Sustainable development legislation

The Minnesota Legislature has passed several laws that advance the state’s efforts toward sustainable development.

• Sustainable Agriculture Act of 1989: Directs the commissioner of Agriculture to investigate, demonstrate, report on and make recommendations on the current and future sustainability of agriculture. See also sustainable agriculture demonstration grants.
• Sustainable Forest Resources Act of 1995: Calls for public-private partnerships in protecting and managing Minnesota’s forest ecosystem resources.
• Environmental reorganization planning act of 1995: Cites sustainable development as a goal of state environmental agency reorganization and calls for establishment of a policy planning framework for sustainable development.
• Metropolitan Livable Communities Act of 1995: Establishes a multimillion dollar program aimed at redeveloping contaminated sites for urban revitalization, while setting metropolitanwide goals for affordable housing. See also metropolitan livable communities fund; Tax Base Revitalization account; livable communities demonstration account; local housing incentives account; and transit for livable communities.
• Sustainable Development Act of 1996: Defines sustainable development; directs Minnesota Planning to develop a planning guide and model ordinances for local sustainable development; directs each state agency, department and board to assess its mission and programs for consistency with principles of sustainable development adopted by the Environmental Quality Board and to report on its findings; and directs the EQB to compile and assess these reports for submission to the Legislature.
• Environmental Regulatory Innovations Act of 1996: Offers individual facilities, industry sectors, governmental units and even whole communities freedom from rigid regulatory requirements in exchange for better environmental performance.
• Community-Based Planning Act of 1997: Establishes state goals and grants for community planning designed to encourage sustainable development (repealed).
• Urban development generic environmental impact statement: Directs the Environmental Quality Board to develop a generic environmental impact statement on urban development.
• Animal agriculture generic environmental impact statement: Directs the Environmental Quality Board to study the environmental, social and economic factors surrounding animal agriculture.
• State development strategy: Directs Minnesota Planning to develop a 20-year state development strategy in coordination with the Metropolitan Council and the commissioners of Transportation, Trade and Economic Development, and Natural Resources. Requires Minnesota Planning to submit an evaluation and proposal to the Legislature based on a prototype strategy for the I-94 corridor between the Twin Cities metropolitan area and St. Cloud.