The Water Agency Reorganization Plan is part of the Omnibus Agriculture and Environment funding act of the 2001 Special Session. This provision directs the Office of Strategic and Long-Range Planning (Minnesota Planning) to develop and present to the Legislature a plan to reorganize state water programs and functions. The Water Resources Committee of the Environmental Quality Board will direct development of the plan.

When the Power Plant Siting Act was passed in 1973, the EQB was granted the authority to adopt rules to implement the requirements of the Act. Minnesota Statutes section 116C.66. The EQB first adopted rules for power plant siting in 1974. Minnesota Rules MEQB 71-75. These rules have been amended several times since and are now found at Minnesota Rules chapter 4400. On May 21, 2001, the Legislature passed a comprehensive energy bill that included significant changes in the Power Plant Siting Act. The bill was signed into law by Governor Ventura on May 29, 2001.

Eight of 10 Minnesotans fish, boat or participate in shoreland recreational activities, according to a survey conducted by the University of Minnesota Center for Survey Research. Almost all of the respondents are satisfied with their water-related outdoor recreation, but more respondents perceive water quality declining than improving. Most shoreland users said that their experiences have stayed the same or improved in the last 10 years; most who fish or boat said their experiences have stayed the same or gotten worse.

 

The 2000 Annual Hearing was conducted by the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board on December 2, 2000.

Notice of Hearing

Summary of Proceedings

2000 Report to the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board

Minnesota Statutes, Section 4A.07(3) directs Minnesota Planning to prepare a model ordinance in consultation with appropriate parties to guide sustainable development. To help meet this mandate, Minnesota Planning engaged a wide range of local and state interests in discussions about possible ordinance topics and contracted with Biko Associates to develop model ordinances on selected topics.

 

An Assessment of Progress Indicators critiques measures of economic progress and looks for alternative ways to more realistically gauge Minnesota's well-being. As a result this research, the Minnesota progress indicator was developed. The new indicator is based on the belief that Minnesota's economy can be healthy in the long run only if its environment and communities are healthy. The measures used in computing the progress indicator help determine if the economy is being improved at the expense of Minnesota's communities or environment.