News

Clarifying buffer rule legislation advancing

The Minnesota House and Senate are advancing companion bills that provide clarification to the controversial buffer rule.

House Democratic Farmer Labor Party (DFL) ag finance lead Jeanne Poppe says a major component of the legislation has to do with jurisdiction.

“If it’s a watershed district, the county, or if it’s the Board of Water and Soil Resources; because they all could have something to do with (the rule), but we want to make sure we understand who has jurisdiction and when they do.”

The two bills would also eliminate private ditches from the rule’s jurisdiction.

Poppe tells Brownfield administrative penalties are another consideration.

“That’s something that is not likely to be used, it’s just going to be there so that if somebody really does not do as others would like them to do, that there’s something to kind of add some teeth to that.”

Throughout the proposed buffer rule legislation Poppe says there is clarifying language aimed at helping farmers, landowners, soil and water conservation districts, watershed districts and counties know what to expect and when to expect it.