Data Center Conference brings together developers, local officials and environmental groups11/15/2025
On November 12, the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and Region Nine Planning Comission co-sponsored a conference on data centers. The event, co-hosted by Benya Kraus, president and CEO of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and Sabri Fair, environment and sustainability planner for the Region Nine Planning Commission, brought together legislators, local officials, researchers and utility leaders to discuss how communities can prepare for both the opportunities and the challenges of this fast-expanding industry. The Mankato Free Press reports that Kraus opened the forum by outlining its purpose — to educate local leaders and residents about data center technologies, the infrastructure demands they bring and how to plan collectively for sustainable growth. “We’re not holding this event to convince you of one way or another, but to expose intentionally a range of different perspectives,” Kraus said. “Today is the start of the conversation.”  Senator Nick Frantz addresses the group. Standing in the background is Benya Kraus, and seated front is Sabri Fair. Photo - Mankato Free Press One message was clear — as data centers expand across Minnesota, communities face a pivotal moment to define how this industry will grow, with an emphasis that communities need reliable data, proactive planning and strong local voices in decision-making. Environmental groups engaged on the topic: MCEA webpage on data centers Coalition for Responsible Data Center Development More to be added in this section Text of MFP article: NORTH MANKATO — A packed auditorium at the South Central College North Mankato campus gathered Wednesday afternoon for a regional forum on the growing wave of conversations surrounding data center development across Minnesota.
The event, co-hosted by Benya Kraus, president and CEO of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and Sabri Fair, environment and sustainability planner for the Region Nine Planning Commission, brought together legislators, local officials, researchers and utility leaders to discuss how communities can prepare for both the opportunities and the challenges of this fast-expanding industry. Kraus opened the forum by outlining its purpose — to educate local leaders and residents about data center technologies, the infrastructure demands they bring and how to plan collectively for sustainable growth. “We’re not holding this event to convince you of one way or another, but to expose intentionally a range of different perspectives,” Kraus said. “Today is the start of the conversation.” The session was structured around two panels exploring technical foundations, environmental impacts and strategies for community benefit. Mechanical engineer Thom Jackson defined data centers simply as “a room full of computers” that are essential facilities powering modern digital life — from streaming services and online banking to artificial intelligence. He explained the range of data center types, from small enterprise operations to massive hyperscale campuses, and the resources required to operate them, including large-scale energy and cooling systems. Economic potential meets environmental concern In a survey conducted at the beginning of the event, attendees were asked what potential benefits they saw data centers and artificial intelligence bringing to their communities. Responses highlighted employment opportunities, economic advancement and expanded tax revenue as top advantages. When asked about concerns, however, the responses told another side of the story — water usage, energy demand and environmental impacts topped the list. That tension between growth and sustainability carried throughout the day’s discussions. “Water in our area is a common-pool resource,” Andi Sutton, executive director of Southeast Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships said of the Zumbro River Watershed serving southeast Minnesota. “Right now, decisions about water use are very siloed. One of the questions that our city administrator leaders are bringing is, ‘how can we make better collective decisions about where and how data centers are sited?’” Current legal debates were also discussed, including two lawsuits in Minnesota challenging the use of Alternative Urban Areawide Reviews for evaluating large industrial developments — one of them being against the city of North Mankato. Tom Hagen of North Mankato asked panelists how these processes can be more transparent to the public. “I think the problem here that we’re seeing with data centers in particular, is how large they are. These are hyperscale data centers. When you add in this level of secrecy, that’s where people are struggling,” said Sarah Mooradian, government relations and policy director for CURE, an environmental advocacy group. “There’s an element that we’re seeing where there’s at least the perception of conflict.” Carrie Jennings, research and policy director for the Freshwater Society, reminded attendees that water management is already a pressing issue. She referenced a 2009 report finding that the Mt. Simon aquifer, southern Minnesota’s primary water resource, was being used faster than it could recharge. Jennings also raised concerns about transparency, describing how some cities under non-disclosure agreements with high water-use companies excluded residents. “There’s a tension here,” Jennings said. “How can we balance economic development with the need to ensure future water availability for our communities and ecosystems? Stakeholder participation is the piece that’s most often missing, especially in this development process.” Legislative developments Minnesota Senator Nick Frentz said Minnesota’s goal of 100% clean energy by 2040 means as data center growth accelerates, they must rely on renewable power. “We have some of the toughest environmental regulations in the country, and we are proud of that,” Frentz said. “We also have these economic opportunities which are profound. As legislators, we have to balance the budget.” Minnesota currently has 41 data centers operating across the state and Frentz said electricity demand could double within two decades. New legislation now requires these facilities to report water usage twice a year, with Frentz calling it “landmark legislation.” “The water in the largest of data centers uses above 100 million gallons a year,” Frentz said. “But we have a long history in Minnesota of protecting water.” He added that the Department of Natural Resources and the Public Utilities Commission now have stronger roles in permitting, with authority to require aquifer tests and to consider community and environmental impacts before approving projects. Planning for growth and community benefit Thomas Lambrecht with Great River Energy, Andy Wilke with Greater Mankato Growth along with Mooradian discussed how cities can navigate confidentiality agreements during early talks with developers, emphasizing that open communication can reduce public distrust and improve collaboration. Sustainable design was identified as essential to minimizing long-term environmental costs. “We definitely promote and work with all customers to understand sustainability options. Water conservation is one of those things,” Lambrecht said, noting some of the “biggest challenges in data center development” include landowner control, public perception, regulatory issues and political support.
But they also added new regulations on the booming data center industry aimed at protecting the environment, including the state’s water supply and climate goals, as well as electricity customers. The explosion of artificial intelligence and cloud computing has spurred a building boom of massive facilities that store computer servers and equipment. The largest “hyperscale” data centers can consume millions of gallons of water a year, and use as much electricity as the entire city of Minneapolis. Some environmental and citizen groups who pushed for tougher rules on data centers don’t think the bill goes far enough. “It represents just the start to actually effectively addressing the risk that data centers pose to Minnesotans,” said Aaron Klemz, chief strategy officer for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. The legislation will require data center developers to connect with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources earlier to make sure a proposed location has an adequate water supply. State Sen. Nick Frentz said data centers will need to share more information about how much water they'll use. "Nowhere in the country do Google, Meta, Amazon have to report on water in quite this way,” said Frentz, DFL-North Mankato. “So I think it is nation-leading, and I think rightly so.” Also in the bill: Utilities can’t pass the cost of supplying electricity to data centers onto other customers, or use the growth of data centers as an excuse to avoid meeting the state’s mandate for carbon-free electricity by 2040. “That is the state’s standard for our clean energy goals. It’s really the bedrock rule that we want these data centers to understand,” Frentz said. Large data centers will be required to pay $2 million to $5 million a year into an account to help low-income Minnesotans weatherize their homes and conserve energy. State Rep. Patty Acomb, who pushed for tougher rules for data centers, said the bill includes about 80 percent of what she wanted. But she’s disappointed it doesn’t require an in-depth environmental review of new data centers. "If you have a facility that big, you need to also be looking at the full environmental impacts,” said Acomb, DFL-Minnetonka. The bill doesn’t include setback requirements, height limits or other protections for people living near large data centers, such as one proposed to be built on a former golf course in Farmington. And it doesn’t stop cities from signing non-disclosure agreements that prevent them from sharing information about the projects, Klemz said. “We think there needs to be much more rigorous and upfront disclosure to the public about what is being proposed in their community,” he said. Environmental groups also say the water regulations largely reflect what's already in the law, rather than adding new protections. Data centers that use more than 100 million gallons of water a year must consider using water conservation technology, such as closed-loop systems that recycle water for cooling. But those measures are not required, said Sarah Mooradian, government relations and policy director for the nonprofit Clean Up the River Environment, or CURE. “There’s nothing in this bill that says a data center would have to employ any type of water conservation or efficient use of water, or even explain why they maybe chose one method over another,” Mooradian said. CURE and other environmentalists also wanted the Legislature to prevent large data centers from avoiding scrutiny by using water provided by cities’ municipal systems, instead of seeking their own water-use permit. But the bill doesn’t stop this practice. The compromise didn't entirely satisfy supporters of data centers, either. Labor unions that view data centers as job creators are happy lawmakers extended a sales tax exemption on computer servers and other equipment for 35 years. It had been set to expire in 2042. But the legislation takes away another sales tax break on the electricity that data centers use. That will make Minnesota less competitive for projects, said state Rep. Shane Mekeland, R-Clear Lake, who points out that Amazon recently suspended plans to build a large data center in his district. “They’re literally going to the neighboring states that extended that sales tax energy exemption weeks before we killed it off,” Mekeland said. Some lawmakers didn’t want to see any tax breaks extended to data centers, which are often owned by some of the world’s biggest technology companies. “The reason that I’m going to be a no on this bill is because I am anti-tax breaks for billionaires,” said Rep. Athena Hollins, DFL-St. Paul, during the floor debate. Frentz said the question shouldn’t be whether the companies’ owners are benefitting, but rather, “what’s best for Minnesota.” Data centers provide thousands of well-paying jobs and pay millions in local taxes, he said. “And with proper environmental protection — as every other state in the country is looking at — we want to encourage the development of these, just like we would any business,” Frentz said. The debate over data centers is likely to continue at the state Capitol. Acomb said she plans to try again to pass tougher language. In the meantime, Minnesota’s cold climate, available renewable energy and financial incentives likely will continue to attract data centers. At least 11 major ones are proposed to be built in Minnesota, most in the southern Twin Cities suburbs. “I think we have lots of reasons that data centers will look to come here, and the tax cuts [are] just one more,” Acomb said. The following bill summary was prepared by Jim Stark, Director of the Legislative Subcommittee on Minnesota Water Policy:
Data centers house a technology company’s information technology hardware. They run the internet and mobile applications, and they are getting bigger and use more electricity,` and more water as a cooling agent for their equipment. With an influx of proposed data centers, and other water-intensive development in Minnesota, the siting and design of these facilities is critical to the future of drinking water supplies and aquatic ecosystems. However, the Omnibus Environment Bill included funding for a GIS platform to identify sites with the least amount of conflict for complex development projects. Rep. Patty Acomb (DFL-Minnetonka) was a lead legislator focusing on data center issues as co-chair of the House Energy Finance and Policy committee. Rep. Acomb, Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart (DFLPlymouth) and others co-authored HF3007/SF3320, which proposed a suite of provisions for increased oversight of water-intensive projects and laid the groundwork for a data center bill that passed during the special session. Data Center bill (HF16/SF19) – The special session agreement between leaders included a standalone data center bill, HF16. This bill included energy and water provisions, as well as definitional and policy provisions around hyperscale data centers, and it passed the House 85-43 and the Senate 40-6. In one of its final acts of the 2025 special session, the House passed a bill setting environmental and energy regulatory requirements for data centers and modifying their sales and use tax exemptions. Sponsored by Rep. Greg Davids (R-Preston), SSHF16 was passed 85-43 and sent to the Senate where it was passed 40-26 and was signed by the Governor. Among the bill’s provisions, it would: • establish annual fees linked to a large-scale data center’s peak electricity demand of between $2 million and $5 million. • extend the state’s sales tax exemption for software and information technology equipment to largescale data centers to 35 years. • require pre-application evaluation of projects using more than 100 million gallons of water per year and setting permit conditions. • institute prevailing wage requirements for laborers and mechanics constructing or refurbishing largescale data centers. • require data center inquiries to be referred to the Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Minnesota Business First Stop program. • allow the Public Utilities Commission to approve, modify or reject tariff or energy supply agreement with a data center. • require each public utility to offer a clean energy and capacity tariff for commercial and industrial customers. • include large-scale data centers in the state’s solar energy standard. • exempts large-scale data centers from requirements under an energy conservation optimization plan; and • establish that large-scale data centers must attain certification under one or more sustainable design or green building standards. HF16 also created a formal DNR preapplication review process for data centers planning to use over 100 million gallons of water annually. The evaluation is required before a permit application is filed. HF16 establishes permit conditions for water use permits for data centers consuming more than 100 million gallons of water per year. These conditions include requiring protection for public welfare, water conservation practices, and conflict resolution for water use; an aquifer test can also be required as needed.
MinnPost has run a series of articles on data centers in Minnesota. The Minnesota Star Tribune has reported on current events as they unfold. Some resources: Data centers consume massive amounts of water - companies rarely tell the public exactly how much. This article looks at water use in major data centers. It's authored by Peyton McCauley, water policy specialist, Sea Grant UW Water Science-Policy Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Melissa Scanlan, professor and director of the Center for Water Policy, School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee When done right, data centers can be community assets. In this opinion piece, authors Luke Gaalswyk ,CEO of Ever-Green Energy, and Gregg Mast, executive director of Clean Energy Economy MN, outline benefits that can accrue to communities that host data centers. Why local officials in Minnesota are signing non-disclosure agreements. In this news article, author Brian Arola, looks at the use of non-disclosure agreements in economic development settings. What new rules for data centers mean for the environment and the industry’s future in Minnesota, an article by Walker Orenstein for the Minnesota Star Tribune. This article reports on the new Data Center law passed in Minnesota. Developer halts two Minnesota data centers over permits for backup generators, also by Walker Orenstein for the Minnesota Star Tribune. In February 2023, LWV UMRR hosted Tracy Hodel, St. Cloud Public Works Director, talking about how St Cloud, Minnesota, is turning wastewater to energy and fertilizer and making their city more sustainable. Now, their electrolyzer is about to come on line, and St. Cloud will have the first wastewater treatment plant in the world to produce green hydrogen and use the byproducts of oxygen and heat waste Hodel's talk is posted on the LWV UMRR Blog at this link.  “I feel like energy is the sexy part of it, right? Nobody wants to talk about the solids part, but it is converting something that people think of as a waste product into something very, very valuable.” This article, from the Minneapolis Star Tribune on October 6, highlights St. Cloud's accomplishments!
What's the big idea The mission of St. Cloud’s wastewater treatment plan is simple: clean the water flowing in from toilets before it is released into the Mississippi River. But why stop there? After dreaming up — and finding the funding for — a few special projects, the city is now at the forefront of wastewater ingenuity. It is using waste to make fertilizer for farmers. It is using power harnessed from the breakdown of local manufacturers’ wastewater to create 100% renewable energy to power the treatment facility. And when the city’s new $3 million electrolyzer — a device that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen — is installed in the coming months, St. Cloud will have the first wastewater treatment plant in the world to produce green hydrogen and use the byproducts of oxygen and heat waste. What makes it uniquely Midwestern The innovation is built on lofty goals and cutting-edge science, and yet it’s practical and understated. The city’s science fiction-y projects started as a way to become more efficient and save operating costs by purchasing energy from solar gardens and installing solar panels on city buildings. The city then built its own small solar array at the wastewater treatment campus in 2016. With each successful innovation, leaders dreamt up more ambitious ideas. About a decade ago, former Mayor Dave Kleis set a goal for the city to be 75% renewable by 2035. It exceeded that goal by becoming 100% renewable in 2020, and today, the city produces three times as much energy as it uses. Its energy initiatives save between $1 million and $2 million each year from the city’s budget. The city sells its solid fertilizer product and gives its liquid fertilizer to area farmers for free. Meanwhile, the waste-to-energy program produces heat and power for the facility at a substantial savings. The plant is able to produce energy for about 3 cents per kilowatt-hour, while typical energy customers pay an average 14 cents. St. Cloud City Administrator Tracy Hodel calls it “poop to power.” She’s made stickers with the phrase to get the word out. “I feel like energy is the sexy part of it, right? Nobody wants to talk about the solids part,” she said. “But it is converting something that people think of as a waste product into something very, very valuable.” How it will shape the future City leaders hope the wastewater plant will be a model for other municipalities. St. Cloud’s new 1-megawatt solar array will guarantee 100% green hydrogen, which can be used at the facility for heating and on-site renewable energy production, and will be sold for transportation and manufacturing. The plant will also use the oxygen byproduct in its existing treatment process in which microorganisms break down waste. And they’ll capture the heat from the electrolysis process, which could potentially put the facility in a position where it no longer needs to use natural gas for heating. “Everything we’re doing is enhancing the receiving waters, the agricultural industry, the air with the carbon dioxide emission reductions,” Hodel said. “So we’re creating a cleaner, healthier world for our future.” — Jenny Berg https://www.startribune.com/from-ai-to-thc-these-midwest-ideas-will-change-the-future/601479532?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=st_cloud_today&utm_term=St%20Cloud
Exploring Environmental Challenges, Legal Strategies, and the Quest for a Constitutional Right to Clean Water
Jim Larew’s talk centers on the urgent need to protect clean water in the face of escalating environmental hazards caused by industrial agriculture. He introduces the subject by acknowledging past cooperative approaches between government agencies and communities but asserts that these have failed to adequately address the severe pollution and health risks, especially in Iowa. Larew positions the issue as not just theoretical but as a pressing public health crisis, framing the conversation in terms of both environmental protection and civil rights. Industrial Agriculture’s Impact Larew outlines how industrial farming in Iowa operates with minimal legal restrictions compared to other sectors, such as transportation. He explains that the dominance of large-scale row crop farming (corn and beans) and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) has resulted in an unprecedented saturation of the soil and groundwater with nitrogen, phosphorus, and manure. The scale of pollution is staggering, equating Iowa’s livestock waste output to that of a country with a population density similar to Bangladesh. Unlike human waste, which is processed, animal waste is simply spread on fields, further exacerbating water contamination. He highlights alarming cancer statistics linked to environmental pollution: Iowa ranks second in the nation for cancer rates, with an increasing trend—most notably among young adults in the Corn Belt. These rising cancer incidences, documented by sources like the Washington Post, are attributed to the toxic agricultural mix and excessive use of fertilizers and manure, which leach into water supplies. The Market and Policy Drivers Larew discusses how federal agricultural policies and market incentives—such as those for ethanol production—encourage the overuse of fertilizers and expansion of livestock operations. He points out that farm programs remove economic risks for farmers, essentially incentivizing environmentally destructive practices. Much of the agricultural output is exported or used in fuel production, but the environmental residue remains local, worsening water quality and public health. Legal Strategy and Civic Engagement Recognizing the limitations of voluntary change, Larew advocates for legal intervention. He describes efforts to define a constitutional right to clean air and water, emphasizing the need for extra protections and state responsibility through the public trust doctrine. Litigation has played a key role, with lawsuits filed under the Federal Clean Water Act and challenges to state-issued water use permits that fail to consider environmental impacts. He recounts successful civic engagement in Northeast Iowa, where community culture still values clean water. Local polling reveals near-unanimous support for government action to protect environmental resources, transcending political divides. The Case for a New Civil Rights Movement Larew frames the struggle for clean water as the next phase in America’s civil rights journey. Drawing parallels to historical movements prompted by social violence, he characterizes the current crisis as “environmental violence”—with children suffering in hospital wards due to pollution-induced diseases. He calls for a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to clean water, citing existing state-level precedents and the urgent need for federal recognition. Conclusion: The Path Forward Larew concludes by reiterating the scale and urgency of the battle ahead. He argues that the right to clean water is fundamental to life and must be protected against the interests of powerful agricultural syndicates and corporate entities. The movement in Iowa, he suggests, could serve as a model for nationwide efforts to enshrine environmental rights and hold polluters accountable through law, advocacy, and civic mobilization. Ultimately, he calls for persistent, step-by-step action to secure a healthier future for all. The LWV UMRR Blog is our main communication tool - we use this as our basis for newsletter articles, to share our educational programs and to save research and other bits of work that we do. We are responsible for the content here and reserve the right to edit your pieces for length, clarity or other factors. First, take a few minutes and browse through the posts we have up now. Click here for the LWV UMRR blog. The length is up to you, but the fact of the matter is that nobody will read a long post. Well, maybe you and your mom. But short and pithy is better. Like Jack Webb says, Just the Facts, M'am.
You don't have to do the posting - I'll take care of that. Just get me the text, references, links and pictures and I'll take it from there. - Gretchen Sabel
On October 28, LWV UMRR hosted a discussion on the protection of public waters through education, restorative action and litigation. The video of this program follows. In this video, you will learn how the Upper Mississippi River Driftless Area was formed (not by glaciers!) and how this unique landform is susceptible to pollution from CAFOs and modern row crop practices that threaten our public waters. And learn, too, about new efforts underway to bring about change. This program is both educational and inspirational! This video features Cameron Aker from Trout Unlimited talking about water protection in the Karst region through education and cooperative projects, and Jim Larew from Driftless Water Defenders talking about the litigation they are doing to put more teeth into protecting water. Jim Larew's talk starts at about 31 minutes in the video, and a summary is available on the LWV UMRR blog at this link. Trout Unlimited is a conservation group working with land owners to restore trout habitat. Their Driftless Area Restoration Effort (TUDARE) focuses on restoring trout streams with an added side benefit of improving water quality and diversity of other creatures besides trout. They do this by working with private landowners, farmers, conservation advocates and government agencies to restore and conserve our cold-water resources. Cameron Aker, Trout Unlimited's Engagement Coordinator, will talk about the geology, agricultural practices and cold-water resources in the Driftless Region and similar karst landscapes in Missouri. Like the Driftless Area, Missouri's Ozark region is characterized by thin topsoil and exhibits sinkholes, streams that sink into the ground and extensive caves. Jim Larew is with Driftless Water Defenders, a group that started in Iowa and and is shaking up the water world there. Driftless Water Defenders is a non-profit Iowa environmental law and advocacy organization founded in May 2024 and focused on reducing farm-related water pollution and pollution-caused threats to public health in the Driftless Area of northeast Iowa, and statewide. The DWD got started because some Iowans decided enough is enough, and it’s time to confront head-on industrialized agriculture’s assault on our water resources. Driftless Water Defenders is intent on changing public policy, engaging citizens and, when necessary, litigating matters to protect and enhance Iowans’ access to clean water for personal, business and recreational purposes. Driftless Water Defenders manages a comprehensive program of focused litigation, persistent public engagement, and effective fund-raising to accomplish its mission.
Cameron Aker, Engagement Coordinator, Trout Unlimited Driftless Area Restoration
conservation focused groups, including Trout Unlimited, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association. Cameron and his wife Vivian live in Ames, Iowa. They enjoy hiking, canoeing, camping, and many trips to the beautiful Driftless Region of Iowa together. Cameron also enjoys hunting, fly fishing, and fly tying, whenever possible. Cameron started with Trout Unlimited in mid-April of 2024 and is connecting Trout Unlimited with many partner groups and visiting potential project sites with landowners. Cameron has also been working with the Iowa Trout Unlimited Chapters to build momentum with the Wise H2O project on water quality and listening to concerns and ideas around member engagement. Cameron was a guest on the Orvis Fly Fishing Podcast - click here to listen in and learn about his work! Cameron's talk starts at about 39 minutes. James Larew, Esq. - Registered agent for Driftless Water Defenders and Attorney at law
From 2007-2011, Jim was called to serve as General Counsel to Iowa Governor Chet Culver, and also served as Policy Director and Chief of Staff in the Office of Governor.
Upon his return to private practice, Jim expanded his general law practice in Iowa City to include an office in Des Moines. He broadened the focus of his law practice to include advocating for the interest of Iowa policy holders against insurance companies who acted in bad faith; against environmental polluters; and against owners of nursing homes and care facilities who injured residents through indifference or neglect. Central Iowa Water Report yields public outcry - and EPA answers by delisting polluted rivers8/10/2025
Story and video from Iowa Environmental Council, August 2025
In addition to the presentation, Adam Shriver from the Harkin Institute was interviewed by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to discuss the implications of the CISWRA report, "In Iowa, there's this big elephant in the room, which is that we're the number one leading state in confined animal feeding operations for hogs and for battery cage chickens." Shriver continues, "And also that we're the state that applies the most amount of synthetic fertilizers and chemical fertilizers." Stay tuned to the Harkin Institute and IEC, who are planning more ways for people to stay involved in this conversation moving forward.
What is the Impaired Waters List?
Under the Clean Water Act, every state must adopt water quality standards that define how it would like to use its waters and the pollution levels that would prevent those uses. When a water does not meet the standards and is too dirty for one of its intended uses, it is “impaired.” Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requires states to submit a list to EPA once every two years identifying impaired waters that need a plan to reduce pollution. EPA must approve or disapprove the list. Iowa DNR submitted its list in 2024 with 705 impairments. States must develop a water improvement plan for each waterbody on the impaired waters list and submit them for EPA approval. The plans must identify sources of pollution and the amount of pollution reduction needed to meet the water quality standard and protect the designated uses. The reductions are incorporated into permits for point sources, such as wastewater treatment facilities, but are not required for nonpoint sources, such as agriculture. "Efforts to de-list Iowa waterbodies for nitrate are clearly misguided. This action undermines the public process and the public trust in the agencies charged with keeping our water clean. The public already had opportunity to comment and overwhelmingly supported the listing that reflected real-life conditions in these rivers,” says Michael Schmidt, IEC General Counsel. MARY ELLEN - I WILL TAKE OUT THIS PARAGRAPH AND REPLACE IT WITH A QUOTE FROM YOU, SHOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PROVIDE ONE. IT WOULD GO INTO A PARAGRAPH SOMETHING LIKE FOLLOWS.... What does this mean for these delisted rivers ? LWV UMRR Chair, Mary Ellen Miller, says...>>>>>>>>>>
 Credit: G.Sabel, Oct 7, 2020, when the river level was low and you could walk on the river bottom The Project: The Upper Lock and the land around it is currently owned by the federal government via the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Upper Lock was constructed in 1959 to allow commercial barges to navigate over the Falls, upriver to Upper Harbor Terminal. The Lock closed to commercial navigation in 2015 to halt the upriver spread of invasive carp. For more than 60 years, this iconic site on Minneapolis’s Central Riverfront has been fenced off with limited public access. The site is a barrier, not a gateway, to the River. The vision for Owámniyomni is to transform five acres at the Upper Lock into a place of healing, restoration, education, and connection. The river will be made accessible to people from its bank, so all people can touch the water without impediment, and the area along the riverbanks will be transformed from hardscapes to tall grass prairie, lowland forest, oak savannah, and traditional plants. The project is now in Season Two, with work projected to be complete in this part of the transformation by the end of 2027. The Goal: Owámniyomni Okhódayapi's goal is to create a place where Native and non-Native people feel welcome; where Dakota history, language, and culture are visible and celebrated; and where communities can come together to heal. Done right, this process can provide a model for how non-profits, municipalities, and other entities can respectfully partner with Tribal Nations and honor their inherent sovereignty.
The Mississippi is a river and is ever changing as flood and drought shape the river and it's relationship to the land along it's banks. Owámniyomni Okhódayapi's website shows pictures of the river as it was when Europeans first arrived in what is now called Minneapolis, and how the area changed over the years to meet the demands of the growing industry there. Dams were built and rebuilt, with tunnels and raceways to harness the power of the river to run lumber and grain mills. To Native people, these activities were a desecration, incompatible with a world view in which the River is a spirit and a mother, and in which all living natural things are our relatives. The project being undertaken here will bring back Dakota values to this area and begin the process of healing.
How LWV members can help to support the Mississippi River Local and Tribal Leaders Agreement6/5/2025
 What is the Mississippi River Local and Tribal Leaders Agreement? A Mississippi River Compact would be a legal agreement between all ten mainstem Mississippi River states and the Federal Government. If enacted, a Compact could provide a forum for management over the entire watershed comprehensively using the sovereign powers of both state and federal governments. Getting to a Mississippi River Compact is an epic endeavor, requiring the legislatures of all states to pass identical language adopting the Compact, and the US Congress to approve it. But are there steps that can be taken now to advance this cause? One step that’s being advanced is the Mississippi River Local and Tribal Leaders Agreement. This agreement will strengthen collaboration among communities in the watershed by building a unique foundation for collective action and collaboration dedicated to the Mississippi River led from the local level. This agreement builds toward an interstate water compact by showcasing the extraordinary work that local governments and Tribes are already doing to protect the river. The work is being led by Alexandra Campbell-Ferrara, co-founder of the Center for Water Security and Cooperation, a non-partisan, non-profit environmental organization specializing in water policy and law based in Washington DC. Why do this? 1. Local and Tribal leaders who sign the Agreement will be able to participate in "the Roundtable" and develop shared values and principles for the Mississippi River watershed, which will inform the development of local, state, watershed, federal laws and policies. 2. Local and Tribal leaders who sign the Agreement will be eligible to win the Local Leader of the Year Award as well as to apply for small community grants as funding is available, and 3. Local and Tribal leaders who join will be joining a "Network" with whom to collaborate and problem-solve with opportunities for peer-exchanges and other experiences.
For more information, visit the Center for Water Security and Cooperation webpage on Agreement (includes text of agreement, FAQ, sign up links and more): https://thecwsc.org/mississippiriver/ Additional Resources: LWV UMRR program on possibility of a Mississippi River Compact: https://www.lwvumrr.org/blog/exploring-the-idea-of-a-mississippi-river-compact |
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