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2 ~/ TALK Spring -Summer 1 5 <br />tl <br />nt hector f the ivisi aters <br />The 1995 legislative session was a significant one for the DNR-Division of Waters and others with an <br />interest in Water Resource Management. The discussions that centered around reform of the Wetland <br />Conservation Act of 1991 were some of the most. spirited and challenging water resource dialog in recent <br />years. <br />Although the Wetland Bill was considered in speMal session, it did not pass. On Wednesday an agreement <br />was reached aver what should be in the bill; however, the bill that was introduced for the special session on <br />Thursday had been changed. The revised biU passed the House but did not pass the Senate. The wetland <br />debate will be back in force next year. In the meantime, the advocates of wetland. regulation reform will <br />continue to push for changes and wetland regulators will face frustrated customers as a result of the _ <br />amendments to the Wetlands Act not being realized. The Department does support making changes to the <br />- Wetlands Conservation Act. <br />The major piece of legislation for the DOW was our Policy Bill. 'ibis bill provides: '=,- <br />1. Corrections of minor errors due to recodification in 1990. <br />2. Provision to allow for the delegation of permit authority to watershed districts and water ~ ~ ~' <br />management organizations (this authority exists for counties). `=" <br />=..< <br />_ 3. Provision to allow for the DOW to issue general permits for projects of minimal impacts _a; <br />- (e.g., bridges and culverts). - `~ <br />:; <br />4. The ability to provide 100% state funding for the removal of public or privately owned <br />dams. - ~ ; <br />This session was also a biennial budget session and agency base budgets were not provided any increases = `:' <br />Yo cover salary increases or inflation. This amounts to a reduction in buying power. ~,' <br />`. '-a <br />The funding of the County Geologic Atlas was approved in the Division's General Ftmd budget, after being <br />funded by the LCMR in the previous two biennium. This will provide for more stable funding for the program. <br />There are many individual issues that arise during a legislative session and some themes appear to be ~ :;~ <br />around for next year. Perhaps the most significant would be the Thkings/Property Rights issue. This topic s@ <br />will be addressed more fully in a. future issue. - ~ - <br />~ _ <br />- ~.. ,. <br />~ <br /> .J _.. ... <br />~ :.. _{._~:_ <br />_`` <br />t i.: ~:.) "' <br />~_..~ ~~ ~ ~. Lis i4 i <br />1C. ~ i_~C:~ <br /> <br /> <br />BuAc Rate <br />U.S. Poatape <br />PAID <br />Pom9t No. 171 <br />St, Paul. MN <br />- 'w. <br />:.: <br />.. i.. <br />M <br />.~5: <br />- <br />-~ <br />- ~ I <br />