The final two public hearings are this morning (10am) in Saint Cloud and Thursday in Park Rapids on Governor Mark Dayton’s proposal to ban fall application of nitrogen fertilizer to farm fields with porous soils — and where municipal water supplies are affected. Republicans were unable to kill the proposal during the last legislative session. State Ag Department Assistant Commissioner Susan Stokes says, “It was caught up in the politics of the end of the session, but the governor has directed us to go forward.”
Republicans could try again to block the measure, depending on the outcome of the fall elections. Meanwhile the public comment period has been extended through August 15th.