Clean Water Blog

Friday, February 19, 7:30-9:00 a.m.
“Minnesota’s Clean Water Council”
Louis Smith and Earl Bukowski, Clean Water Council

The Clean Water Council was created, through Minnesota’s 2006 Clean Water Legacy Act, to advise on protecting, restoring, and preserving the quality of Minnesota’s surface waters. This mandate predates the constitutional amendment (the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment) that Minnesotans passed in November 2008, as well as the Clean Water Fund that was established as a result of the amendment.

What is the Clean Water Council working on and recommending for funding these days? Has its work changed since the passage of the constitutional amendment, and, if so, how? Join us for a conversation about the work of the Clean Water Council and how it is helping to preserve Minnesota’s water resources!

Louis Smith and Earl Bukowski are both members of the Clean Water Council (Smith is the former Chair). Louis Smith, of Minneapolis, is an attorney with Smith Partners PLLP. He serves as legal counsel for a number of watershed districts and -management organizations around the state. Earl Bukowski, of Sauk Rapids, is a Benton County Commissioner. He also serves on the Natural Resources Committee for the Association of Minnesota Counties.

Light breakfast provided. Free.

LOCATION:
St. Cloud City Council Chambers
400-2nd Street South, St. Cloud, 56301.

The Master Naturalist program is a community-based natural-resource volunteer program that is open to any adult who is interested in learning more about the natural world. This program is different than the Master Gardener program as it will provide participants a broader based understanding of the state’s natural environments.

Those who sign up for the program will have the opportunity to be trained in any one, or all, of Minnesota’s biomes - prairie, deciduous forest or coniferous forest. However, in order to be certified as a master naturalist, volunteers must complete 40 hours of training and a supervised sponsored outreach project. Following training, these conservationists will assist the DNR, the Extension Service and other partners with public outreach and management of the state’s diverse natural environments.

Additional information is available at http://www.MinnesotaMasterNaturalist.org .

The Sauk River Watershed District (SRWD) is updating the Rules for the District’s permitting program. These rules establish the baseline for when a permit is required on a project. The District’s watershed management plan identifies several areas where District Rules are necessary to effectuate the District’s statutory purposes. The Districts Rules are intended to fill gaps in existing federal, state, and local regulations, not duplicate existing regulation.

The four provisions in the rules are: Stormwater, Erosion Control, Drainage, and Water Uses. A complete copy of the rules is available on the SRWD website at www.srwdmn.org. It is also recommended to read the SONAR document along with the rules.

The Sauk River Watershed will hold a public hearing that is open to all persons within the Sauk River Watershed on January 26th, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. The hearing will be held at Melrose City Center, in Melrose, MN. The purpose of the hearing is to take comment on the proposed rules revision for the SRWD per Minnesota Statute 103D.341.

For more information about the Sauk River Watershed District programs visit our website at www.srwdmn.org or call (320) 352-2231.

Minnesotans will have the chance to voice their opinion in person on how the state should invest resources to protect clean water at statewide public meetings beginning Jan. 19, 2010 coordinated by the University of Minnesota’s Water Resources Center and the Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources.

The meetings, called “listening sessions,” will be facilitated by staff from the Water Resources Center and Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources and are a chance for people to voice their opinions on a range of water-related issues from boating and water recreation, to priorities for cleaning up polluted lakes and streams.

The meetings are scheduled as follows:
• Jan. 19 – Holiday Inn and Suites, 75 S. 37th Ave, St. Cloud.
• Jan. 21 – Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Dr., Chaska.
• Feb. 3 — University of Minnesota, Crookston’s University Youngquist Auditorium, 2900 University Ave., Crookston.
• Feb. 4 – Northland Auditorium, 14250 Conservation Dr., Baxter.
• Feb. 10 – Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Building, 525 S. Lake Ave., Duluth.
• Feb. 11 – Holiday Inn South, 1630 S. Broadway, Rochester.
• Feb. 16 – Best Western Marshall Inn, 1500 E. College Dr., Marshall.
From 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., each meeting will focus on concerns of professionals associated with local government units, soil and water conservation districts and watershed districts. Citizens, community leaders and elected and appointed officials will have a chance to share their concerns from 4 to 6 p.m.

The meetings are free and open to the public