Permitting Changes Needed Beyond MPCA

The permitting bill passed on a party-line vote in the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee and will now go to the Workforce, Labor and Economic Development Committee. The bill would tighten the window for the MPCA to rule on permit applications and help speed up the process. Minnesota AgriGrowth Council Executive Director Darin Broten said a streamlined MPCA permitting process is a priority for the state’s ag industry. However, DNR regulations also need attention. “We have farmers in this state who have been waiting for three years to get to the first phase of a DNR water appropriation permit,” stressed Broten. “Permitting reform is important across the entire state and it also should be a priority at the DNR.”