Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 02/22/2016

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Water Quality Buffer Initiative Common questions and answers Date: 6/18/15 Q: What is the bill's purpose and who helped craft it? • Improving Water Quality — The Buffer Initiative will protect Minnesota's water resources from erosion and runoff pollution by establishing 110,000 acres of perennial vegetative cover adjacent to Minnesota's waters. • Cooperation and Compromise — This proposal was crafted with input from agriculture groups, environmental groups, local government groups, legislators from both parties, and landowners. • A Multi -Agency Effort — The four lead state agencies are: Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Q: Will it improve water quality? • Yes. Studies by the Pollution Control Agency show that buffer are critical to protecting and restoring water quality and healthy aquatic life, natural stream functions and aquatic habitat due to its immediate proximity to the water. However, buffers will not solve every water -quality problem. Q: What is required? • 110,000 Acres of Vegetation — The bill will establish perennial vegetation buffers of up to 50 feet along lakes, rivers, streams and ditches. o The buffer width will be an average of 50 feet on public waters. o The buffer width will be a minimum of 16.5 feet on public ditches o Buffer widths on other waters will be determined by soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs) • Landowner Control — Landowners retain use of the buffer, as long as perennial vegetation is maintained. • Landowner Choice — Landowners may choose to adopt other practices aimed at protecting water if those practices provide the same level of protection as a buffer. • Additional Flexibility — There are exceptions for areas covered by a road, buildings or other structures; areas enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP); public or private water access or recreational use areas; and municipalities in compliance with federal and state storm water requirements.