The Minnesota Legislature is muscling in on the power of state agencies in a broad effort to assume more influence over everything from water quality to health and safety regulations.
A coalition of Republicans and DFLers from the Iron Range and rural districts say regulators are socking businesses and cities with burdensome, expensive rules in their effort to keep Minnesota water clean of sulfates, phosphorus and other contaminants.
In a recent hearing, Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center, told members of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, "You wouldn't even exist if it wasn't for the Legislature. … We gave you rulemaking authority, of which many of us regret. And the reason we're here today and we have some of these bills is because of this arrogance."
The proposed bills would create numerous hurdles, including a cost-benefit analysis and outside peer review, for any new rule that has a "substantial economic impact." One bill would require a state census of contaminated waters where wild rice is grown before implementing a sulfate standard.
Opponents say the bills would allow recalcitrant cities and businesses to get around rules meant to protect clean water, wildlife habitat, wild rice and human health.
'That ain't right'
Rep. John Persell, DFL-Bemidji, said his city cleaned up its phosphorus problem 30 years ago. "Now a few cities want to say, 'No, not me. We don't want to do this.' Well, bull hockey! That ain't right. That ain't fair. That ain't the way we do things in Minnesota."
The debate is part of a larger, ongoing philosophical argument about the role of government in regulating health, safety and the environment and about the role of science in public policy issues.
Republicans say their preference for a lighter regulatory touch was vindicated by last year's election, while Democrats say that victory was brought about by very deep-pocketed interest groups, including agribusiness and mining, that now are pushing for the legislation.