Author Archives: Paula Maccabee
Appeals Brief Filed Today to Preserve Wild Rice Sulfate Standard
Here is the Appeals Brief filed today on behalf of WaterLegacy defending the wild rice sulfate standard. WaterLegacyAppealsBrief(WildRiceStandard)(8-6-12) A quick summary: the wild rice standard is constitutional, enforcement of the standard is well within the scope of authority of the Minnesota … Continue reading
GREAT NEWS – Wild Rice Sulfate Standard Upheld in Court!
We learned this week that my client, WaterLegacy, has won an important case against the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. Judge Margaret Marrinan has upheld the wild rice sulfate standard challenged in the Chamber lawsuit and granted our motion for summary … Continue reading
Public Interest Environmental Law – Playing Fields
I’m looking forward to Minnesota’s Environmental Institute this Thursday, April 19. Unsurprisingly, there are various presentations by the usual suspects – environmental practitioners for business and corporate interests. But, the Environmental Institute also makes space to hear from public interest … Continue reading
NEW Book, Turn Here Sweet Corn, Celebrates Organic Farm Victory
Turn Here Sweet Corn, a poignant and powerful memoir by organic farmer, Atina Diffley, is a compelling lesson in organic farming, a powerful family drama, a love story and a legal thriller. Natural treatment for rheumatoid arthritis with Calivita products … Continue reading
Keeping and Breaking Promises for Clean Energy
These are the best of times. These are the worst of times. Take your pick. On January 18, 2012, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission unanimously voted to approve power purchase agreements for 30 megawatts of locally-owned wind on the south … Continue reading
Hopeful Sign – MPCA Commissioner Says “Facts” Will Determine Policy
As a frequent skeptic about the capture of regulatory agencies by the regulated parties, I was delighted to learn that Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Commissioner Paul Aasen has been telling agency leadership that facts matter. In an internal letter … Continue reading
Midtown Greenway Protected – Historic Ruling to Bury Power Lines
Last week, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) made a landmark decision to require Xcel Energy to bury new power lines. In 2009, Xcel Energy proposed to put two “Hiawatha Project” 115 kV high voltage transmission lines on 75- foot … Continue reading
State Farm Service Agency Rules in Favor of Organic Farmer
This week, the Minnesota State Farm Service Agency (FSA) ruled in favor of my client, Vance Norgaard, an organic soybean farmer whom a county had proposed to penalize for having “uncontrolled” weeds on his organic farm in 2010. County officials … Continue reading
WaterLegacy Ranked #1 Promising Start-Up Protecting Minnesota’s Environment
WaterLegacy, my client and a source of passion and inspiration, has just been chosen Number One in the category of promising Minnesota environmental non-profit start-ups for our work protecting water quality from the risks of sulfide mining. Philanthropedia, a national … Continue reading
One Step Forward – Sulfate Standard Applied to Keetac Mine Expansion
Okay, it took 18 years. From 1973, when Minnesota’s sulfate standard of 10 milligrams per liter was adopted in Rules to protect natural stands of wild rice all the way until October 2011, no water pollution permit for a mine … Continue reading