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Day two of David Pecker testimony wraps in NY Trump trial; Supreme Court hears arguments on Idaho's near-total abortion ban; ND sees a flurry of campaigning among Native candidates; and NH lags behind other states in restricting firearms at polling sites.

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The Senate moves forward with a foreign aid package. A North Carolina judge overturns an aged law penalizing released felons. And child protection groups call a Texas immigration policy traumatic for kids.

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The urban-rural death divide is widening for working-age Americans, many home internet connections established for rural students during COVID have been broken and a new federal rule aims to put the "public" back in public lands.

Bill Puts Power of MPCA Citizens' Board at Risk

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Wednesday, May 6, 2015   

ST. PAUL, Minn. - With the end of the 2015 Legislature quickly approaching, lawmakers are being urged to reject a proposal that would take away some of the authority of the Citizens' Board of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

The board has the final say on environmental review decisions related to projects such as livestock operations, and can override MPCA staff recommendations, but the bill would strip away that power.

Among those opposed to the change is Kathy DeBuhr, a member of the Land Stewardship Project.

"We're just local farmers and citizens that live here," she said, "and it really takes the citizens affected by any of these projects right out of the process and eliminates the ability of citizens to participate in a meaningful way."

According to those in support, the Citizens' Board should not be able to order an environmental review if it wasn't recommended by MPCA staff. However, DeBuhr said citizens need the board and its ability to call for further review as a back-up option when concerns are not adequately addressed initially, such as when the board called for more study on a proposed dairy operation not far from DeBuhr's home in Stevens County.

"We were able to poke a lot of holes in this application," she said, "and the Citizens' Board agreed with us that there were lots of questions as far as water supply, manure disposal, hydrogen sulfide levels that would be emitted by this dairy. That's why they ordered the EIS."

As of now, the proposal is part of an environmental finance bill in the Minnesota House, but is not included in the companion bill in the Senate.

Details of the bill are online at revisor.mn.gov.


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