These bills weaken the interim ordinance powers of townships and cities.

Calls needed TODAY. Bill to Weaken Local Control Gets Senate Hearing on Monday

Corporate interests are pushing bills to weaken the rights of cities and townships to effectively respond to unwanted and potentially harmful developments. This in turn weakens our ability as citizens to work through our local government to protect our community.  

• House File 2585: Reps. Jim Nash (R-Waconia), Mark Uglem (R-Champlin), Mike Nelson (DFL-Brooklyn Park), Leon Lillie (DFL-North St. Paul), Josh Heintzeman (R-Baxter), Jerry Hertaus (R-Greenfield), Linda Runbeck (R- Circle Pines)
• Senate File 2694: Sen. Melisa Franzen (DFL-Edina)

The bills weaken the interim ordinance powers of townships and cities. Interim ordinances allow cities or townships to quickly put a temporary moratorium on major development. This is an emergency power that is essential when the community is caught off-guard by unanticipated and potentially harmful proposals, especially those from outside corporate interests. The interim ordinance freezes the status quo and gives the community time to review or create the appropriate zoning ordinances. Corporate interests have long pushed to weaken these rights because citizens have used them effectively to stop unwanted developments like factory farms.

Demand a Legislative Process That Puts People First, Not Corporate Special Interests.

Restore the Citizens’ Board!

It was unbelievable. A democratic institution established in 1968 was abolished literally in the dark of night in the final hours of the 2015 state legislative session. The Citizens’ Board of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency had served as a testament to our Minnesota value that people deserve a say in the decisions that impact their lives and their communities.

The Citizens’ Board stood for people over corporate interests. This Board put citizens in a critical decision-making role and gave them a place to have their voices heard. That is what happened in August 2014 when the Board listened to farmers and rural neighbors opposed to a massive proposed 8,850-cow factory farm and ordered an in-depth environmental review. It was then that corporate interests began their attack of the Board.

The provision to abolish the Citizen’s Board was inserted in the last hours of the regular legislative session into the Omnibus Environment Finance Bill late at night. Many other rollbacks on bedrock environmental policy were included in this finance bill, making last session the worst in a decade for our environment. And even though a strong majority of DFL Senators opposed this provision and voted against it several times, it was still able to pass the DFL controlled Senate.  The fact is that the current structure of the Minnesota Senate favors corporate special interests when it comes to protecting our environment.

Take Action Now! The state legislative session begins March 8. Click here to let your Senator and Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk know that we want our Citizens' Board back and a Senate that puts people first, not corporate interests.

Thanks for your action,

Bobby King

Land Stewardship Project