[h2ofwlr]

LCMR overhaul stalled
A bill reforming the governance structure for the environment and natural resources trust fund was considered by members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee at their Wed., Apr. 6, meeting. The panel, chaired by Sen. John Marty (DFL-Roseville), decided to table the bill.
S.F. 1809, carried by Sen. Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-Fridley), creates a Legislative Council on Minnesota Resources to replace the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources. The new council is composed of 20 members, including 12 Legislators and 8 citizens.

The current process does not provide the commission an opportunity to react quickly to new ideas, Chaudhary said. He said stakeholders have also raised concerns about whether the commission has strayed from the intended direction of environment and natural resources trust fund. Some projects have been funded that are not clearly within the scope of the trust fund, Chaudhary said. The commission lacks clear citizen input, he said. While there is a citizens advisory council to the commission, its input is often discarded in favor of legislative priorities, he said.

Deputy Natural Resources Commissioner Mark Holsten said the governor asked him and Commissioner Gene Merriam to examine the current process and develop an improvement proposal. S.F. 1809 stays in the spirit of the direction the pair recommended, he said. Holsten said the Legislature stays involved in the process, under the bill, because the Legislature will be allocating funds to the council every biennium, reviewing the council's strategic plan and examining the history of council activity. The proposal keeps checks and balances in place, he said, while speeding up projects.

The current structure involves too much process, said Nancy Gibson, chair of the commission's citizen advisory council. The current system lacks a long-term vision and is not nimble enough to take care of rapid developments, she said.

Saying he sensed a reluctance to move forward with the proposal, Sen. Dennis Frederickson (R-New Ulm) moved to table the bill. The motion was approved on a divided voice vote.

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This is bad news gentlemen. It is time to email Sen Marty and Sen Dean Johnson and have him get the bill back to the committee agenda and get it passed out of committee and to the full Senate. Also contact these other comm members too-especially if they live in your district!

Senator John Marty (DFL) District 54
Capitol Address: 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 323
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
Home: Roseville
Home Address: 2478 Lydia Avenue W. 55113
Home Phone: 651.633.8934
Capitol Phone: 651.296.5645
Capitol Email: [email protected]

Senator Dean E. Johnson (DFL) District 13
Majority Leader
Capitol Address: 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther . Blvd., Room 208
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
Capitol Phone: 651.296.3826
Capitol Email: [email protected]
Home: Willmar

Here is the Environment and Natural resources committee members---email/call them too!

Vice Chair Tom Saxhaug Dist 3
Capitol Address: 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther . Blvd., Room 124
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
Capitol Phone: 651.296.4136
Capitol Email: [email protected]
Home: Grand Rapids

Ranking Minority Member Pat Pariseau Dist 36
Capitol Address: 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 117
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
Capitol Phone: 651.296.5252
Capitol Email: [email protected]
Home: Farmington

Members
Thomas M. Bakk Dist 6
Capitol Address: 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther . Blvd., Room 226
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
Capitol Phone: 651.296.8881
Capitol Email: [email protected]
Home: Cook, MN

Satveer Chaudhary Dist 50
Capitol Address: 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 317
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
Capitol Phone: 651.296.4334
Capitol Email: [email protected]
Home: Fridley

Dennis R. Frederickson Dist 21
Capitol Address: 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther . Blvd., Room 139
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
Capitol Phone: 651.296.8138
Capitol Email: [email protected]
Home: New Ulm

John C. Hottinger Dist 23
*Capitol Address: 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 317
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
Capitol Phone: 651.296.6153
Capitol Email: [email protected]
Home: St Peter

Michael J. Jungbauer Dist 48
Capitol Address: 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther . Blvd., Room 115
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
Capitol Phone: 651.296.3733
Capitol Email: [email protected]
Home: East Bethel

Sean R. Nienow Dist 17
Capitol Address: 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther . Blvd., Room 105
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
Capitol Phone: 651.296.5419
Capitol Email: [email protected]
Home: Cambridge

Gen Olson Dist 33
Capitol Address: 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 119
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
Capitol Phone: 651.296.1282
Capitol Email: [email protected]
Home: Minnetrista

LeRoy A. Stumpf Dist 1
Capitol Address: 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room G-24
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
Capitol Phone: 651.296.8660
email--- http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/membe ... ndis01.htm and click "use mail form"
Home: Plummer

 

[Trois_beaux_canards]

LCMR also has a web page that details some of the work they have done, and are doing or plan to do. That page will also mention who is on the LCMR. Surprising or not I was able to find my local senator on the commission. I was able to write him with H2O's suggestion that I tell him I am in his district (from a previous posting). We'll see which person responds first (of the people I wrote).

It may also be of interest that there is a meeting tomorrow (Apr, 8th) on the issue of SF 1809. I tried to read through the bill, and while I cannot understand it too well, (didn't do too well with those law classes I took ) I do understand the need for efficiency in conservation organizations. Do your part, let us not lose the drive we had leading up to the Wetlands Rally.

just a note on how much they have done since 1991:
Recreation, including Parks, Trails and History: $109,329,000
Fish and Wildlife Habitat and Critical Lands: $69,011,000
Water Resources: $25,157,000
Environmental Education/Information: $17,687,000
Agriculture and Natural Resource-based Industries: $22,229,000
Land use and Natural Resource Information: $21,074,000
Energy: $7,401,000
Administration: $6,288,000
Children's Environmental Health: $563,000
Source: http://www.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/lcmr/faq.htm

h2ofwlr, thanks for the heads up!

 

[h2ofwlr]

There is lies part of the problem---look at what was spent of Aparks and trails---gentlemen that is in breach of the Constituitional Ammendment of what the voters voters for. I'm NOT against parks and trails---but that is NOT the intent of what the funds are to be used for. And thus why we need the LCMR to be reformed. Alot of "pork barel" spending in there-meaning in the legislators districts that are on the Board. issed: Instead of what is best for ALL of MN.

Please take the time to contact them.

Here is what Sen Gen Olson replied:

Alan,

Unfortunately, the Governor's Office chose the wrong chief author for this initiative. he came to the committee and offered and author's amendment which members always honor as it is the "author's bill." This amendment totally changed the Governor's proposal, putting legislators back in charge- 12 to 8. Senator Fredrickson's motion to lay it on the table had the support of those who want the Governor's proposal and those who don't want any change.

This morning I discussed this issue with a member of the Governor's staff. The citizen's committee model is in the House bill that when passed by the House will go to Conference Committee where I think it is better off than with a Senate version resembling what the Senate author wanted.

What will be important is who the Senate conferees will be. I will be paying close attention to that process and will exercise whatever influence I can.

Thanks for your interest in this issue.

Sincerely,

Gen Olson

So please contact them and tell them to get it back so that the Citizens contol the governing board like what Gov Pawlenty wants.