Advisory group continues struggle over projects list

An advisory commission on funding environmental projects continues to wrestle with dozens of proposals being held up by the change in the majority party in the legislature.

The LCCMR -- the Legislative-Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources -- has new members with new priorities, and they've advised the group to drop 25 projects from its list of recommendations.

Rep. Denny McNamara, R-Hastings, who chairs the House Environment Committee, said some emerging issues should take precedence.

"Chronic wasting disease, Asian carp, zebra mussel, the sulfate and wild rice is really important and that's just evolved in last couple months," McNamara said.

Jeff Broberg, vice-chair of the group, said changing the list now would damage the LCCMR's credibility.

"The long-term consequence of what's happened here in the last couple weeks is that it will always be fiddled with," Broberg said. "It has no stability or security no matter what we think is in the plan, that's the big consequence we haven't faced yet.

McNamara wants the environment budget to be ready later this month. But some citizen members of the LCCMR want to be sure the new projects receive a thorough review.