Time for Minnesota to remember its Environmental Policy Act?

Last night we experienced a little bit of freezing mist / drizzle followed by a little bit of light, fluffy snow. Today we have a patch of woods that looks like a Winter Wonderland. As long as you can avoid driving or walking far it's a delight.

Winter Wonderland, until it melts

Photo by J. Harrington

We've noticed that Minnesota's public agencies, and some nonprofit organizations, are pushing smart salting and pointing out the dangers to Minnesota's water quality. Since salt used to manage ice and snow, and keep roads and sidewalks safe for travel, is likely to end  up in our waters as a result of nonpoint source pollution (Spring and / or stormwater runoff), we strongly question the emphasis on salt versus a lack of progress on nonpoint source agricultural runoff and groundwater pollution from nitrates (fertilizer).

major source of surface and groundwater pollution?

Photo by J. Harrington

Then, again, we're not enthused by the way Minnesota's regulatory agencies, the ones that are supposed to protect public health and the environment (clean air?, clean water?) have been handling the permitting process for proposed copper-nikel mines such as PolyMet and Twin Metals. The latter has been compounded by what looks to us like game-playing at the federal level. so, as things stand at the moment:

• Minnesota Appeals Court rejects water pollution permit for Minntac


• Minnesota appeals court says MPCA should have considered mega-dairy's climate change effects


• PolyMet appeals ruling that blocked its mining permits

And, it appears that a similar series of permitting fiascos are about to commence with the Twin Metals proposed mine near the Boundary Waters and the same permitting philosophy and legal framework in place. Permitting through attrition? Is that the best that Minnesota can do? Ot, is it time to revise the states regulatory structure to bring it into compliance with Minnesota's Environmental Policy Act, especially 116D.02 DECLARATION OF STATE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY., Subd. 2.State responsibilities.? We could even get radical and see if any of Minnesota's Environmental Policies actually apply to the agricultural sector (e.g., (6) develop and implement land use and environmental policies, plans, and standards for the state as a whole and for major regions thereof through a coordinated program of planning and land use control;). Has the state forgotten this act? Might we help Minnesota remember?

Remember

Joy Harjo - 1951-

Remember the sky that you were born under,
know each of the star's stories.
Remember the moon, know who she is.
Remember the sun's birth at dawn, that is the
strongest point of time. Remember sundown
and the giving away to night.
Remember your birth, how your mother struggled
to give you form and breath. You are evidence of
her life, and her mother's, and hers.
Remember your father. He is your life, also.
Remember the earth whose skin you are:
red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth
brown earth, we are earth.
Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their
tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them,
listen to them. They are alive poems.
Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the
origin of this universe.
Remember you are all people and all people
are you.
Remember you are this universe and this
universe is you.
Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.
Remember language comes from this.
Remember the dance language is, that life is.
Remember.

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