Minnesota Trout Unlimited's testimony on the House Neonicotinoid Bill, presented at the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee on March 11, 2026
The deadline to notify the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) that the Groundwater Protection Rule is failing to prevent nitrate pollution in our trout streams and groundwater is Thursday, March 12. At a minimum, the agency needs to hear from you and your friends that: The current Rule is not adequate to...
The U.S. Senate vote on the Joint Resolution that would overturn the 20-year ban on mining upstream of the Boundary Waters has been delayed. You still have time to contact your senators and urge they vote “no”. You can phone the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and a switchboard...
DATE: 09/08/25 CONTACT: Sarah Horner, MCEA, shorner@mncenter.org, 612-868-3024 Saint Paul, Minn – A Ramsey County District Court judge ordered the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to review whether the rules they have in place to protect Minnesotans’ drinking water from nitrate pollution are working....
We are looking ahead to the next state legislative session and preparing our policy platform. Preventing Fish Kills will continue to be one overarching goal of MNTU as we consider specific hurdles to our work conserving, protecting, restoring, and sustaining Minnesota’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.Some issues we know will...
Legislative session was more a game of defense, rather than much momentum forward this year. In general we held the line on our priority issues and were happy that so many of you showed up to attend rallies and hearings, and in submitting letters of concern to your elected officials....
MNTU has a long history of developing awareness of, and urging action to reduce, nitrate contamination, especially where contamination impacts Minnesota’s trout streams (see timeline). Regulating nitrates in Minnesota, especially southeast Minnesota, is critical to protect the region’s coldwater fisheries, including brook, brown, and rainbow trout. These...
May 2025 FEDERAL ACTION TO PROTECT THE BOUNDARY WATERS The House Natural Resources Committee recently passed its reconciliation bill that dismantles Boundary Waters protections from sulfide-ore copper mining. These efforts open the door to toxic copper mining within the watershed of the Boundary Waters, a world-class recreational fishery and home to native...
On Monday, April 20, 2025 Minnesota Trout Unlimited members joined an informational hearing on SF3083, a bill to regulate neonic treated seeds. In an informational hearing votes, amendments, or other actions aren't taken on bills, but they are an excellent way to demonstrate support, connect with others...
April 21, 2025 The Senate Environment Budget bill (SF2077) contains a provision that will make it less clear which streams and headwater tributaries are protected under state law as “public waters”, by repealing a clarification adopted by the Legislature in 2024. The Minnesota Senate should remove this provision to ensure all public...
