Early this year, National Public Radio reported A decade on, the 'This is fine' creator wants to put the famous dog to rest.
Unfortunately, three Minnesota state agencies, Forum Communications, and state representative Steve Jacob, R-Altura, are demonstrating why the meme stays fresh.
As republished online at the Rochester Post Bulletin, AgWeek's Noah Fish reports in Minnesota agencies release nitrate protection plan, say federal resources are needed to enact:
The state of Minnesota has vowed to continue its long-term management to positively impact groundwater and drinking water in the region, but addressing immediate concerns of rising nitrate levels in southeast Minnesota will require federal funding and resources.
In a Dec. 1 letter from the commissioners of the Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the state rolled out its plan to meet the requirements by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to protect drinking water in southeast Minnesota from nitrate contamination.
"While we have made great strides in recent decades to ensure the safety of drinking water in our state, there are a variety of threats that must be acknowledged and addressed by all levels of government," read the letter.
Executive branch agencies split authority for water, with the Minnesota Department of Health as the lead for the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, while the Clean Water Act is implemented by shared work of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. . . .
As Bluestem noted in Friday's post, Office of Legislative Auditor places MPCA nitrate rulemaking on list of possible 2024 audit topics, a preliminary review of the MPCA's ntirate rulemaking record have put the agency on the watchdog's potential 2024 audit topics.
Here's the OLA's response:
The agencies' letter is embedded in Bluestem's post and the Fish article at the Post Bulletin.
But there's more. Post Bulletin news editor Brian Todd jumped for a seat at the burning banquet with Minnesota answers EPA's groundwater demands, pulling out a seat for MegaFarm fan, Representative Steve Jacob:
. . . Minnesota Rep. Steve Jacob, R-Altura, said he thought the response looked "relatively fair and balanced."
"I didn't see anything in that letter that added an immediate onerous (requirement) to feedlots," Jacob said.
The action by the EPA was in response to an April 24, 2023, petition filed by the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) and 10 other groups, which asked the EPA to "exercise its emergency powers under Section 1431 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to address groundwater nitrate contamination that presents a risk to the health of the residents in eight counties of the Southeast Karst Region."
That petition focused on feedlots, claiming large feedlots — concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs — are a main source of nitrate contamination. The petition had asked the EPA to restrict permitting of any new CAFOs or the expansion of any current CAFOs in the region.
Jacob said he was glad to see the response letter did not contain any language about a moratorium on feedlot expansion.
"That's not in there," he said.
What the letter did do, Jacob said, is reiterate actions already being taken to improve groundwater in Southeast Minnesota. For example, he noted that the state pointed out to the EPA that in 2019 Minnesota implemented the Minnesota Groundwater Protection Rule, which prohibits the fall application of commercial fertilizer on fields.
Jacob said this is a program that will greatly reduce nitrate levels, but because the contamination of groundwater — and subsequent cleaning of groundwater — is a years-long process, the benefits have not yet shown up though testing of drinking water from wells in the region. . . .
Perhaps residents of the karst region can bring hot cocoa to Representative Jacob, in honor to his acumen.
In his defense and that of Todd, they probably hadn't seen the Office of the Legislative Auditor's response to Legislative Audit Commission co-chair Rick Hansen's queries about the MPCA water quality management standards development.
This is fine.
Image: The panel on the right, from KC Green's web comic strip "On Fire," became a popular online meme by 2014. KC Green, via A decade on, the 'This is fine' creator wants to put the famous dog to rest.
Related posts
- Office of Legislative Auditor places MPCA nitrate rulemaking on list of possible 2024 audit topics
- Land Stewardship Project applauds court’s support of Winona County; launches ‘Story Center Powerline’ initiative for rural residents
- Minnesota district court rules against Winona County dairy expansion; owner will appeal
- Agweek Special Report on Rural Health: 10% of MN private wells pose a health problem
- Following emergency petition regarding nitrate contamination in SEMN karst region, EPA sees further action needed to protect public health
- On ‘Cancer Road,’ a group of southeastern MN families ask if nitrate exposure is to blame
- Strib scrutinizes MN Department of Ag action on nitrate-related Groundwater Protection Rule
- Nitrates in Southwestern Minnesota water: 'Do not give the water to infants' in Ellsworth
- Commentary from MinnPost: Can the state control nitrates in Minnesota waters?
- Minnesota Department of Health isn’t properly enforcing drinking water law, and kids will suffer
- Jean Wagenius: For climate and clean water, state agencies need Walz to lead
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.
Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.
I'm on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6
Comments