Political News:

House Hot List: Week of May 4

05/04/09
On behalf of our members and partners, the Minnesota Environmental Partnership and Conservation Minnesota are pleased to provide state leaders the Minnesota Hot List. The Minnesota Hot List contains clear, concise and useful information on priority issues for the upcoming week. Senate and House Editions of the Minnesota Hot List are delivered to legislators by email. A list of participating organizations can be found at the end of this document. We hope you find this communication helpful.

FLOOR VOTES

H.F. 2123 - Conference Committee Report, Environment and Energy Finance Bill
Position: Support final passage of the conference committee report. Despite substantial cuts, the report contains $15 million for water assessment, a greenhouse gas reporting system, and prohibitions on the sale of recreational land and on transfer of the Environmental Quality Board to the Pollution Control Agency. 

H.F. 326 – Bisphenol A Ban in Children's Products (Clark) 
Position: Support the passage of this bill which would phase out the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from baby bottles and sippy cups. Safe and cost effective alternatives are on the market today. An overwhelming body of independent science supports phasing this chemical out of products that are threatening the health of our bodies and environment. 

Floor Vote Reminder:  The Minnesota Environmental Partnership opposes weakening of any state environmental laws, and will be carefully watching as floor amendments are considered.  A vote on any amendment that weakens fundamental environmental laws has the potential to be scored by groups who evaluate candidates for supporting or failing to support environmental legislation. 

S.F. 550 - Omnibus Energy Policy Bill
Conference Committee; TBA
The Senate version contains a provision that repeals the ban on new nuclear power plants in Minnesota. The ban is essential in continuing to make progress on the development and implementation of renewable power sources. Issues related to waste disposal and safety, as well as the economic feasibility of new nuclear power in the state have not been sufficiently addressed.
Position: Delete this provision and keep the moratorium in place.

H.F. 1231 - Dedicated Funding Provided for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage 
Cultural and Outdoor Resources Finance Division; Tuesday, May 5, 8:00 AM
Finance Division; Wednesday, May 6, 8:00 AM
Ways and Means; TBA
Positions:
    • Support passage of bill.
    • Support provisions that provide funding for assessment and monitoring, TMDL’s, and clean up activities focused on point sources (failing septic systems and wastewater treatment required to fix impairments) and non-point sources (BWSR funding targeted at fixing and preventing impairments).  The funding from the clean water fund should supplement the base funding levels provided in the past.
    • Oppose amendments that delete Article 2, Section 5, Part (g) and/or Section 14.  These sections are from the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area Reform Bill (H.F. 424), a bill to update the 30-year old Executive Order and direct the DNR to conduct state rulemaking for the Mississippi River Corridor in the metropolitan area.

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Participating Organizations: 1000 Friends of Minnesota * Alliance for Sustainability * Audubon Minnesota * Center for Energy and Environment * Clean Water Action Alliance of Minnesota * Conservation Minnesota * Duluth Audubon Society * Environment Minnesota * Fresh Energy * Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness * Friends of the Cloquet Valley State Forest * Friends of the Mississippi River * Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy * Izaak Walton League of America – Midwest Division * Izaak Walton League - Minnesota Division * Land Stewardship Project * League of Women Voters – Minnesota * Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation * Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in Minnesota * Mankato Area Environmentalists * Minnesota Catholic Conference * Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy * Minnesota Conservation Federation * Minnesota Land Trust * Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union * Minnesota Public Interest Research Group * Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter * National Wildlife Federation * Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness Action Fund * Saint Paul Audubon Society * Save Lake Superior Association * Sierra Club * The Trust for Public Land * Voyageurs National Park Association * White Earth Land Recovery Project * Will Steger Foundation    

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