Winona Farmer Frustrated with End of Pollution Oversight Board

As long as there’s been an agency to control pollution in Minnesota, there’s been a people’s group to watch what that agency is up to.  Both the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and its Citizen’s Board were formed at the same time nearly fifty years ago.  But the board has been dissolved by lawmakers.  Which likely means no oversight of the agency, says board member and Winona farmer, Jim Riddle who calls the change, “a bad day for transparency and a bad day for government.” 

Republicans in St Paul had pushed for dumping the board, saying, among other things, it was no longer useful.  Last meeting for the board is on Tuesday.