In the last two sessions--2019-2020 and 2021-2022-- Bluestem watched a number of bills related to "forever chemicals" or PFAS heard in the Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources Committee Finance and Policy Committee.
Industry testimony against the bills always reminded me of the meme at the top of this post.
In Tuesday's Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee meeting, St. Peter DFLer Jeff Brand's HF1000 will be heard, a bill that draws in part from language from those earlier sessions' bills.
The Mankato Free Press covered the bill's introduction in State lawmakers look to ban non-essential use of ‘forever chemicals', framing the story in ways that PFAS had entered landfills in the region.
Brand's leadership is nothing new on this issue. Brand is serving a second nonconsecutive term, and the contrast between his approach to PFAS and that of Susan Akland was an issue in his defeat of his Republican opponent, if this October 2022 letter to the editor of the St. Peter Herald is any any indication.
In March 2022, Brand appeared in a Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy webinar on action the legislature and the public can to get PFAS out of Minnesota.
We're on with Jeff Brand to talk PFAS + actions #mnleg and the public can take to help get them out of Minnesota. Still time to hop in: https://t.co/KjX8C7holj pic.twitter.com/ptBfODSsFy
— @MCEA1974 (@MCEA1974) March 15, 2022
It appears that he's following up on that talk now that he's back in office.
Industry Extreme Logos
Looking over the HF1000 Written Testimony on the committee's website, Bluestem was struck by the letter below from various organizations. The logos at the top of the letter seem to be an extreme example of the use of logos in the triangle of rhetoric. (Those seeking pathos might try this story).
Written testimony against HF1000 uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd
Watch the hearing on Live Video HTV 1 at 3:30 p.m..
Chair Rick Hansen wrote in a Tuesday morning legislative update email:
Our committee will also be hearing a bill to ban the use of “forever chemicals” like PFAS in a variety of products such as carpets, cookware, cosmetics, children’s products, ski wax, and more. Study after study has shown these chemicals to be linked to cancer and other health issues as well as contamination in groundwater and local wells. No one wants these forever chemicals in their bodies, and it is far past time to take action to ban PFAS. We heard about other bills related to PFAS last month, which you can read about here.
Related posts
- Bills banning use of PFAS approved by bipartisan MNHouse environment committee vote
- MNReformer opinion: If drinking water can go bad in Bemidji, it can be contaminated anywhere
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