MPCA and it’s Citizens’ Board.  In my view the EQB is looking like a train wreck, but that’s for another post.) Continue Reading →

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Strange nonsense at the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (and the MPCA)

By on June 25, 2014 in air pollution, Environmental Quality Board, Frac sand mining, Gov. Dayton's Executive Orders, Mining, Minnesota, Uncategorized

Minnesota’s Environmental Quality Board (EQB), and it’s Climate Change Subcommittee, held a meeting on June 18, 2014.

“The mission of the Environmental Quality Board is to lead Minnesota environmental policy by responding to key issues, providing appropriate review and coordination, serving as a public forum and developing long-range strategies to enhance Minnesota’s environmental quality. The Environmental Quality Board consists of a Governor’s representative (by law the board chair), nine state agency heads and five citizen members. Minnesota Statutes, Chapters 103A, 103B, 116C, 116D and 116G (Statutes and Rules of the EQB)”
Continue Reading →

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Comments on the “Minnesota Environment and Energy Report Card”

By on January 17, 2013 in "Streamlining" and "Improvement", Environmental Quality Board, Gov. Dayton's Executive Orders

The Environmental Quality Board (EQB) solicited comments on its Report Card, developed per Gov. Dayton’s Executive Order 11-32. I sent some in, which are below, and would encourage people to send something in.  The so-called “Environmental Congress” is happening on march 15th in Bloomington (public apparently not invited). Continue Reading →

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Send another round of public comment

By on October 30, 2009 in "Streamlining" and "Improvement", Environmental Quality Board, Environmental Regulation--Protecting Minnesota

[Note:  This was originally published as an email on October 30, 2009]

This is a follow-up note to the October 14 Action Alert (included below for reference) about “streamlining” of the Minnesota environmental review process.

Quite a few comments were sent–read them here–and staff at the MPCA seem a bid defensive at this point.  This–slightly edited for clarity–is part of a note we received:

–       We hear you! We know people are upset at the process and ideas in the meeting slides
–       Ideas accepted until October 30th, after that we will simply attach them to the report
–       MPCA report will be presented to EQB at Board meeting Nov 19th or in February.  Will keep distribution list informed.
–       Encourage people to sign up online for EQB Monitor
–       This is a report to the legislature.  If they have hearings on environmental review matters there are opportunities for input   there   and if the legislature requires EQB to make changes there will be opportunity for input. Continue Reading →

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