Across Minnesota we value our public lands and depend on our government agencies to protect them. Yet in recent years, public agency leaders seem to have forgotten that they work for the public, not industry.
Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are just one example of this. The DNR recently put millions of federal dollars designated for WMAs at risk because they were out of compliance with federal regulations regarding clearcutting. This money is needed to support and manage WMAs.
This issue of ‘polluter capture’ refers to state agencies responding to polluting industries’ needs, rather than the needs of Minnesotans, as called for in their missions. It is seen in the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) attempts to hide federal EPA concerns about the proposed PolyMet sulfide mine from the public. It shows up when the EPA steps in to tell the MPCA it is failing to protect human health and must better regulate nitrate pollution. Or when the EPA finds air quality violations that MPCA missed at Smith Foundry in Minneapolis. And it is evidenced in state agencies granting illegal and inadequate permits for Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline and failing to hold Enbridge accountable for catastrophic damage during construction.
Enough is enough. Governor Walz’s administration must stand up to timber companies, multinational mining conglomerates, Big Ag and chemical companies, and fossil fuel projects like pipelines.
We are calling on Governor Walz to tell his state agencies to stop selling out the public interest by rubber-stamping every polluting project that crosses their desks. We demand that state agencies return to their missions.