Bluestem Prairie

Board of Animal Health should be restructured

Earlier this morning, we posted Would #mnleg change to Board of Animal Health structure short circuit regulatory capture? a heads-up about the hearing HF1137 would receive at 1:00 p.m. in the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee.

What happened?

Here's the Minnesota House Information Services YouTube of the HF1137 discussion:

For Session Daily, Nate Gotlieb reports in Board of Animal Health could be restructured after CWD criticism:

The board overseeing Minnesota's livestock- and domestic animal-health agency, which has been criticized for lax oversight of deer and elk farms — the main known source of chronic wasting disease in the state — could be restructured.

Sponsored by Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul), HF1137 would expand the Board of Animal Health, which oversees its namesake agency, to nine members instead of the current five.

Two members would be at-large members and seven would be from congressional districts. Hansen said he assumes Minnesota will have seven congressional districts instead of eight after U.S. Census data is released and redistricting occurs.

Board members would need to be knowledgeable in animal agriculture, animal health or pets and companion animals. Two would be considered public representatives and could not be employed in a related field.

Members would still be appointed by the governor but would no longer need Senate confirmation. The governor would also be responsible for appointing the agency's executive director.

The bill, as amended, on Monday was laid over by the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee for possible omnibus bill inclusion. Its companion, SF1162, is sponsored by Sen. D. Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls), and awaits action by the Senate Agriculture and Rural Development Finance and Policy Committee.

The Board of Animal Health's tasks include licensing and inspecting commercial dog and cat breeders and ensuring the health of livestock and other domesticated animals.

A 2018 Office of the Legislative Auditor report found the agency failed to enforce some deer- and elk-farm regulations.

Deer and elk farms have seen more cases of chronic wasting disease, which is always fatal to deer and lingers in the environment, than native herds.

The report urged the Legislature to consider expanding the board and adding at least one member of the public. Under the existing structure, three board members are livestock producers, and two are practicing veterinarians.

Hansen said requiring members of state-appointed boards to come from specific fields can lead to those agencies working for regulated clients rather than the public.

The president of the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association, and committee Republicans say the existing board structure works well. They also worry about the board's executive director potentially being removed by governors for political reasons and want explicit assurance that the board will include a practicing veterinarian.

Rep. Paul Anderson (R-Starbuck) said it seems like the bill aims to make a change for change's sake.

We'll keep an eye out to see if it's included in the ag omnibus bill.

Photo: The current board members of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. Via BAH website. 

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Preliminary results from pesticide study show widespread neonic exposure in wild MN deer

Back in March 2019, we posted Study shows endocrine-disrupting imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid, messes up does and fawns.

Later that year, n October, we posted South Dakota News Watch: study shows neonics a danger to deer, pheasant study results soon and  South Dakota study on neonicotinoids' effects on whitetails prompts MNDNR deer spleen request 

Going back even more, we find that some Minnesota house members were concerned about deer and neonics two years earlier:

#mnleg HF170 Studying neonics in wild deer; intro by @reprickhansen , Lee, Ecklund and @peggyflanagan https://t.co/nGxsTPtz0q

— Sally Jo Sorensen (@sallyjos) January 11, 2017

It's a good thing the Minnesota DNR paid attention.

The preliminary results of that 2019 are in according to "Preliminary results from pesticide study show widespread neonicotinoid exposure in Minnesota white-tailed deer," a press release  we received from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources today:

Preliminary results of a study testing white-tailed deer spleens for presence of neonicotinoid pesticides show exposure of deer throughout the state, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).  

Further analysis is required to determine if the levels of exposure seen are high enough to adversely affect deer health. Additional study results related to exposure levels will be available this spring.  

Neonicotinoids, often referred to as “neonics,” are the most widely used class of insecticides worldwide and are found in more than 500 commercial and domestic products in the U.S. They are present in a wide array of products used for insect control in homes, gardens, yards, and crops, as well as on pets.  

The DNR launched a research project in fall 2019 following a study conducted on captive deer in South Dakota that raised concerns about potential adverse effects of neonicotinoid exposure, including reduced fawn survival.

The DNR asked Minnesota deer hunters to submit spleens from their harvested wild deer. Nearly 2,000 people requested sampling kits to participate in the study and 800 spleens were collected from all areas of the state.  

“We wanted to know if wild deer in natural settings are being exposed to neonics and if certain habitat types had a higher risk,” said Michelle Carstensen, DNR’s wildlife health program supervisor. “Minnesota is a great place to ask this question, as deer are dispersed across the forest, farmland, prairies, and urban landscapes.”  

The DNR’s preliminary results show that deer across the state have been exposed. Of the 800 deer spleens that hunters harvested in Minnesota during the 2019 hunting season, 61% of samples indicated exposure to neonicotinoids. 

While these preliminary data focused on deer, Minnesota Department of Health believes there is likely little-to-no human health risk for consuming venison from deer that may have been exposed to neonicotinoids. These early findings suggest concentrations found in the deer spleen samples were far below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s allowable levels for consumption of other foods, like fruit or beef, that may have neonicotinoid residue.  

The Minnesota DNR is planning additional sampling this fall and is exploring future research options on neonicotinoids in wildlife. 

“We want to thank the hunters who participated in this initial study,” Carstensen said. “Their contributions are essential to this important research.” 

Hunters who submitted samples in fall 2019 will be emailed the specific test results from their deer. Hunters who wish to contribute to future research can subscribe to the Deer Notes newsletter, which includes deer-related citizen science opportunities. 

We're not so worried about eating trace amounts of neo-nics in our venison, though we would prefer not to, since we eat deer meat quite often, as do many of our neighbors. It's the harm to the tasty deer's offspring that concerns us now.

Photo: Some wild white tailed deer in a woods.

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Mort gave followers colleague's personal phone number, but no bill number to call about

Bluestem Prairie makes no apology for our admiration of Roseville DFLer Jamie Becker-Finn. A new story in the Minnesota Reformer makes us disappointed in her colleague's action and we hope he is held accountable. 

And that he figures out that he should mention bill numbers for bills he wants heard in committee. 

First-term lawmaker Erik Mortensen is also no stranger our readers.

Shakopee GOP lawmaker doxxes DFL colleague in Facebook post, could face ethics complaint

By Ricardo Lopez  March 1, 2021

A Shakopee GOP lawmaker on Sunday night posted the personal cell phone number of a DFL colleague, encouraging his followers to call her to “make (their) voice heard” on a bill he is sponsoring. 

Freshman state Rep. Erik Mortensen, R-Shakopee, has drawn attention for controversial actions and statements in the few weeks he has been in office, joking about getting a complaint filed against him with the Minnesota House human resources department.  

Now, he could face an ethics complaint. 

State. Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn, chair of the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law committee, was the subject of the Facebook post Mortensen published. 

“I got doxxed by a colleague,” she said, saying this was the first time a fellow legislator had published her personal details online. 

Becker-Finn said she texted Mortensen 30 minutes after the post was published and asked him to take it down or change the number to her official legislative number. The House sergeant-at-arms, she said, also called him but got no response. 

The post had been taken down Monday morning.

She received several phone calls, including one voicemail message, to her cell phone number. “My cell phone number is out there very publicly to a group of people who have been pretty aggressive in their advocacy in the past,” she said. “Now I’m faced with trying to figure out if I need to change my phone number.”

She added: “I’m definitely looking into an ethics complaint.” 

A voicemail and text message sent to Mortensen were not immediately returned Monday. 

Mortensen is sponsoring a bill that would change family law over custody arrangements, a topic that has dominated legislative debates across the country. 

In his now-deleted Facebook post, he claimed Becker-Finn was “refusing” to give his bill a hearing. 

She said it’s common for many bills to go unheard because of the sheer volume of legislation introduced at the Capitol and limited committee hearing time.

--30--

Becker-Finn responded to the doxxing on twitter:

A fellow #mnleg legislator shared my personal cell phone number publicly in an angry Facebook post and encouraged people to call me.

How’s your Monday going?

— Jamie Becker-Finn (@jbeckerfinn) March 1, 2021

Minnesota's Second Gentleman quote tweeted:

Rep. Becker-Finn didn't name the legislator but it's Erik Mortensen. This is doxxing; he did a post last night & it appears he has just made the same exact post w/in the last hour. Now now I'll just sit here, waiting for the MNGOP & House GOP caucus to speak out against this. https://t.co/LMZOKJLVN5

— Tom Weber (@webertom1) March 1, 2021

Mortensen posted the  complaint on Facebook late Monday morning, with the exception of pos Chair Becker-Finn's office phone number.  A screengrab:

The comments are unintentional humor on Facebook, and we're hoping those calling Becker-Finn's office spare her office's 

staff member the sentiments when they make the ask about HF--

--Well, I'll be a blue-nosed gopher. In both instances, Representative Mortensen failed to include a bill number. Could this simply be about harassing Becker-Finn?

Related posts:

•  [VIDEO] MN Reformer: Newbie Erik Mortensen jokes about getting HR complaint on first day 
•  Letter: MN Attorney General Keith Ellison declines invitation to Erik Mortensen's party
• Newest New House Republican to hold back yard party in Shakopee, invites Walz and Ellison
• Facebook fundraising: Jeremy Munson cashes in on "Give to the Max Day" for political campaign
• MAGASOTA's surprising speakers list for Northfield Trump Rally Minnesota 2020 Saturday
• MN55A: Mortensen deletes fake news about Tabke's views after area hunter calls him out

Screengrabs: from Representative Mortensen's Facebook group.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

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NEW: I'm now on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6

Would #mnleg change to Board of Animal Health structure short circuit regulatory capture?

UPDATE March 1, 7:05 p.m: to learn what happened in committee, read our latest post, Board of Animal Health could be restructured. [end update]

In mid-February, we posted in  Minnesota Deer Farmers Association ignorant about tribal membership as legal designation about a response to  HF138,  a bill authored by Minnesota House Agriculture committee chair Mike Sundin, D-Esko, to add a tribal member to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.

Compelling testimony by Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa tribal chair Kevin DuPuis  addressed the genesis of the bill. The bill's hearing in the video here begins at the 44:20​ and Chair DuPuis' testimony leads off the discussion at the 46:15 mark.

What the Deer Farmers attempted was to extend regulatory capture, the control by an industry or special interest, of the regulatory agency designed to monitor it. 

Now a bill to address the issue is up in the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee on Monday. Here are  links to the hearing and the bill.

#mnhouse #Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee will livestream tomorrow at 1 p.m. on @MNHouseInfo live. @reprickhansen bill HF1137 Board of Animal Health modified. #mnleg https://t.co/fe5V5JAVEs

— Sally Jo Sorensen (@sallyjos) February 28, 2021

We'll be watching the hearing and will update this post with our take on the discussion. We anticipate some discussion about whether the board is controlled by Minnesota's livestock industry--and even whether that is a good or bad thing.

Photo: The current board members of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. Via BAH website. 

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

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NEW: I'm now on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6

Getting the lead out permanently: watch girl scout speak up for trumpeter swans

We're trying to catch up on a busy week of hearings in the Minnesota legislature. Some of the most moving testimony came in the Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee when it heard testimony on Maplewood DFLer Peter Fischer's HF157, which would prohibit lead tackle sale, manufacture, and use.

Greg Stanley covered the hearing and background in-depth in As trumpeter swans die, Minnesota lawmakers consider banning lead jigs and fishing tackle. Buried at the end, there's this:

The ban proposal comes as a number of trumpeter swans have been found dead of lead poisoning on Sucker Lake in Vadnais Heights for the third straight year. The area's water management organization has found more than 20 swans dead of suspected poisoning since 2019.

Of those birds, 10 bodies were in good enough condition to be sent to the University of Minnesota for testing. It was found that all 10 had died of lead poisoning, said Dawn Tanner, program development coordinator for the Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization.

Girl Scout Troop 56087 first raised the issue of Sucker Lake's dying swans to Fischer. Girl Scout Addy Shimek, who has fished on the lake, told lawmakers this week that most anglers don't think of the damage that lead causes to wildlife or aren't aware of it.

"Finding out I may have been responsible for some of this damage, or further caused it, really upset me," she said.

The YouTube of the hearing, embedded below, opens with Fischer's explanation of the bill to the committee, followed by Girl Scout Addy, accompanied her mother. Tracy Shimek. Watch it here:

Stanley reported:

The House committee did not vote on the ban but agreed to bring it back for consideration after clarifying potential penalties for violators as well as technical language, such as exactly what type of hooks, jigs or weights would be outlawed.

There are also questions as to how a lead ban would be enforced. The small sinkers can be found in nearly every tackle box and boat in Minnesota, said Rep. Spencer Igo, R-Grand Rapids.

Lead tackle is cheaper than most alternatives, although some options such as tin can be as cheap as lead if they can be found in stores.

"My big concern is the cost," Igo said. "A half-ounce of lead costs 30 cents, versus $2.60 for tungsten. That's a big deal for guides and outfitters and people who can't afford it."

It's worth reading the comments on the article at the Strib; readers are not patient with the delay. Let's hope the committee members and staff come up with language that assures success. 

Early in February, the Strib's Shannon Prather reported in Bird deaths fuel push for Minnesota lead tackle ban:

The open water channels around Sucker Lake in northern Ramsey County make it a popular winter spot for dozens of majestic trumpeter swans and other waterfowl.

It's also a popular public drive-up fishing spot, which is proving a fatal combination as birds consume lost lead fishing tackle.

Scientists — including one who has recovered 17 dead swans near Sucker and Vadnais lakes in Vadnais Heights — are joining Minnesota lawmakers in a call to ban lead in fishing tackle to protect swans, loons, eagles and other wildlife. Though similar efforts have stalled over the years amid opposition from anglers and hunters, advocates say they're hopeful this time will be different.

"We hear a lot from residents worried about the swans. They are a charismatic species and people see them," said Dawn Tanner, a conservation biologist and program development coordinator with the Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization. "A legislative change is probably the push that is needed."

Two Maplewood DFLers, Sen. Charles Wiger and Rep. Peter Fischer, introduced bills in January to ban the sale and use of lead fishing jigs and sinkers.

Wiger said he's feeling hopeful after Minnesota became the first state in the nation last year to prohibit most industrial uses of trichloroethylene (TCE), which can increase the risk of cancer and other serious health issues.

An overwhelming majority of lawmakers supported that ban after White Bear Township-based Water Gremlin agreed to pay $7 million in fines and fees after the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) determined the plant had released an excess amount of TCE into the air.

Wiger said his constituents are now pushing for more environmental justice measures.

"My district is very concerned about the environmental impact of toxic chemicals," said Wiger, whose neighboring district was impacted by nearby Water Gremlin. "We need to listen to the next generation."

Others, including the nonprofit Friends of Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas, are also aiming to ban lead in hunting ammunition. Board Chairman Tom Casey said people would be shocked to know the amount of lead left in wilderness areas that belong to the public.

While legislators push for policy changes, the MPCA has launched a "Get The Lead Out" campaign that asks Minnesotans to voluntarily give up lead fishing tackle.

As part of the three-year campaign, they are passing out lead-free fishing tackle in schools, as prizes at fishing tournaments and at a handful of government waste collection sites.

Unfortunately, that voluntary approach doesn't seem adequate. Let's hope the Minnesota Legislature can truly get the lead out this session. 

Photo: Swans in a west central Minnesota marshland. Photo by Cathie Fredrickson  via Birds and Butterflies of West Central MN.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email sally.jo.sorensen@gmail.com as recipient.

House Environment committee approves update to motorboat, recreational vehicle DUI provision

From Session Daily:

Environment panel approves update to motorboat, recreational vehicle DUI provisions

By Nate Gotlieb

A bill ensuring motorboat and recreational vehicle DUI provisions are the same as motor vehicle DUI provisions has been approved by a House panel.

HF695, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn (DFL-Roseville), on Friday was approved 17-0 by the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee and referred to the House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy Committee.

Its companion, SF703, sponsored by Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria), awaits action by the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee.

The bill has its roots in "Little Alan's Law," passed in 2018 after 8-year-old Alan Geisenkoetter Jr. was struck and killed by a drunken snowmobiler while preparing to ice fish.

That law ensured the two categories of DUI statutes were largely the same. But the Department of Natural Resources says there are still small differences between them that can be confusing to interpret.

Provisions in the new bill include:

• suspending an individual’s license to operate a recreational vehicle if they are revoked for impairment in a motor vehicle and vice versa;
• ensuring impaired-driving incidents in a recreational vehicle (motorboat, ATV, side-by-side, etc.) are processed the same as a highway licensed motor vehicle; and
• ensuring that people in the ignition interlock program can only operate off-road vehicles or motorboats that are equipped with ignition interlock devices.

Here's the Minnesota House Information Services video of the hearing:

Photo: The memorial garden for Alan Geisenkoetter, Jr., created by his grandmother in a St. Paul community garden. Still from a 2018 KARE-11 project about the memorial. The bill makes adjustments to "Little Alan's Law," passed in 2018 after 8-year-old Alan Geisenkoetter Jr. was struck and killed by a drunken snowmobiler while preparing to ice fish.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

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Under Vang bill, local governments could regain ability to ban pollinator-lethal pesticides

We're a bit late on posting this one, as the bill was heard in committee on Tuesday, but believe our readers appreciate pollinator news. From Session Daily:

Control over pesticide bans could be returned to local governments

By Nate Gotlieb

Minnesota cities could prevent residents and businesses from using certain pesticides, a move environmental advocates say could help protect pollinators.

Sponsored by Rep. Samantha Vang (DFL-Brooklyn Center), HF718 would allow cities to pass ordinances banning pesticides that are lethal to bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

State law has preempted cities from enacting such bans for over 30 years.

Cities couldn't ban pet care and indoor pest-control products or products used to mitigate lice and bedbugs.

The bill on Tuesday was approved as amended by the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee by a 17-2 vote and sent to the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee. It has no Senate companion.

Pesticides used to kill weeds and keep insects and other animals away from crops and plants can be toxic to pollinators and can contaminate water and other natural resources.

In Minnesota, 50 cities have passed resolutions pledging to remove pesticides that kill pollinators, according to the Pollinator Friendly Alliance. Advocates say cities should have the choice to enact such bans.

Vang's bill would require the Department of Agriculture to maintain a list of pollinator-lethal pesticides on its website. The department estimates that creating and maintaining the list could cost over $250,000 through June 2025, because more than 3,600 chemicals would need to be reviewed.

Assistant Commissioner Whitney Place said potentially banned chemicals can be needed to control wasps and invasive species like emerald ash borer.

Opponents of the bill, including a trade group for Minnesota pest-control companies, say pesticides are adequately regulated by the state and federal government.

Here's the Minnesota House Information Services YouTube of the committee's discussion of the bill:

Photo: A bumble bee, via the Pollinator Friendly Alliance website.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

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Rural Power Coalition to Congress: support rural electric co-ops for recovery & energy transition

It's been a pleasure watching Erik Hatlestad, who grew up in rural Kandiyohi County, mature into a leader in crafting rural power policy.

Hatlestad, who serves on the New London City Council, works for CURE (Clean Up the River Environment), a rural peoples’ organization with offices in Montevideo, Minnesota. CURE’s Energy Democracy Program has been critical of certain rural electric cooperative governance practices and has recently released reports such as The Rural Electric Cooperative Scorecard and Rural Electrification 2.0. 

Hatlestad has played a key role in those efforts. But his leadership doesn't stop at CURE's doors. 

He's also been a key player in the Rural Power Coalition. The RPC is a group of place-based organizations representing rural electric cooperative member-owners from the five dirtiest electric co-ops in the United States. The RPC sees a future for electric cooperatives that is grounded in justice, democracy, and resilience. To achieve this vision, the RPC has put forth a bold, yet common-sense proposal to help all rural electric cooperatives make this transition and build a clean energy system for every resident in their service areas. 

Reached by phone about the press release below, Hatlestad expressed his optimism about the Rural Power Coalition's proposals. 

"This is a great opportunity for rural co-operatives and their members," he said. "These measures direct billions in economic development into our rural communities, create jobs and enable us to be a vital part of the new green economy."

We agree. Here's the press release:

The Rural Power Coalition (RPC) is calling on Congress to enact seven policies to support rural electric cooperatives in transitioning to a more sustainable electric grid. The crippling of Texas’ power grid by a cold snap is a tragic yet timely reminder of the importance of rural infrastructure, especially as the United States considers massive COVID-19 relief and climate change-related infrastructure investments. 

While Texas is center stage today, it is far from alone in needing massive investment in the electric grid. Much of rural America is at risk, and this infrastructure crisis represents a once-in-a-century opportunity to transition the grid to safe, reliable, affordable, climate-friendly renewable energy. 

Rural electric cooperatives serve 42 million Americans and power 56% of the nation’s landmass. They are the social, economic, and infrastructural cornerstones of the rural communities they serve, which include Black, Native American, and other historically disadvantaged communities. 

Keriann Conroy, member-owner of Gunnison County Electric in Gunnison, Colorado said about the recommended policies, "So many rural Coloradans are struggling to keep the lights on, and our federal lawmakers can choose to help them now. We need short-term relief by forgiving unpaid bills and keeping the shut-off moratorium alive

Rural electric cooperatives and their member-owners face challenges greatly exacerbated by COVID-19. The most vulnerable in rural communities have an energy burden up to three times greater than their higher-income counterparts and risk losing service due to nonpayment, which also threatens the cooperatives’ financial health. In addition, nearly two-thirds of their fossil fuel power supply needs to be retired, but they continue to service billions in debt for outdated infrastructure. 

The RPC is asking Congress to consider seven policies that directly address rural electric cooperatives’ most urgent needs while supporting their transition to a 21st-century green economy. 

The most immediate need is to reform the Rural Utility Service Hardship Loan Program and direct $100 billion to rural electric cooperatives so they can forgive unpaid residential utility bills, continue service for the hardest-hit families, and deliver more affordable power to rural households. 

This investment would quickly mitigate the economic hardship many rural people are facing today and jump-start infrastructure projects that will create hundreds - if not thousands – of good-paying jobs in every state. 

Other proposed reforms include adding $17 billion to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program for residential electricity bill relief, equal treatment in the reform of renewable energy tax credits under The Moving Forward Act, additional funding for rural development, and more. 

Erik L. Lewis, owner-member of Fleming Mason Energy in Rowan County, Kentucky said about the historic opportunity for rural transformation, “Rural electric coops were once part of a great transformation – rural electrification - that made wonderful changes in people’s lives. ‘Fossilized’ commitments to expensive and environmentally destructive coal power have left co-ops with staggering debts. Lifting that burden could revive them as community forces for a just energy future.” 

Read the sign-on letter and all seven policy demands here. 

The RPC is sending letters to select congresspersons today to build awareness about the proposals and add congressional signatories to their sign-on letter which already includes 100 rural advocacy organizations. 

Photo: Rural powerlines.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the  paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email sally.jo.sorensen@gmail.com as recipient.

Boever death: Ravnsborg didn't see face coming through glass, flashlight like beacon in grass

Since we posted Justice for Joe Boever: Governor Noem calls for AG Ravnsborg's resignation; articles of impeachment filed in South Dakota House yesterday afternoon, two videos of South Dakota Attorney General being interviewed about the crash that killed Joe Boever have been posted by the state of South Dakota.

The videos are at the bottom of this post. Update: At the request of AG Ravnsborg's lawyer, a judge ordered the Youtubes made private.  We've updated the post with the story in the place below where we'd embedded the Youtube. [end update]

First a news digest.

Perhaps the most vivid lede? Arielle Zionts reports in the Rapid City Journal article Investigators: Ravnsborg should have seen Boever the night of the crash:

If he was paying attention, the South Dakota Attorney General should have been able to see the pedestrian before, during and after he fatally crashed into him in September, investigators said in interview videos released on Tuesday.

Joseph Boever was walking with a flashlight, crashed head-first through Jason Ravnsborg’s windshield, left behind broken glasses in his car and then came to rest near the side of the road next to the light that remained illuminated, they told the attorney general. 

“They're Joe's glasses" an investigator said of the broken glasses found in Ravnsborg’s car. “That means his face comes through the windshield,” he said as the attorney general sighed and looked to the ground.

Boever's flashlight remained on when it came to rest next to him less than two feet from the shoulder of the highway, an investigator said. Boever was also stripped of his clothes during the crash, making his body quite visible.

"After the crash did you see that light in the dark?” he asked. “It’s pitch dark. If there's something glowing, it would make sense for you to see it."

We turned the flashlight on at the same spot it was found at night and "It's hard to miss. “I mean it's truly hard to miss when you're out there,” the investigator said. “That flashlight was like a beacon,” a second investigator said. . . .

Ravnsborg repeatedly insisted he was driving within the lane, wasn’t on his phone during the crash and never saw Boever until he found his body the next morning.

"I know how some of this looks, but I did not see a man until the next day,” he said. "I did not see a flashlight, I didn't see him in the face. No, I did not. I did not. I did not know it was a man until the next day. No."

“I’ll swear on a stack of bibles” and “I’ll go to my grave saying that,” Ravnsborg said.

Turing to national coverage, at the Washington Post, Andrea Salcedo reports in South Dakota AG pushed by critics to resign over new evidence in fatal car incident: ‘He knew what he hit and he lied’:

Days after South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg fatally struck a man while driving in September, detectives told the Republican official they had found a pair of broken reading glasses inside his Ford Taurus. They belonged to the man he killed.

That was a problem, detectives said, because Ravnsborg, 44, said he didn’t know he had hit a man until the following day, when he returned to the scene and found the body of Joseph Boever, 55, in a ditch.

“They’re Joe’s glasses, so that means his face came through your windshield,” one of the detectives said in an interview released by the South Dakota Department of Public Safety on Tuesday. . . .

The interviews raise questions about the conduct of the state’s top law enforcement official in the Sept. 12 incident, giving fuel to a chorus of lawmakers demanding he leave office. On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers filed two articles of impeachment against Ravnsborg, who has since been charged with three misdemeanors, and South Dakota Gov. Kristi L. Noem (R) called for his resignation.

But Ravnsborg said that he will not step down. “At no time has this issue impeded his ability to do the work of the office,” Mike Deaver, his private spokesman, said in a statement to the Argus Leader.

Boever’s cousin, Nick Nemec, told The Washington Post the new videos confirmed what he has always believed: Ravnsborg knew he had struck a man that evening and drove away anyway.

“He knew there was a dead man in that ditch,” said Nemec, 62. “He knew what he hit and he lied.” . . .

The New York Times' Christine Hauser reported Wednesday afternoon in South Dakota Attorney General Faces Impeachment and Calls to Resign Over Crash:

State officials released videos that show investigators confronting the attorney general, Jason Ravnsborg, with descriptions of his car hitting a man: “His face came through your windshield.” . . .

Ms. Noem urged people to watch the videos released by the state, which show the attorney general being confronted by investigators, including one who makes a stark assertion about the victim’s impact, telling him, “We know that his face came through your windshield.”

The governor said in a brief statement that with charges filed and the investigation over, “I believe the attorney general should resign.” Both Ms. Noem and Mr. Ravnsborg are Republicans. . . .

Days after the crash, Mr. Ravnsborg said in a statement that he had personally found the body of Mr. Boever. But the two videos provided the first examples of Mr. Ravnsborg, 44, a Republican who took office in Jan. 2019, telling the story of what happened that night on camera.

Special Agents of the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, who assisted in the investigation, conducted the interviews. In the first, from Sept. 14, Mr. Ravnsborg told investigators that he was driving home alone from a Republican Party dinner on the night of Sept. 12, and after passing through the town of Highmore, he accelerated to about 67 miles per hour on U.S. Highway 14.

“And then quite frankly, wham,” he said. “I hit, the incident happened. I never saw anything until the impact.” He said he jumped out of the car and called 911. He then hung up, used his phone’s flashlight and looked around the highway and the ditch. He took a photograph of the front of his vehicle.

“I am thinking it is a deer at this point but I did not see anything,” he told two investigators during the interview, adding that he did not see blood or fur from the impact, just debris from his car.

After the sheriff arrived, he made arrangements for a tow truck to haul the attorney general’s Ford Taurus away and lent a vehicle to Mr. Ravnsborg to drive home.

The next morning, on his way to return the vehicle, Mr. Ravnsborg and a staff member stopped at the scene of the accident, splitting up on foot to look around, Mr. Ravnsborg said.

Mr. Ravnsborg went to the left. “I initially thought I saw, it looked like a fawn or a deer in the ditch,” he told investigators. “But then I come up. It was the man. And he is not good. I mean, he is dead.”

The two men then brought the sheriff, and the dead man was identified as Mr. Boever, 55, of Highmore, S.D. He had apparently been walking along the highway to his disabled truck.

When told by investigators in the first interview that they had found a pair of broken eyeglasses in his car, Mr. Ravnsborg could not say whether they belonged to him, even though he said he did not wear glasses.

In the second interview, on Sept. 30, Mr. Ravnsborg was told the eyeglasses belonged to Mr. Boever. “That means his face came through your windshield,” one of the investigators said. Mr. Ravnsborg said he had not seen blood or the eyeglasses.

“We know that his face came through your windshield,” one investigator said. The vehicle also had an imprint from at least part of the man’s body on the hood, an investigator said, adding that “at some point he rolls off and slides into the ditch.”

“I never saw him,” Mr. Ravnsborg said.

Mr. Boever was also carrying a flashlight, which was still on when his body was found the next day. Mr. Ravnsborg said he had not seen that light on the side of the road, and that he “did not know that it was a man until the next day.”

“I think you had an idea that it was something other than a deer though,” an investigator pressed.

“I just believed it was a deer,” Mr. Ravnsborg replied.

Nick Nemec, one of Mr. Boever’s cousins, said the family was not sure why Mr. Boever had walked that night back to his truck, which had stopped on the side of the road after it hit a hay bale. He said the family was distressed by what they heard in the videos.

“It is even worse than we thought,” Mr. Nemec said in an interview on Wednesday.

For the Daily Beast, Tom Lawrence reports in Victim That South Dakota AG ‘Didn’t See’ Came Through His Windshield, Investigators Say:

During an interrogation on Sept. 30, investigators noted Boever’s glasses were found inside Ravnsborg’s 2011 Ford Taurus.

“That means his face came through your windshield,” said a North Dakota Bureau of Investigation agent, one of two who questioned Ravnsborg for more than three hours in a pair of sessions.

“His face is in your windshield,” the agent said as Ravnsborg groans. “Think about it.”

Ravnsborg said he didn’t see the glasses, either, even when he later went through the front seat looking for an insurance card to show to Hyde County Sheriff Mike Volek, who lives near the crash site and responded to the 911 call.

The agent said the broken glasses found inside Ravnsborg’s car belonged to Boever, who was walking into Highmore when he was struck and killed.

Ravnsborg also was asked why he didn’t see a flashlight Boever was carrying when the crash occurred at 10:24 p.m. When the agents arrived from North Dakota, it was still on, shining “like a beacon,” they said.

The agents also told Ravnsborg they knew he was on the shoulder of the road when the crash occurred. He did not have an explanation for why he was there.

The investigators also noted he had made calls and looked at websites while he was driving from the Republican Party event in Redfield back to Pierre, the state capital. Ravnsborg had clicked on a Real Clear Politics story on Joe Biden and China just before the crash. He told investigators he had set the phone down before the impact.

“I believe I did not do anything wrong,” Ravnsborg said. “I did not see him or anything. I did not know it was a man until the next day.”

Huffpo shares the Associated Press's coverage in Police Grill South Dakota AG About Not Noticing He Struck A Man With Car:

Investigators questioning South Dakota’s attorney general after a fatal car crash pressed him on how he did not realize he had struck a man and whether he had been reading email and checking news sites on his phone immediately before, according to videos of their interviews.

In two videos released by Gov. Kristi Noem late Tuesday, criminal investigators confront the state’s top law enforcement officer, Jason Ravnsborg, with gruesome details of the crash, at one point telling him: “His face was in your windshield, Jason, think about that.”

Ravnsborg appeared unsure of how he had swerved onto a highway shoulder and killed 55-year-old Joseph Boever, but detectives told him Boever’s glasses had been found inside his Ford Taurus and that bone scrapings were found on the rumble strip of the highway shoulder. Investigators said they found one part of Boever’s severed glasses on the front, passenger-side floorboard and the other part in the back seat. . . .

The detectives also questioned how Ravnsborg could have searched the area with his cellphone flashlight, at one point walking right by Boever’s body, and not seen his body. They pointed out that part of Boever’s white skin was exposed and a flashlight he had been carrying was still on. The detectives said it would have been hard to miss both Boever’s body, lying in the grass near the highway pavement, and a flashlight shining on a dark night.

Ravnsborg insisted he saw neither and pointed out that the sheriff and tow truck driver who arrived later also had not spotted Boever’s body or the flashlight. Earlier in the interview, the attorney general told detectives that he had no idea he had killed a man until the next day when he stopped by the accident scene with his chief of staff, Tim Bormann. . . .

The national coverage reflects that of venues closer to home. At the Dakota Free Press blog, Cory Allen Heidelberger reports in Noem Pushing Ravnsborg to Resign as She Preps for Big Texas, Florida Fundraisers:

Governor Kristi Noem needed to get in front of Jason Ravnsborg’s impeachment and call for his resignation, not only because he’s a lying sack of crap, but also because she has two big fundraisers this weekend, and out-of-state donors might not be as free with their cash if they had questions about why Kristi was covering for a killer.

One detail about impeachment from Heidelberger: Senate Must Wait 20 Days to Try Ravnsborg After Impeachment Vote.

For the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, Danielle Ferguson, Joe Sneve, and Jonathan Ellis report in 'His face was in your windshield, Jason.' Ravnsborg videos provide more details about fatal crash:

North Dakota investigators were skeptical that South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg didn't know he had struck and killed a pedestrian on the night of Sept. 12, 2020.

According to video footage from two separate interviews between investigators and Ranvsborg, made public Tuesday by the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, authorities found the reading glasses of Joe Boever inside the Ford Taurus that killed him.

"His face was in your windshield, Jason. Think about that," a detective with the North Dakota Bureau of Investigation said during an interrogation Sept. 30.

The Argus Leader article includes a timeline of notable statements from the two interviews.

Here are the YouTubes of the two interviews Note: a judge's order made the state of South Dakota remove the links to the YouTubes, should they not be available for you.

Update: For the Rapid City Journal, Arielle Zionts reports in Judge orders state to stop sharing Ravnsborg evidence, remove videos:

The judge overseeing Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg’s criminal case has ordered state government to stop releasing evidence and delete two videos of his police interviews it already shared.

“This is highly unprecedented, and release of this type of information to the public before it has even been released to defense counsel creates great fairness and prejudice,” defense lawyer Timothy Rensch of Rapid City wrote in a motion filed Thursday. “If such order is not granted, the selective and unprecedented release of this nonpublic information will create irreparable harm to the defendant.”

Emily Sovell, deputy state’s attorney for Hyde County, tried to stop Gov. Kristi Noem from releasing the videos on Tuesday, the motion says. . . . 

South Dakota law says investigative materials from law enforcement agencies are not public records. DPS, the Attorney General's Office, the Rapid City Police Department and the Pennington County Sheriff's Office have denied the Journal's requests for videos and other evidence, often related to law enforcement using serious or lethal force against civilians. . . .

Read about the entire hot mess at the Rapid City Journal, where Zionts has the receipts. {end update]

Related posts:

• Justice for Joe Boever: Governor Noem calls for AG Ravnsborg's resignation; articles of impeachment filed in South Dakota House
•  Attorney General Ravnsborg charged with 3 misdemeanors in crash that killed Joe Boever
• Twitter memorials: 5 months ago, South Dakota Attorney General Ravnsborg killed Joe Boever
• Daily Beast: Ravnsborg killed a man. Family members fear Joe Boever has been forgotten
• Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Noem supports using grand jury to speed up Ravnsborg killing probe
• States attorneys looking into killing of Joseph Boever by AG Ravnsborg not talking to Noem
• Rapid City Journal: After 4 months, still no decision on whether AG Ravnsborg will be charged for killing Joseph Boever
• AP: Prosecutors waiting on debris testing in SD Attorney General killing of Joseph Boever 
• Governor Kristi Noem takes off her positive pants, given pace of Ravnsborg investigation
• Well, that's illuminating: South Dakota Highway Patrol’s accident report on Boever killing 
• South Dakota News Watch: Crash experts question Ravnsborg’s car-deer explanation
• SD News Watch: State's criminal & civil traffic laws favor drivers over pedestrians in collisions
• UPDATED: Joe Boever's tragic death on Hwy 14: news digest about Ravnsborg's fatal accident

Photo: Ravnsborg's Taurus, via Rapid City Journal. From the New York Times' transcription:"“We know that his face came through your windshield,” one investigator said. The vehicle also had an imprint from at least part of the man’s body on the hood, an investigator said, adding that “at some point he rolls off and slides into the ditch.”

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Justice for Joe Boever: Governor Noem calls for AG Ravnsborg's resignation; articles of impeachment filed in South Dakota House

While we were watching Minnesota House committees, the pendulum swung against South Dakota Jason Ravnsborg, who was charged last last week with 3 misdemeanors in crash that killed Joe Boever.

This tweet by Forum News Services South Dakota bureau chief Jeremy Fugelburg popped up in our feed:

INBOX: SD Gov. Kristi Noem calls on AG Jason Ravnsborg to resign, after he was charged in deadly crash. pic.twitter.com/64oEnrXOvU

— Jeremy Fugleberg (@jayfug) February 23, 2021

Not long after that, South Dakota AP reporter Steve Groves tweeted:

The scene in the South Dakota House as we await word whether AG Jason Ravnsborg will face impeachment. Session was scheduled to start at 1, but Republican caucus is still meeting. pic.twitter.com/hfweTzaKU1

— Stephen Groves (@stephengroves) February 23, 2021

Here are author Will Mortenson's  statements on the articles of impeachment:

BREAKING: Impeachment articles have been filed. Remarks to follow session in the rotunda. pic.twitter.com/MutcSFsvIc

— Austin Goss (@AustinGossSD) February 23, 2021

Read House Resolution 7001 here. Here are the articles of impeachment:

Impeaching Jason Ravnsborg, Attorney General of the State of South Dakota uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd

News digest about the developing story

At the Rapid City Journal, Arielle Zionts reports in Noem calls on AG to resign after fatal crash, release of documents:

Gov. Noem called on Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg to resign Tuesday and announced that more investigative materials into his fatal crash will be released today.

“Now that the investigation has closed and charges have been filed, I believe the Attorney General should resign. I have reviewed the material we are releasing, starting today, and I encourage others to review it as well," Noem said in a statement.

Noem's comments come more than five months after Ravnsborg hit and killed pedestrian Joe Boever, and five days after prosecutors announced he would be charged with three misdemeanors but no felonies.

The Journal wanted to ask what made Noem to now decide to call for Ravnsborg’s resignation, but her spokesman Ian Fury said she’s not making any more statements today. 

Ravnsborg is “not planning to resign at this time,” said his personal spokesman Mike Deaver. . . .

Later this afteroon Abby Wargo report in Impeachment articles filed against Attorney General Ravnsborg:

Rep. Will Mortenson, R-Pierre, introduced articles of impeachment Tuesday against Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg after he declined to resign after hitting and killing Joseph Boever with his car outside of Highmore in September.

Ravnsborg was charged with three misdemeanors last week, causing political leaders from the South Dakota Democratic Party to Gov. Kristi Noem calling on him to resign his position. 

Mortenson is the resolution’s prime sponsor, but it is supported by House Majority Leader Kent Peterson, R-Salem, and House Minority Leader Jamie Smith, D-Sioux Falls. The resolution was not discussed on the House floor Tuesday.

House Resolution 7001 gives two reasons for the impeachment proceedings: causing the death of Boever and for statements and actions following Boever’s death that fail to meet the standard of the Office of Attorney General.

“Following the collision, including during his reporting of the collision and the resulting investigation, Jason Ravnsborg undertook actions unbecoming the Attorney General. Jason Ravnsborg’s statements and actions failed to meet the standard of the Office of the Attorney General,” the resolution states.

Mortenson said his decision to file the resolution was the result of months of consideration and advice. He said in a statement that while the charging decision may have been correct, the Attorney General “owes a higher duty” to both the state and its citizens.

Read both articles at the Journal.

 

For the Associated Press, Groves reports in South Dakota House moves to impeach AG after fatal crash:

South Dakota House lawmakers on Tuesday began impeachment proceedings against the state’s attorney general, who is facing misdemeanor charges for striking and killing a man with his car and is already under pressure to resign.

Republican lawmakers introduced a resolution in the House to impeach the state’s top law enforcement officer, Jason Ravnsborg, after he indicated Monday he would not heed calls for his resignation.

The Republican attorney general faces three misdemeanor charges but no felonies in the September death of 55-year-old Joseph Boever.

Lawmakers argued in the impeachment resolution that Ravnsborg should be removed from office for “his crimes or misdemeanors in office causing the death” of Boever.

The resolution also stated that Ravnsborg’s conduct following the crash was “unbecoming” and his “statements and actions failed to meet the standard” of his office.

Shortly before the impeachment resolution was filed, Gov. Kristi Noem joined the chorus of people calling for him to step down.

“Now that the investigation has closed and charges have been filed, I believe the Attorney General should resign,” Noem said in a statement.

A spokesman for Ravnsborg did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It would take a simple majority in the House to advance the impeachment charges to the Senate. There, it would require two-thirds of senators to convict and remove him from office. State law requires senators to wait 20 days from when the attorney general receives a copy of the impeachment charges before beginning the trial. Noem would get to appoint a replacement if Ravnsborg leaves or is removed from office. . . .

At the Argus Leader, Jonathan Ellis, Joe Sneve, and Danielle Ferguson report in Pressure mounts for Attorney General Ravnsborg to resign as lawmakers file articles of impeachment:

Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg’s future as the state’s top prosecutor took two major blows Tuesday after Gov. Kristi Noem said he should resign and lawmakers in the House of Representatives started impeachment proceedings.

The developments followed last week’s charges against Ravnsborg in the Sept. 12, 2020 death of Joseph Boever, 55, who was struck by Ravnsborg while walking on Highway 14 West of Highmore.

In asking for his resignation, Noem said more materials related to the investigation would be released to the public. Videos of interviews conducted by investigators with Ravnsborg were expected to be released later that day.

“Now that the investigation has closed and charges have been filed, I believe the Attorney General should resign," Noem said. "I have reviewed the material we are releasing, starting today, and I encourage others to review it as well.”

Following Noem’s announcement, House Republicans convened for a closed-door caucus session that went so late, the start of Tuesday’s House floor session was delayed by more than an hour. After they emerged, Rep. Will Mortenson, R-Pierre, announced he had filed two articles of impeachment against Ravnsborg.

“This is not political, and it is not personal,” said Mortenson, who is a lawyer serving in his first term in the Legislature. “Again, I do not believe Attorney General Ravnsborg belongs in prison, but I know he does not belong in the Office of the Attorney General anymore.” . . .

Read the story at the Argus Leader. At South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Lee Strubinger reports Governor Noem Says Attorney General Ravnsborg Should Resign and Impeachment Articles Filed Against AG Ravnsborg.

At Keloland, there's Eric Myers' Gov. Noem calls for Ravnsborg to resignand S.D. Representatives file Articles of Impeachment against Ravnsborg.

Update: Always worth the read at Dakota Free Press, Cory Allen Heidelberger writes in Mortenson, Peterson, Smith File Articles of Impeachment Against Ravnsborg; Noem Ready to Bury Killer Attorney General:

Odds are you did not have as bad a day at work as Jason Ravnsborg did.

But Jason, remember: you’re still having a better day than Joe Boever, the man you killed over five months ago. . . . [end update]

Update #2

Statement from Ravnsborg’s personal spokesman: pic.twitter.com/AOM2q8wLSA

— Arielle Zionts (@Ajzionts) February 24, 2021

We think readers get the picture. We'll post when as news develops.

Related posts:

• SD Attorney General Ravnsborg charged with 3 misdemeanors in crash that killed Joe Boever
• Twitter memorials: 5 months ago, South Dakota Attorney General Ravnsborg killed Joe Boever
• Daily Beast: Ravnsborg killed a man. Family members fear Joe Boever has been forgotten
• Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Noem supports using grand jury to speed up Ravnsborg killing probe
• States attorneys looking into killing of Joseph Boever by AG Ravnsborg not talking to Noem
• Rapid City Journal: After 4 months, still no decision on whether AG Ravnsborg will be charged for killing Joseph Boever
• AP: Prosecutors waiting on debris testing in SD Attorney General killing of Joseph Boever 
• Governor Kristi Noem takes off her positive pants, given pace of Ravnsborg investigation
• Well, that's illuminating: South Dakota Highway Patrol’s accident report on Boever killing 
• South Dakota News Watch: Crash experts question Ravnsborg’s car-deer explanation
• SD News Watch: State's criminal & civil traffic laws favor drivers over pedestrians in collisions
• UPDATED: Joe Boever's tragic death on Hwy 14: news digest about Ravnsborg's fatal accident

Photo: The victim, Joe Boever, left, and the killer, Jason Ravnsborg, right.

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