Help Protect the Driftless Area From Silica Sand Mining!!

DNR and Governor need to hear from you:  Urge them not to retreat from their support for substantive protections for Driftless trout fisheries

Approximately ten days ago the substantive protections for southeast trout fisheries contained in Senate File No. 976 were stripped from the bill by senators whose districts are located far from the affected area.  In the next few days Senator Matt Schmit will seek to restore these protections for Driftless area trout fisheries via an amendment on the Senate floor.  It is important for all trout anglers to voice support for his efforts in the next few days.  The MN DNR and Governor Dayton are under increasing pressure to retreat from their strong support for the proposed state protections.  Your calls and e mails to them are critical to keep them from caving into industry lobbyists. The last opportunity to secure any substantive protections for SE MN trout fisheries this session is in the next few days (likely Wednesday, May 8) - when SF 796 is debated on the Senate floor.  

Only your calls and letters can turn the tide now.

If restored to SF 796, the protections for SE MN trout fisheries would be the only substantive protections to emerge from either legislative body this session.  Numerous silica sand mining bills and provisions, including ones calling for a regional impact study and a pause in permitting (moratorium) to allow for the adoption of state standards, have all been stymied by lobbyists and legislators from outside the affected areas of the state.  Do not be misled by claims that the remaining provisions, which contain only more process, will result in state minimum protections being developed.  The remaining provisions do not contain protective standards for southeast MN groundwater and trout streams, and do not give the MNDNR or MPCA authority to adopt such standards.  Now is the best time to let Governor Dayton, Commissioner Landwehr, and your senator know that the protective standards proposed by Sen. Schmit must be passed by the Senate and strongly supported by all of them throughout the conference committee process. 

In the past few weeks the DNR has come out in strong support of the three protective measures.  Commissioner Tom Landwehr has twice provided excellent, passionate testimony in support.  Minnesota Trout Unlimited continues to voice strong support.  However, those efforts alone can no longer overcome the numerous, well-funded lobbyists proposing toothless processes instead of substantive protections.  The DNR is under intense pressure from many industry lobbyists and, unless it hears from the many thousands of trout anglers who utilize this unique resource, may back away from commonsense protections for public waters and public fisheries.

How you can help

1.  Contact the MN DNR

DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr has twice testified that the DNR supports the coldwater fisheries protections proposed by Sen. Schmit in SF 796.  However, industry pressure is growing on the MN DNR to abandon its support for substantive protections and settle for toothless process and delay.  The DNR needs to hear from you regarding how vital it is that all or most of the substantive protections proposed be enacted this session.  After thanking Commissioner Landwehr for his public testimony, remind him that more studies cannot take the place of conservative state setbacks from springs, trout streams, and groundwater tables.  Urge that he and his staff do all they can to ensure these protections be enacted this session.

Call Commissioner Landwehr via the DNR switchboard: 651-296-6157 or 1-888-646-6367

E mail him at: tom.landwehr@state.mn.us

2.  Contact Governor Dayton

Governor Mark Dayton has the ability to influence legislation which he or his agencies feel strongly about.  The DNR has twice testified that it supports the coldwater fisheries protections proposed by Sen. Schmit in SF 796.  As industry pressure mounts against the DNR’s position, the Governor needs to hear from you how vital it is that these substantive protections be enacted this session.  Thank him for supporting the DNR’s public position, and urge him to do all he can to ensure that the DNR does not waiver under lobbying pressure.

Call Governor Dayton at 651-201-3400, or toll free at 1-800-657-3717.

E mail him using this form:  http://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/form/

Or contact him via his Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/GovMarkDayton

3.  Contact your Senator

Direct calls and letters to your Senator make a difference.  Legislators regularly meet or “caucus” together to discuss what issues their constituents are most concerned about.  Ask that he or she support any amendment offered by Sen. Schmit regarding protecting trout fisheries in SE MN, and ask that he or she press colleagues to do the same.

How to locate your state Senator:  Quickly locate and contact legislators by using the District finder tool on the State’s legislative website at: http://www.gis.leg.mn/OpenLayers/districts/

Simply type in your address and you will get a list and links to your representatives.  Then click on your legislator’s name and you will be taken to his or her individual web page.  You can also call the Senate switchboard at:  651-296-0504, or 1-888-234-1112

Key points you should consider making:

• You use and greatly value the world-class  trout fisheries in southeast MN
• You want your elected representatives to protect these fisheries, your recreation, and thousands of existing jobs
• Substantive restrictions must be enacted this session which will protect these fisheries, and also provide emerging silica sand mining businesses with a useful “roadmap” for avoiding uncertainty, delay and expense
• In southeast MN only (the Driftless area or Paleozoic Plateau) these minimum protections are needed:
• a setback from springs and trout streams greater than 3,000 feet (in the 6,000 to 4,000 foot range).
• a restriction against operating within 25 feet of the water table
• groundwater conservation measures, such as a million gallon cap per site, to steer businesses to other readily available sources like recycled water, warm surface waters or treated wastewater.
• Delay will only harm the fisheries, your recreation, and thousands of existing jobs dependent upon the these trout fisheries
• You expect the Legislature and Governor to find a way to enact these protections this session. 
• You expect the DNR to stand up for anglers, trout fisheries, and thousands of existing jobs, rather than withering before lobbyists