Permitting Reform Approved in MN House Environment Committee

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency permitting process would be updated under a bill that passed the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee. While this proposal would speed up the permitting decisions, Chairman Josh Heintzeman said it still protects the environment. “We all want clean air; we all want clean water; we all want clean land,” said Heintzeman. “This bill does not do anything to remove those protections that are currently in statute.” Veda Kanitz represented the DFL Environmental Caucus and spoke against the bill. “House File 8 should be named the ‘Permit to Pollute’ bill,” said Kanitz. “It creates unnecessary and dangerous shortcuts to a thoughtful permitting process and may do irreparable harm to our natural resources, ecosystems, property value, and tourism industry.”