HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-042 (Supporting Legislative Efforts to Ensure a Sustainable, Safe, and Reliable Water Supply)City of Stillwater
Washington County, Minnesota
RESOLUTION 2022-042
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS TO ENSURE A SUSTAINABLE,
SAFE, AND RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY
WHEREAS, the City holds a water appropriation permit to draw water from the
Prairie du Chien -Jordan Aquifer, which feeds into White Bear Lake, this permit allows the
City to provide safe water to its residents, businesses, schools, and hospitals; and
WHEREAS, on March 1, 2018, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
amended the City's water appropriation permit due to fluctuating lake levels on White Bear
Lake and the resulting advocacy of homeowners on the lake who want sufficient lake levels
for recreational activities; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources ("DNR"), at the direction
of a 2021 Ramsey County Court Order in Case File No: 62-CV-13-2414, filed a letter with the
Court on February 7, 2022 illustrating its preparedness to limit the City's water
appropriation permit to 55 gallons of water per day per person on average, along with other
municipalities within a 5 mile range of White Bear Lake in order to comply with the Court's
Order; and
WHEREAS, such proposed restrictions on the City's water permit present a dire
threat to safe and reliable water access for local schools, hospitals, new housing
developments, and other industries; and
WHEREAS, the DNR's potential permits amendments threaten the health, welfare,
growth, and prosperity of the City, and surrounding communities, and is an untenable
solution to shared use of the aquifer; and
WHEREAS, the issue of groundwater usage from the Prairie du Chien -Jordan Aquifer
is a regional concern that involves a significant number of communities across three
counties, including their residents, businesses, schools, hospitals, and numerous other public
and private uses; and
WHEREAS, recognizing the importance of conservation and sustainability is best
achieved through localized strategies; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Legislature is in a position to provide a legislative solution
to groundwater permitting in the Prairie du Chien -Jordan Aquifer and reinforce the role of
the DNR in engaging in water appropriation based on science and public health.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the City Council respectfully requests that the
legislature enact legislation that accomplishes the following:
1. Protects municipal water permits, including those arising from the in the
Prairie du Chien -Jordan Aquifer, from legal challenges.
2. Directs the DNR to explore innovative options for meeting the water needs of
our residents, hospitals, schools, industries, and future development and
ensuring the sustainability and quality of the state's water resources in and
around White Bear Lake and neighboring aquifers.
3. Allowing the DNR the discretion to issue and amend groundwater water
appropriation permits as was the case prior to the pending litigation.
Adopted by the Stillwater City Council this 15th day of March, 2022.
ATT ST:
Beth Wolf, City
CITY OF STILLWATER
Ted Kozlowski, Mayor
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