Dayton signs business permit bill
Gov. Mark Dayton signed a bill Thursday that streamlines the environmental review and permitting process for businesses in Minnesota.
Dayton issued an executive order in January directing the DNR and MPCA to begin speeding up the permitting process. Republicans included many of the same goals in their bill, including a requirement that state agencies issue or deny all environmental permits within 150 days of submission.
In a letter to the bill's chief authors, Dayton wrote that he shares their desire to help businesses locate or expand in Minnesota.
House Speaker Kurt Zellers praised the governor for signing the bill, which he said will provide businesses more certainty.
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Environmental groups say the bills were rushed through without much time for analysis or debate.
Steve Morse, with the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, said polls show Minnesotans don't want to roll back protections.
"It's a false choice to say jobs versus the environment," Morse said. "Minnesotans say we have to protect our resources for the long haul while we do our economic development."
Environmental groups oppose a provision in the bill that allows developers to hire their own consultants to prepare an environmental impact statement. But Dayton said he's confident environmental standards will be met under the new system.
(MPR reporter Stephanie Hemphill contributed to this report.)