The Confluence is a monthly electronic
newsletter for members of
In this
issue:
~RIVERNIGHT SET FOR AUGUST
15
v
Special Guest, Ron
Schara
v
Thanks to 2007 Annual Awards
Sponsors!
v
Join
Our Growing List of Host Committee Members
v
Sponsorships Still Available—Act
Soon!
~
~ Supreme Court Ruling Opens the
Way for Use of Offsets
~“Protecting
~Free “Get the Lead Out” Kit Helps
Keep Lead Out of Lakes and Streams
~Clean Water Tips For Cabin
Owners
~2007 Lake-Friendly Development
Awards
~EQB Seeks Input On Revised
Proposed Mandatory EAW & EIS Categories For Projects In
Shorelands
Resources for
Conferences, Confabs
and Conglomerations
The Bucks Start Here-
Funding Resources
~
RIVERNIGHT SET FOR
AUGUST 15
Wednesday August
15th ,
4-6 p.m. Awards and
Special Guest Ron Schara (Centennial Showboat)
6-9 p.m. Dinner
Cruise & Cash Bar (Anson Northrup)
RiverNight is an annual fundraiser
that brings friends and colleagues together to celebrate
Special Guest, Ron Schara:
Sponsored by EOR
Ron Schara, TV personality, will be
the guest speaker for RiverNight 2007. Ron is renowned for his statewide
show "Minnesota Bound,'" featured on KARE 11, and nationally on "Backroads with
Ron & Raven", on ESPN2. We regret that Raven, his black lab, can’t make the
three hour boat trip! We’re delighted to announce Ron’s appearance is
sponsored by Emmons & Olivier Resources (EOR).
Thanks to 2007 Annual Awards
Sponsors!
Crystal Pierz Marine –
Founded in
Wenck
Associates, Inc. – River Friendly Community of the Year
Award
This is the
fifth year that Wenck Associates, Inc. has supported RiverNight! Wenck is a
regional leader in engineering, environmental and business services. They have
expanded the depth and breadth of their expertise to provide clients with
unmatched service, strategic advice, and technical excellence. Wenck serves
regionally-based industries and local, state, and federal agencies by providing
a full-spectrum of engineering and environmental services related to water, air,
land, and waste. www.wenck.com
HDR – Citizen Monitoring Program of
the Year Award
HDR is a multidisciplinary,
national consulting firm providing services to local, regional, state and
federal agencies. HDR has a long history of handling river management and
restoration issues, flood management of the Red River of the North;
reconnaissance studies for work on the Upper Mississippi River; and programmatic
environmental impacte work on the
Join Our Growing List of Host
Committee Members
Host Committee members help make
RiverNight a big success. So far we’ve received commitments from Ray
Bohn, Don Brauer, Brian Davis,
Table Sponsorships Still
Available—Act Soon!
What could be better than treating
your customers, employees or friends to a warm summer evening floating on the
Hot Off the
Press:
When the 2007 Legislative Session
officially ended at Midnight on March 21, there certainly was cause for some
celebration and guarded optimism for those working to protect and improve
Minnesota Waters’ 2007 legislative
agenda focused on three main issues:
1) Funding and solid program
development for the Clean Water Legacy
Initiative,
2) Effective shoreland
management, and
3) Increased control and prevention of
aquatic invasive species.
The Omnibus Environment, Energy,
and Natural Resources Finance Bill (SF 2096) was signed by the Governor May
8th. The bill appropriates a total of $865 million in 2008
& 2009 for Environment & Energy programs. SF 2096 contained three
provisions that Minnesota Waters was focused on: raising the boat registration
fee to fund an Invasive Species prevention fund; providing funding for Clean
Water Legacy; and, providing funding for statewide Shoreland rulemaking.
Following is a summary and results of these three provisions and some related
issues for
AQUATIC INVASIVE
SPECIES (AIS) CONTROL & MANAGEMENT
Results: The Omnibus Environment, Energy,
and Natural Resources Finance bill appropriates approximately $3.7 million
bi-annually of “new money” for management of invasive species – both terrestrial
and aquatic. The bill also creates an Invasive Species Account in the
natural resources fund, and will raise approximately $2.19 million
annually. Money received from currently existing surcharges on watercraft
licenses under civil penalties, both dealing with management of aquatic invasive
species, will be deposited in the invasive species account. Additionally, there
will be a $2 increase on non-resident fishing licenses, and this increase will
also be deposited in the Invasive Species Account. Money credited to
the Invasive Species Account will be used for management of invasive species
including control, public awareness, law enforcement, assessment and monitoring,
management planning, and research. Please note that this money is
dedicated for both terrestrial and aquatic invasive species
management.
What’s Next? Minnesota Waters is grateful to
Rep. Scalze and Sen. Chaudhary for their support off Minnesota Waters’ AIS
bill. We are also grateful to the many members who contacted their
legislators throughout the session. We appreciate the increases in AIS
funding that has been accomplished, and look forward to working with the DNR to
maximize the use of those funds for managing and preventing AIS.
Our work is far from
complete. In addition to the “species” in AIS, we must now also deal with
“non-species” like viruses. Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is in the
CLEAN WATER
LEGACY
Results: The Omnibus Environment, Energy,
and Natural Resources Finance bill provides $49.7 million for Clean Water
Legacy, as follows: $31 million to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency,
$4.5 million to the Department of Natural Resources, and $14.2 million to the
Board of Water and Soil Resources. (An additional $4 million in the
Agriculture and Veterans Bill brings the total to $53.7 million.) This
money is one-time-money, mostly to be appropriated in
2008.
§
Total
Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and water quality assessments must be completed
within a ten-year time frame.
§
To
demonstrate the water quality benefits of Clean Water Legacy investments, the
Board of Water and Soil Resources received $1.5 million for an agricultural
restoration watershed project.
§
The
offset language of the Clean Water Legacy has remained
intact
§
There
was a compromise on the Phosphorus Rule portion of the Clean Water Legacy, and
the implementation date has been extended approximately 4 months to May 1,
2008
What’s Next? Clean Water Legacy Council
deliberations will continue with
DEDICATED FUNDING
FOR CLEAN WATER AND CONSERVATION
Results: Legislators
agreed on a formula for splitting more than $7 billion in new revenue over 25
years among programs for wildlife habitat (33 percent), clean water (33
percent), arts and culture (19.75 percent) and parks and trails (14.25
percent). The House-Senate conferees settled on the long-debated funding
formula at 10 p.m. on the last day of the legislative session, leaving only two
hours in the session to pass it. By midnight, the bill had not reached the
floor of the House for a vote and the session closed. The text of the
conference committee report can be viewed at: http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=ccrhf2285.html&session=ls85
What’s Next? DFL majority
leaders of both chambers, who are chief sponsors of the initiative, said it
should pass soon after the Legislature next convenes on Feb. 12, 2008. According
to the Star Tribune, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher said she would
schedule a vote within the first week. "The votes were there," said Sen.
Larry Pogemiller, Senate Majority Leader and author of the bill. "We'll pass it
next year right away. It's a good agreement." If their optimism holds
true, this gives
plenty of time for the referendum to appear on the Nov. 2008
ballot.
EFFECTIVE SHORELAND
MANAGEMENT
Results: The Omnibus Environment, Energy,
and Natural Resources Finance bill appropriates $1 million for the DNR to
conduct rulemaking to update its Shoreland Management Standards. The DNR
must begin the rulemaking process by January 15, 2008.
What’s Next? The Alternative Standards are
available, and approved by the DNR for voluntary local government
adoption. Talk with your local planning and zoning commission and county
commissioners about adopting these in your county or city. Information is
available at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/shoreland/shoreland_rules_update.html.
MN Waters’ members are encouraged to support the EQB rule changes in the EAW and
EIS process that better address shoreland protection needs (see related story in
Confluence). MN Waters Public Policy Committee will continue to explore
additional efforts to promote effective shoreland
management.
OTHER LEGISLATION
OF INTEREST FOR
Reduction in Property
Tax Class for Undeveloped Shoreline (HF1900; SF1420)
Minnesota Waters
supported the Minnesota Seasonal Recreational Property Owners (
Results: The Omnibus Tax Bill has yet to be
signed by the Governor – and is likely to be vetoed. The tax bill did not
change the status of undeveloped shoreline for seasonal recreational property or
implement a new "blue waters" program.
Shoreland Resort Expansions (HF849,
SF 961)
These bills define "resort" as a
shoreland commercial establishment that provides sleeping accommodations;
permits a resort to maintain and replace a structure that does not increase the
structure's footprint, unless necessary to meet minimum federal, state, or local
codes; allows the resort owner 180 days to apply for a building permit in order
to rebuild or replace a loss due to fire or natural disaster; provides that a
change in the resort's ownership does not mean a conversion to another use.
Legislation would preempt local ordinances. Minnesota Waters has been
carefully monitoring such as we support the survival of
Results: A version of this bill was
amended and passed by the legislature, and signed by the Governor on May
21st. The bill can be reviewed at: http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S0961.3.html&session=ls85
Zebra Mussel Containment
Legislature (HF1235, HF1236; SF2000, SF1999)
HF 1235 and 1236 establish a pilot
program to curb the spread of zebra mussels on
Results: The language for the Lake
Minnetonka Pilot Program did not pass this session.
Modifying Requirements for Lake
Improvement Districts (HF1327; no Senate companion)
The legislation modifies reporting
requirements for lake improvement district to insure that assessments collected
are being used for the designated purposes of the district.
Results: There was no senate companion for
this bill, and the House File was not included in any omnibus policy bill.
All-day
Operation of PWC (HF33; No Senate Companion)
Current law prohibits operation of personal water craft (PWC)
between an hour before sunset and
Results: HF 33 was not given
hearings this session.
Phosphorus Use in Household
Dishwater Detergent Restricted (HF1382; SF1109)
The legislation establishes a law
that prohibits any person from selling, distributing, offering or exposing for
sale at retail any household dishwasher detergent that contains more than 0.5
percent phosphorus by weight. It does not apply to detergents used for
commercial or institutional dishwashing purposes. It would be effective
Results: Passed and signed into
law.
Renewable Energy
Standard
A new renewable Energy Standard for
Global Warming Act of
2007 (HF375; SF192)
HF375/SF192 calls for a cap on new
emissions of global warming pollution such as carbon from many sources including
electrical power plants. It proposes the development of a regional cap and trade
program to manage these new emissions. Until the development of that new
regional cap and trade program, the bill has a provision stating that any new
electrical utility emissions of carbon must be offset by reductions someplace
else.
Results: The Global Warming Act of 2007
passed this session, and was signed by the Governor on May 25th.
Resources for Contacting Your
Legislator and Tracking Legislative Activity:
The house and senate web sites
contain information on bill status and bill text, conference committee activity,
floor amendments, bill introductions, committee information and member contact
information, member email addresses, daily journals of activity and more.
Minnesota Legislature Home
Page: http://www.leg.state.mn.us/
Who is Your Legislator? See
http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/Districtfinder.asp
Tips and Tactics for Contacting
Legislators: http://www.mncn.org/doc/tipstactics.pdf
Senate email: Sen.[first name].[last
name]@senate.mn; House email: Rep.[first name].[last
name]@house.mn
Legislation and Bill
Tracking: http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/legis.asp
View Senate Weekly
at: (A weekly report on
Senate legislative activity), http://www.senate.mn/briefly/2006/brief0331.pdf
View House Session
Weekly (A weekly
report on House legislative activity), http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hinfo/SWKLY/2005-06/sw506.pdf
Minnesota Supreme
Court Ruling Opens the Way for Use of Offsets
A recent Supreme Court decision
directly impacts the clean-up and management of impaired waters in
Simply put, offsets are a policy
allowing increased discharge of pollutants by a facility into a lake or stream
because equal or greater amounts of those pollutants have been reduced by
another facility discharging to the same lake or stream. In 2003, the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) gave Annandale and Maple Lake a permit
to build a wastewater treatment plant even though it would increase pollutants
in the North Fork of the Crow River (an impaired water) that eventually would
wind up in Lake Pepin (also impaired). The MPCA justified the increase by a
decrease in pollutants from a new wastewater plant in nearby Litchfield.
The
“Protecting
Minnesota’s Waters: Priorities for the 2008-2009 Biennium” Released by
Environmental Quality Board
|
|
A new Minnesota Environmental
Quality Board report notes 1,300
Free “Get the Lead
Out” Kit Helps Keep Lead Out of Lakes and Streams
Lead poisoning of loons, eagles and
other wildlife is avoidable. Help spread the word about safe and effective
alternatives to lead tackle. Order a free “Get the Lead Out!” kit for your
next lake association or river group gathering and help us encourage anglers to
use environmentally friendly lead-free fishing tackle. Attractive
educational kits include a table top sign, fact sheets, and sample packs of
lead-free jigs and weights. For more information visit www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/reduce/sinkers.cfm
or contact Dan Miller of the MPCA at 800-657-3864 or at daniel.miller@pca.state.mn.us.
Clean Water Tips For
Cabin Owners
Adapted from a May 24
MPCA Press Release
With many Minnesotans now
performing the time-honored ritual of opening the lake cabin for the summer,
there are several things they can keep in mind to p protect lakes and streams
from pollution:
For more information on how to
protect lakes and streams and improve water quality, check the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency's Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us/water/lake.html.
2007 Lake-Friendly
Development Awards
Have you recently noted a
beautifully re-vegetated shoreline project on your favorite lake or river?
Perhaps you can recall a wonderfully intact shoreline that the property
owner has protected and left natural in a conservation easement for
decades? Or maybe you know of an innovative measure implemented by a local
unit of government focused towards long term shoreline and water quality
protection? If so, consider nominating them for one of this year’s
Brainerd Lakes Region Lake-Friendly Development Awards! 1000 Friends of
Minnesota, the Brainerd Lakes Area Audubon Society, Minnesota Waters, the Crow
Wing County Lakes and Rivers Alliance, the DNR, the Minnesota Chapter of the
American Fisheries Society, The Nature Conservancy and A.W. Research
Laboratories are combining efforts to publicly recognize homeowners, contractors
and local units of government who have chosen to develop, redevelop or protect
lakeshore or riverfront properties in full compliance with shoreland zoning
ordinances and ecologically sustainable and sensitive principles. For more
information or to obtain an application for the 2007 Brainerd Lakes Region
Lake-Friendly Development Awards, contact Phil Hunsicker at phunsicker@1000fom.org.
Entries will be accepted until September 1, 2007 from any
homeowner, contractor, lake association, local government unit, developer, or
other interested party.
EQB Seeks Input On
Revised Proposed Mandatory EAW & EIS Categories For Projects In
Shorelands
In August 2006 the Environmental
Quality Board (EQB) issued a Request for Comments on possible amendments to the
Environmental Review program rules (chapter 4410) and in December 2006 issued
Supplemental Request for Comments on additional amendments to the same
rules. Included was a proposal for creating new mandatory EAW and EIS
categories that would apply to certain projects constructed in shorelands of
lakes and rivers. The past documents can be viewed at the EQB website (www.eqb.state.mn.us) by selecting
“Amending the Environmental Review program rules – Phase 2” under the Ongoing
Projects and Studies section. The EQB is now seeking further public
comment on a revised and simplified proposal for mandatory categories in
shorelands. Comments or questions should be directed
to:
Gregg Downing, Environmental
Quality Board, 300 Centennial Building,
~ Resources for
A Field Guide to
Identification of
New for 2007, this is a useful
guide for people with no prior botanical training to identify most families of
aquatic plants found in
New History Exhibit:
Minnehaha Creek Watershed District’s Tools for Change
The Minnehaha Creek Watershed
District has commissioned a traveling history exhibit themed Tools for Change
to commemorate its 40th anniversary, with placement slated for public
buildings throughout the district between May and October 2007. The
Tools for Change exhibit consists of large graphics panels using
century-old photographic images of life around the District's major bodies of
water,
Traveler's Guide to
Wildlife in
Adapted from a May 22
DNR Press
Release
Vacationers facing the high cost of
gasoline can beat gas prices by cutting back on longer trips. By staying closer
to home, Minnesotans will discover some of the most exciting wildlife species
and wildlife spectacles in
Born by the River,
People of the Mississippi River Towns
Author Ron Merchant received
several awards this month from the Midwest Independent Publishers Association
for his book of oil paintings, essays and interviews. You can find it at
Barnes & Noble, Borders Books and the
McDonald &
Woodward Publishing Company Special Offers on Water-Related
Titles
In celebration of the fifth
anniversary of the release of J. Reese Voshell’s “A Guide to Common Freshwater
Invertebrates of North America,” McDonald & Woodward Publishing is offering
deals on 15 books dealing with the biology, ecology, and conservation of water,
waterways and wetlands. M&W’s water and wetlands list now includes 15
titles. Discounts of at least 30% are offered for purchases of 5 or more
books through June 30, 2007. In addition to Voshell’s “Guide,” other
titles include A Handbook for Stream Enhancement & Stewardship,
Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability, A Field Guide to Aquatic
Macroinvertebrates (laminated folding brochure that provides basic
identification information for twenty-one groups of macroinvertebrates), and
more. Go to www.mwpubco.com or call
1-800-233-8787 to take advantage of these discounts.
~ Conferences, Confabs
and Conglomerations ~
May 28-June 10,
2007
This May marks the 40th anniversary
of the river’s designation as a canoe and small boat route, and the Red Lake
River Corridor Enhancement Joint Powers Board invites the community be part of
the festivities. The celebration begins on Monday, May 28 on the
June 2, 8:30
a.m.—12:30 p.m.,
Toxic algae blooms are in the news,
do you need to worry? What conditions lead to Swimmers Itch? Are you
or your children at risk from bacteria when swimming in your lake? Find
out the answers to these questions and how to avoid these issues in your
favorite lake. Learn things you and your lake association can do to help
keep these threats at bay and from ruining your enjoyment. This workshop
will include principles of lake ecology, the different kinds of algae and how
algae blooms happen, what Swimmer’s Itch really is and what to do about it, and
why certain types of bacteria threaten our favorite swimming holes and how to
prevent them. This workshop will be held on Saturday, June 2nd,
8:309 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the
Other U of M
Extension Workshops This Spring
Contact: Jackie
Froemming, 218-824-1068, froem022@umn.edu
Introduction to
Shoreland Landscaping; June 2, 2007 –
Contact: Clair Prody,
218-864-5375, cprody@lmhc.org
Shoreland Planting;
June 9, 2007 –
Contact: Ron or Sandy
Kretlow, 218-534-3147, kretlow@mlecmn.net
Contact: Jackie
Froemming, 218-824-1068, froem022@umn.edu
Shoreland Planting;
June 16, 2007 –
Contact: Bobbie
Grahm, 218-763-3874, bgrahm@emily.net
The Great North
American Secchi Dip-In
June 23 – July 15,
2007
The Secchi Dip-in is a
demonstration of the potential of volunteer monitors to gather environmentally
important information on our lakes, rivers, and estuaries. This program has
grown from the initial 800 volunteers from 6
Choosing Our
Future: Conservation-Based Development in MN
Thursday, June
28th, Saint John’s University
If you agree that people need
places to live and that land is a precious commodity and that the natural assets
of the land are important to people and essential to the health of our
environment, then you will enjoy learning how we can protect significant
portions of our environment, create well-designed home sites and commercial
sites, and provide profits for the landowners and developers. Examples
will include urban areas, undeveloped wooded and agricultural lands, and
lake/river areas. The discussion will be led by Randall Arendt,
nationally recognized expert on conservation-based developments.
This conference will be very helpful if you are a:
land seller, realtor,
developer, builder, county or township or city official or planning board
member, environmentalist, conservation professional, interested citizen.
Cost is only $40 for a whole day including materials and meals. Discounts
of 20% available to any group of 5 or more. To see more and register, go
to: www.csbsju.edu/arboretum/arb_highlights/summer/Conservation%20Design%20Conference.htm
Stream Health and
Restoration Workshops
As rivers become more widely
recognized and appreciated as valuable natural resources, the responsibility to
better understand these systems takes on greater importance. The Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources offers workshops that teach the basic functions
and processes of rivers, the Rosgen method of stream classification, assessing
and monitoring river health, and natural channel design river restoration. These
workshops are designed for natural resource professionals whose work involves
rivers directly or indirectly as well as those who are engaged in watershed-wide
resource management issues. Workshops are hands on experiences and each one
requires students to complete fieldwork, data analysis, and present their
findings. For more information, contact Brenda Johnson, MN DNR -
Ecological Services Stream Habitat Program; 218 -739 -7576 x260; brenda.johnson@dnr.state.mn.us.
Fluvial Geomorphology and Stream
Classification, 23-27 July,
Stream Restoration, 20-24 August,
August 4 &
5
Join Friends of the Mississippi
River for a two-day, 44-mile paddle to discover the
RiverNight
August 15;
Think warm thoughts of a sunset
evening dinner cruise on the Mississippi River in
2007 Land-Use
Planning Workshops
The Government Training Service
(GTS) announces its 2007 schedule for Land-Use Planning Workshops, including:
Your Role as a Planning Commission Member, Basics of Planning & Zoning,
Beyond the Basics of Planning & Zoning, Site Planning Basics for Non-Design
Professionals, Getting the Most Out of Your Comprehensive Plan, Spotlight on
Sub-Divisions, and How To Avoid Drowning in Lakeshore Development. Classes
will be held in
2008 Lakes and Rivers
Conference—Mark Your Calendars Now
If you enjoyed the 2006 Lakes and
Rivers Conference in
~ The Bucks Start Here
~ Funding Resources
Conservation
Fund/Kodak American Greenways Awards Program
The Kodak American
Greenways Awards Program, administered by the Conservation Fund, provides small
grants to stimulate the planning and design of greenways in communities
throughout
Minnesota Waters
promotes responsible
stewardship of our water resources by engaging citizens, state and local policy
makers and other like-minded partners in the protection and restoration of our
lakes and rivers. We achieve our mission through watershed education,
citizen monitoring, supporting conservation stewardship, influencing public
policy and empowering citizen groups to manage their local water
resources.
****JOIN
MINNESOTA WATERS TODAY! ****