Agenda Packets - 1985/01/02 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

LAND USE, ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, AND TRANSPORTATION PROPOSED POLICIES LUEET-1. WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROJECTS (A) Clean water is vitally important to the citizens of this country and particularly to residents and visitors of Minnesota. Minnesota's cities remain committed to improving water quality. Unfortunately, the costs involved in providing cleaner water are staggering. Because of the incredible cost, it must be recognized that it is economically impractical to immediately eliminate pollution. Therefore, all levels of government must take a reasonably balanced approach to solving the pollution problem. The ability of cities to comply with any clean water program must be recognized as contingent upon the availability of adequate funds for building treatment facilities. Since 1978, federal funding for the wastewater treatment construction grant program has been cut in half. Additionally, the federal share of construction grants will drop from 75 to 55 percent beginning in fiscal year 1985. The budget constraints facing the federal government are undeniable, but those same constraints exist at the state and local level as well. It is unfair to those city residents who in the past have contributed their federal tax dollars to projects in other locations to be faced with a tripling of the local share for a project in their city. For this reason, if the federal government does not return the federal share for rehabilitation, repair, upgrading, and new construction of treatment facilities to 75 percent, the state should be the level of government to bear the increased burden. The League commends the legislature for the enactment in 1984 of a separate state grants program which increases overall state financing assistance. Increased revenues are needed for this program and the legislature should increase the percentage of financing which is available for particular projects. Several communities still have a significant amount of combined waste and storm water sewers which create overflows of untreated waste water during heavy rains and storm water runoff periods. The Federal and state governments are pressing the issue of meeting water quality standards which cannot be accomplished until separation is completed. An accelerated separation program cannot be funded only through local taxes. if the state pursues an accelerated separation program, state financial assistance should be provided to cover the additional coats due to the acceleration of the ucparation program, but not at the expense of the overall construction grants program. LUEET-2. GROUND AND SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT (A) The League supports legislation establishing a framework and Minnesota's ground and surface waters. in order to safeguard the public health and the environment it is necessary to plan and manage our water resources wisely. Many watershed districts, counties, cities, and towns have done a good job of dealing with surface and ground water management issues and have the authority and ability to continue to do so in a cost effective manner. These existing mechanisms should continue to be used to the greatest extent possible to address surface and ground water management problems instead of establishing a new system or creating new organizations. -24-