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General Government <br />2-LPollinatorHabitatResources <br />Recent declines in the abundance of pollinator insects, such as bees and butterflies, have been <br />identified by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as a threat to food security, <br />as these insects are an important method of plant pollination. According to the US Fish and <br />Wildlife Service, the main threats facing pollinators are habitat loss, degradation and <br />fragmentation.Pollinatorslosefoodandnestingsitestheyneedtosurvivewhen native <br />vegetation is replaced by roadways, manicured lawns, crops and non-native gardens. This can <br />haveadded detrimenttopollinatorsthat migrate. Research hasshownthat providingtheseinsects <br />with more habitat can create the conditions for these insect populations to recover. Converting <br />traditional grass lawns has been identified as way to increase pollinator habitat. The Minnesota <br />Legislature created the Lawns to Legumes program, which provides grants to private <br />homeownerstoconverttraditionallawns topollinatorfriendlylandscape. <br />Metro CitiessupportsstatefundingfortheLawnsto Legumesprogramandsupports <br />expanding eligibility of this program to cities. Metro Cities supports state funding to <br />programsthatcreatepollinator habitatonbothpublicandprivate lands. <br />2-MRegulationofHarmfulSubstancesandProducts <br />In metropolitan regions where most cities share boundaries with other cities, local bans of <br />harmful drugs and substances such as synthetic drugs, which have been found to be dangerous, <br />do noteliminateaccesstothese productsunlessallcitiestakethe same regulatory action. <br />Metro Cities supports statewide regulation and prohibition of products or substances in <br />circumstances where there is evidence that products present a danger to anyone who uses <br />them, where there is broad local support for a ban and where corresponding regulatory <br />issueshaveregionalorstatewidesignificance. <br />In addition, the Legislature should provide for the regulation of products that are known to <br />damage water quality, sewer collection, and stormand wastewater treatment systems, not just at <br />the treatment and infrastructure maintenance levels, but at the consumer and manufacturing <br />levels, through accurate labeling of products, public education, and recycling and re-use <br />programs. <br />2-NPrivateWellDrillingRestrictionAuthority <br />Cities are authorized to enact ordinances that disallow the placement of private wells within city <br />limits to ensure both water safety and availability for residents and businesses. This authority is <br />important for the appropriate management of local water supply conservation efforts. Municipal <br />water systemsarefinancially dependent upon usersto operateandmaintain thesystem.Alossof <br />significantrate payers resultingfromunregulatedprivate welldrillingwouldeconomically <br />2022 Legislative Policies <br /> 16 <br /> <br />