Tucked inside a major environmental bill state lawmakers passed last week were new protections for Minnesota's groundwater.
The bill gives state regulators stronger authority, including bigger fines, to crack down on violators who pump more water than they're permitted.
“We've just seen instances of non-compliance, and recognize that we didn't have the suite of tools necessary to address those,” said Katie Smith, director of ecological and water resources at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Water-use permits are required for cities, industries, farmers or anyone else who draws more than 1 million gallons a year. Permit holders are required to report their water use to the DNR.
Tucked inside a major environmental bill state lawmakers passed last week were new protections for Minnesota's groundwater.
The bill gives state regulators stronger authority, including bigger fines, to crack down on violators who pump more water than they're permitted.
“We've just seen instances of non-compliance, and recognize that we didn't have the suite of tools necessary to address those,” said Katie Smith, director of ecological and water resources at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Water-use permits are required for cities, industries, farmers or anyone else who draws more than 1 million gallons a year. Permit holders are required to report their water use to the DNR.
Protecting a resource
Advocates for Minnesota's groundwater say the changes to the state’s enforcement authority were needed to help protect a valuable resource under threat.
“We're really pleased that the DNR is moving in this direction, because they needed improved tools to improve groundwater sustainability,” said Carrie Jennings, research and policy director for the nonprofit advocacy group Freshwater.
Jennings is happy the bill also raises fees on cities, golf courses and landscape irrigators that use more water in the summer, when there's more pressure on groundwater. And she likes that it allows the DNR to set limits on water use based on long-term impacts.
“It's the deep groundwater that's not rechargeable on a human time scale that is especially vulnerable to depletion,” Jennings said. “We think that the language in this bill draws attention to the future generations and long-term sustainability of that deep groundwater."
Some Minnesota cities exceeded their permit amounts during the drought too, Jennings said. She said there needs to be better ways to address water use during drought years, such as increased lawn watering bans.
“It’s not just farmers,” she said. “It’s certainly suburban residents as well, who have less shade and more yard.”
Cities initially opposed the bill when it was proposed last year, concerned that they could face new restrictions or requirements on their water use.
Craig Johnson, intergovernmental relations director with the League of Minnesota Cities, said the bill was changed to make it clear that the severe penalties will only apply to permit holders who refuse to comply with an administrative order.
“We took them at their word that the intent of this is to deal with the intentional bad actors that they right now don't feel they have the tools to address,” Johnson said.
Farmer concerns
Still, farmers who pump water to irrigate their crops worry they could face hefty fines if they exceed their permit limits.
“Those kinds of penalties hurt small farmers more than big farmers,” said Anna Bregier, vice president of the Irrigators Association of Minnesota and co-owner of a farm near Rice that grows potatoes, corn, kidney beans and peas.
Farmers track how much water they use for irrigation, Breiger said, and most years, they stay within their permit limits.
Source: mprnews.org
Photo Credit: istock-laughingmango
Categories: Minnesota, Business, Crops, Corn