Take Action! Attend one of the EQB Frac Sand Input Sessions on Tuesday, Oct 29

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

  Here is an opportunity we've been waiting for to show up, stand up, and speak up for a healthy, sustainable future for our region.

  Carpooling makes sense.  I plan to drive from Lanesboro and have room for 3 (or 4 compatible) riders.

Wishing you well,

Bonita

Land Stewardship Project Action Alert:

Environmental Quality Board Public Input Sessions on Frac Sand Issues in Southeast MN Oct. 29

Be There to Demand the State Put Community Well-being Before Frac Sand Profits

The Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) is coordinating several pieces of oversight of the frac sand mining industry. One is creating “model standards and criteria for mining, processing and transporting silica sand” for local government to use if they choose. We need to ensure that these model standards make it possible for local organizing to maintain or enact strong ordinances, including bans on frac sand mining. The EQB should lay out standards and criteria that cover a spectrum of goals that local communities may want to achieve with a local ordinance. These goals should range from a frac sand ban to strong local standards to protect specifically identified areas of concern such as air quality, health, property values, roads, water quality, etc. The EQB should propose nothing that is weaker than what many counties and townships have already adopted.

The EQB is also in charge of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the multi-site Minnesota Sands frac sand proposal. The EQB needs to create a process that is inclusive of rural citizens, including having public input meetings in the impacted counties. 

Take Action! Attend one of the EQB Frac Sand Input Sessions on Tuesday, Oct 29:

• 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. at St. Charles Community Center (830 Whitewater Ave, St. Charles)
• 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. at Wabasha-Kellogg High School, Performing Arts Center (2113 Hiawatha Dr. East, Wabasha)

Be prepared to make these key points:

• The EQB should create model ordinances that include a model ban.
• The EQB should not create weak model standards that could undermine existing local ordinances or efforts to pass strong ordinances, including bans.
• The environmental review of the Minnesota Sands EIS should include public input meetings in southeast Minnesota.

If you plan to attend, please, let Bobby King at the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) know at bking@landstewardshipproject.org or 612-722-6377.

 

More information and update:

Land Stewardship Project gives new EQB director a tour of southeast Minnesota communities impacted by frac sand projects.  On his first full week at the job, Will Seuffert, the new director of the EQB, spent Friday, Oct. 4,  touring communities in southeast Minnesota impacted by frac sand mines and talking to LSP members and others. He heard firsthand about the local organizing going on at the township and county level and visited the homes of those impacted by existing and proposed frac sand mines. He listened intently and committed to working with LSP as the EQB's frac sand mining work goes forward.

Citizens pack the EQB Sept. 18 hearing to demand tough standards and more public input. The EQB was charged by the Minnesota Legislature with creating “model standards and criteria for mining, processing and transporting silica sand.” At the EQB’s Sept. 18 meeting, the Board reviewed a draft prepared by staff that was shockingly weak. For example, for frac sand operations the setback from dwellings was 500 feet and from a property line 100 feet. The meeting was packed with citizens from southeast Minnesota and 20 testifiers made an effective case for why this draft needed to be scrapped and a process created that includes citizen input. The Board agreed, scrapped the draft and directed staff to hold input meetings. The Oct. 29 meetings are a result. Details are at the Houston County Protectors website HERE.

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