BSWR Retreats From Buffer Fine Proposal

The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources is back-tracking from a proposal that would have substantially increased the fines for noncompliance with the buffer law. After hearing from farmers, BWSR Executive Director John Jaschke said the draft penalty order “is not in the spirit of the law.” The April 2 proposal sought to levy fines on a per-linear foot basis, which could have resulted in fines that far exceed a farm’s value. Jaschke expects the BWSR committee to reject this proposal when it meets next week.