5/23/05
The 2005 Minnesota Legislature (officially) adjourns today at midnight, and local democracy is under fire right up until the end. Literally as you read this, Senator Steve Dille is trying to insert new language into the Omnibus Ag Finance bill that would gut the ability of townships to enact temporary moratoriums on feedlots. There are two important calls that need to be made TODAY to stop this attempt to weaken local control:

-- Call Governor Tim Pawlenty at 651-296-3391 or 800-657-3717. Tell him that Senator Dille, the Chief Author of the Governor’s Livestock Siting bill (Senate File 1629), is proposing new language that dramatically weakens local control by gutting the power of townships to enact temporary moratoriums on large feedlots. The Governor needs to let all the conferees on the Ag and Environment Finance conference committee know that he does not support this language and that it should not be offered as an amendment. If it is offered, the Governor’s office must testify against it; to do otherwise would indicate support for Senator Dille’s language.

-- Call conference committee member Senator Dennis Fredrickson at 651-296-8138. Tell him that as a member of the conference committee he should not agree to Senator Dille’s new language that guts township powers to enact temporary moratoriums on large feedlots. Encourage him to support the compromise drafted by Senator Gary Kubly.

If you have time, the other Senators on the Ag and Environment conference committee should get the same message. These are: Senator Dallas Sams, 651-297-8063; Senator Kubly, 651-296-5094; Senator Thomas Bakk, 651-296-8881; and Senator Ellen Anderson, 651-296-5537.

More details:
Senator Dille’s language reads: “no interim ordinance (temporary moratorium) may halt, delay or impede a livestock production facility that has received final approval.” That would mean that if a township enacted a temporary moratorium on large feedlots, the feedlot proposer could move forward with getting the county and state permits (final approval) and then be exempt from the moratorium.