Dear Neighbors, This week started off with a hearing in the House Capital Investment Committee on the impact of PFAS on our water infrastructure. Last week, the federal government announced new regulations on PFAS - also known as “forever chemicals” - in drinking water, with 22 water systems in Minnesota having unsafe levels of PFAS. In our committee, we heard from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Minnesota Department of Health, and several bills related to investing in water infrastructure in communities throughout the state. We also heard my bill on requiring PFAS manufacturers to pay for the cost of purchasing and installing infrastructure designed to remove PFAS from intake waters at municipal wastewater facilities statewide, as well as the cost of treating and disposing of PFAS. Addressing the state’s water infrastructure is common practice in Capital Investment, but the scale to which polluters have harmed our water should not be shouldered solely by the taxpayers. The manufacturers that either create or utilize PFAS can’t just sit on the sidelines and profit from pollution - they have a financial responsibility to help with the clean up as well. WCCO covered our committee’s hearing, which you can watch here. Policies for Our Environment and Natural ResourcesAs we continue to pass policy proposals off the House floor, one package of legislation is already on its way to Governor Walz - our 2024 Environment and Natural Resources Policy Bill. As a member of that committee in the House, I’m incredibly proud of the proposals we put forward this year. Our bill builds on our history of environmental stewardship and continues DFLers’ work protecting Minnesota’s water, wildlife, air, and soil for future generations - and passed with bipartisan support in both chambers! |