Integrity You Can Trust.

5 Year CAFO Moratorium

Minnesota urgently imposes a five year moratorium on any livestock expansion of concentrated animal operations (CAFOs) to allow the state to address and reduce nitrate pollution in the soils and watersheds of karst topography regions in SE MN.  Excessive manure and its deleterious effects takes only hours to leech into water tables.  Excessive nitrates reduce oxygen in the blood of humans and animals, and be fatal with Methaloglobinemia in infants.  Current serious measures of the water pollution in Southern Minnesota and the State’s response to identify non-point source abandoned wells, and to increase concrete thickness of football field sized manure lagoons is grossly ineffective.  

Let’s not repeat the tragedy of Iowa and its current condition - gutted communities, 80% toxic ground water, exorbitant cancer rates with no local government control. (Pulitzer Prize Winner Art Cullen’s “Storm Lake” 2017 and Austin Frerick’s “Barons” 2024.)  Nota Bene:  Karst topography is porous carbonate rocks (limestone, dolomite, marble) that form prolific karst features such as sinkholes, disappearing streams, caves, springs. 

State Firearm Owner License

All firearm owners in the state of Minnesota are required to obtain a license to own a firearm.  To obtain a firearm license an applicant is required to take three weeks of classroom firearm safety instruction, followed by demonstrating firearm proficiency at a firing range.  A percentage of the fees to obtain a firearm license shall be put into a separate fund to compensate victims of firearm violence.  Background checks will be funded by the licensing fee.  Firearm hunting licenses will require a firearm owner license.  Firearm sales and ammunition will require a firearm owner license.  The NRA can support and benefit from this resolution.  Law enforcement has 4 weeks to do a thorough background check.  The license will be proof of a background check.  Guns shows and gun shop owners would no longer be burdened with paperwork - they can record the license number of the buyer.  Education would help reduce accidental shootings.  It provides funding for victim compensation without profiteering from the insurance industry.  (Also ban anti-climb mechanism for rapid fire assault.)

Public Ownership of Utilities

Minnesota opposed any sale or acquisition of Minnesota’s public electric utilities by private or profit driven investors, to ensure Minnesota’s energy future is operated by local government and serves the public good.  Minnesota has public ownership of utilities which includes municipal and cooperative utilities that are typically non-profit and owned by the customers they serve, subject to regulation by the MN Public Utilities Commission.  (In contrast the people of Texas privatized their utilities and have no control to upgrade their infrastructure for resiliency.)

Data Center Moratorium

The people of Minnesota call for a statewide moratorium on any approval and construction of new data centers proposed by private companies with attendant NDAs; to ensure that Minnesota’s energy, water, fiscal resources, communities and democratic processes are protected before any such facilities may proceed.

Data Centers can not be privatized.  Due diligence is paramount to identify a cooperative that uses best management practices to moderate increased energy costs, increased water consumption and projections for profitability.

Sustainable Agriculture

The state of Minnesota supports funding for research, technical assistance, equipment and education to implement regenerative farming, establish perennial crops, rotational grazing, cover crops and low till/no till practices.  The State will invest in rural communities and our food and farming system, conserve and build healthy soils, clean our water, sequester carbon and bolster farm income.  The health of all life - plants, animals, humans - directly dependent on the life in the soil.

Indigenous Treaty Rights

Minnesota supports upholding all of our treaties with indigenous Minnesota tribes, including those involving manoomin (wild rice).  These treaties are defined as the “supreme law of the land” under the U.S. Constitution.  Failure to uphold treaties is considered a violation of human rights under international law.  We intend to honor, and learn to sustain the environment from the original stewards of our natural resources,

Prevention of Groundwater Depletion

The state implements programs to fund rural areas for monitoring sites and equipment including technology to provide regional management of groundwater.  Require large users to obtain withdrawal permits and to conduct Environmental Impact Statements and aquifer pump tests when usage exceeds 30 million gallons monthly or 40% municipal allocation, to protect domestic use and aquifer sustainability.  Access to water is essential for plant, animal AND human life.

Conserve and Restore Natural Habitats

We support accelerated action to protect, restore and improve management of forests, prairies and wetlands to resist climate change and preserve biodiversity.  We recognize nature’s financial value to prioritize the environment in investment and policy decisions.  Reform tax subsidies and industry regulations; subtract the external costs of environmental degradation from the value of production to moderate false profits.  We can and must honor the earth and learn to sustain our health by protecting the natural resources in our environment.