To all members of Minnesotans for Healthy Lakes (MHL), and other lakeshore property owners:

As you may know, Minnesotans for Healthy Lakes (MHL) has been working for several years to block the imposition of new, more restrictive rules on the management of aquatic weeds, as planned by the DNR. These rules are now scheduled for public hearings before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), according to the following schedule.

Monday, November 3
U of M Southern Research Station & Outreach Center
35838 120th Street
Waseca

Wednesday, November 5
Education Center
Camp Ripley

Thursday, November 6
Bigwood Event Center
921 Western Ave.
Fergus Falls

Friday November 7
Days Inn Maplewood Hotel
3030 Southlawn Drive
Maplewood


The hearing times are 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. each day.

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend one or more of these hearings. 

The proposed rules may be read online at: http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/input/rules/apm/apm_rules.pdf 

The Statement of Need and Reasonableness (SONAR) which is being used by the DNR to justify and defend these rule changes can be viewed online at:
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/input/rules/apm/rulemaking_sonar_apm_policy.pdf

This is our last chance to influence the content of the proposed rules, so we strongly encourage you to attend the hearing closest to you and be prepared to testify to express your views on them.  If you cannot attend and testify in person, please submit a letter to the administrative law judge detailing your concerns about the proposed rule changes.  The judge may be contacted at:

Administrative Law Judge Richard C. Luis
Office of Administrative Hearings
600 North Robert Street
P.O. Box 64620
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0620
Tel: 651-361-7843
Fax: 651-361-7936

You may also submit your written concerns to the judge in advance of the hearings, or submit as you make your oral comments to the judge. You may also make only oral remarks to the judge.  The bottom line is, we need to speak up now about our concerns with the proposed APM rules.
Minnesotans for Healthy Lakes has prepared a corporate response to the proposed rules and their justifications, which we encourage you to read before preparing your own remarks to the judge. 

MHL’s response may be read at: http://www.mnhealthylakes.org/associations/8934/files/ResponseSONARFINAL-101708.doc

This is our last, best chance to prevent these restrictive rules from becoming law. Will you stand with us to protect our rights as lakeshore property owners in this critical matter?   

Sincerely yours,

William Iacoe, Board Chair
www.mnhealthylakes.org