Minnesota House re-passes HF3280, that bill to gut wild rice sulfate water quality standards

In the Minnesota House floor session on Monday, the body adopted the Conference Committee Report on HF3280, in a 79-48 vote.

The bill would nullify the state's existing wild rice water quality sulfate standard and require the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to begin a new rulemaking process were the agency to move forward with adoption of a new standard.

In the brief debate on the bill-which is opposed by the state's Ojibwe tribes for whom the state grain has deep cultural and sacred importance and many who care about the state's water quality, but supported by mining interests--state representative Rick Hansen, DFL-S. St Paul, noted that the governor had asked the conference committee for more changes to the bill that had been delivered. The bill is likely for a veto.

Here's the moment on the floor:

Here's the Governor's letter:

2018 05 03 LETTER Wild Rice Conference Committee 01 posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd

Photo: People harvesting wild rice.

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