(UPDATE – AUGUST 30, 2017) Those that couldn’t attend the meeting last night can still participate in the metropolitan regional town hall meetings (indicated below) or submit your ideas at the 25BY25 on-line survey. 

An analysis and compilation (by the League of Women Voters – ABC) of community responses is available (click here).  

(AUGUST 9, 2017) The League of Women Voters ABC has announced Bruce Bomier, Chair of Environmental Resource Council, as the welcoming speaker for the Anoka County Community Water Meeting.

Mr. Bomier has degrees in Public Health, Epidemiology and Forensics and has published extensively in the areas of public health and environmental policy. He also founded one of the major environmental engineering firms in the Midwest, the Institute for Environmental Assessment (IEA), and served as its CEO for many years. Bruce was also appointed by three successive governors to serve on Minnesota’s Environmental Quality Board and for several years provided environmental and humanities commentaries on Public Radio. Mr. Bomier’s opinion “Minnesota must admit it has a serious water-quality problem” appeared in the StarTribune newspaper (July 23, 2017).

Bruce Bomier

To accelerate the pace of progress towards clean water throughout Minnesota, Governor Mark Dayton has announced the “25BY25” Water Quality Goal. The Governor seeks to spur collaboration and action in improving Minnesota’s water quality 25 percent by 2025. Without additional action, the quality of Minnesota’s waters is expected to improve only 6 to 8 percent by 2034.The Governor is calling on Minnesotans to organize Community Water Meetings this summer to provide feedback and ideas to reach the 25BY25 goal.

The League of Women Voters ABC (Andover, Blaine and Coon Rapids) will host a Community Water Meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 29, 2017 at the Anoka-Ramsey Community College (Legacy Room).

Governor Dayton wants to hear from Minnesotans at a series of 10 Town Halls statewide over the summer and fall. Two town hall meetings are scheduled in the metro area (metro regional information packet):

• Minneapolis – Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
• Stillwater – Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Or submit your ideas to the Governor by taking the 25 by 2025 individual survey.

Anoka County’s Local Water Management Agencies. The seven (7) watershed management organizations and twenty-one municipalities in Anoka County have prepared plans to manage and protect local water resources. County-wide agencies are implementing programs that help maintain the quality and sustainability of our lakes, creeks and groundwater.

The Anoka County Community Health Board has determined that water quality and sustainable drinking water is a most important community health issue. Addressing water challenges involve the participation of community leaders, organizations, residents and businesses working together.