Water News:

House Hot List: Week of February 12th

The Minnesota Environmental Partnership and Conservation Minnesota are pleased to provide state leaders and citizens with the Minnesota Hot List. The Minnesota Hot List contains clear, concise and useful information on priority issues for the upcoming week. Senate and House Editions of the Minnesota Hot List are delivered to legislators by email and in hard copy. A list of supporting organizations can be found at the end of this document.

*****FLOOR VOTE*****
HF 2285 Great Outdoors and Heritage Amendment Conference Committee Report
Action: Floor Vote on February 14
This bill allows citizens to protect our drinking water sources; protect, enhance and restore our wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game and wildlife habitat; preserve our arts and cultural heritage; support our parks and trails; and protect, enhance, and restore our lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater by voting to increase the sales tax 3/8 of one percent.
Position: Support

HF 1951: Green Bonds: expanding sustainable building guidelines to apply to major renovations; providing funding for local government energy improvements (Knuth, K.)
House Energy Finance and Policy Division, Wednesday, February 13, 3:00 PM
Action: Committee vote
Chair: Representative Bill Hilty
With an author’s amendment, this bill will expand the scope of current sustainable building guidelines, which now apply to new construction funded with state bond proceeds, to also cover major renovations.  The bill also creates a “Green Bonds” grant program to provide assistance to local governments seeking to fund energy improvements. 
Position: Support; follow author’s lead on amendments

HF XX: Omnibus Transportation Finance Bill (Lieder)
Transportation Finance Division; Wednesday, February 13; 3:00
Action: Committee vote
Chair: Rep. Lieder
This bill substantially increases funding for transit towards the goal of implementing the Metropolitan Council’s transit plan by 2020. It includes funding to help achieve the goal of: constructing eight new dedicated transitways, doubling the bus ridership by 2020, creating better transit facilities and new park & ride capacity, providing revenue to local governments for bicycle and pedestrian projects, and expanding transit outside the metropolitan area.
Position: Support; oppose amendments

HF 863: California vehicle emission standards adopted (Hortman)
Environment & Natural Resources Policy; February 14, 4:00 PM
Action: Committee vote
Chair: Rep. Eken
This bill requires auto manufacturers to produce cars, beginning in model year 2011, in a way that reduces global warming emissions 30% by 2016. Thirteen states, representing over half of US population, have already adopted these standards.
Position: Support; follow author’s lead on amendments

1000 Friends of Minnesota * Alliance for Sustainability * Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis * Audubon Minnesota * Cannon River Watershed Partnership * Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center * Center for Energy and Environment * Clean Up the River Environment * Clean Water Action Alliance of Minnesota * Conservation Fund * Conservation Minnesota * Duluth Audubon Society * Environmental Association for Great Lakes Education (EAGLE) * Fresh Energy * Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness * Friends of the Mississippi River * Harbor Friends * Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy * Institute for Local Self-Reliance * Izaak Walton League of America Minnesota Office * Izaak Walton League of America Midwest Division * Land Stewardship Project * League of Women Voters Minnesota * Lower Phalen Creek Project * Mankato Area Environmentalists * Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy * Minnesota Conservation Federation * Minnesota Food Association * Minnesota Land Trust * Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union * Minnesota Project * Minnesota Public Interest Research Group * Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter * Minnesota Waters * National Environmental Trust, Minnesota * Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness * Saint Paul Audubon Society * Save Lake Superior Association * Southeastern Minnesotans for Environmental Protection * Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota * The Trust for Public Land * Transit for Livable Communities * Trout Unlimited Minnesota State