Dayton orders faster permitting

Posted at 12:35 PM on January 24, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton has directed two state departments to streamline the environmental review and permitting processes for businesses.

Dayton signed an executive order today setting new goals and procedures in the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Department of Natural Resources. He said the order is part of a bipartisan effort to help businesses grow and create new jobs. During a news conference with the governor, MPCA Commissioner Paul Aasen aid one of the goals is to decide whether or not to issue a permit within 150 days after an application is made.

"I can tell you that right now both of our agencies are under 80 days for the fastest permits in that zone," Aesen said. "Our averages are somewhere in the 180 day range. So, this is going to be a little bit of a stretch for us. But we think it's the right thing to do and the right step forward to take."

Dayton's order includes some of the same provisions that House and Senate Republicans have put forward as part of their first bills of the session.

UPDATE

Republican legislators offered some distinctly different reactions to the executive order.

During an afternoon news conference, Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, said he still wants the regulatory relief language of his bill placed in law. But Michel said he thought Dayton's order was a good first step.

"It's great news for job creators when different branches of the government are all trying to lead a parade," Michel said. "The parade this year is jobs."

Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, responded with concern. Dean issued a written statement describing Dayton's action as "counterproductive to the legislative process." Dean said the executive order waters down or ignores some of the key provisions in the proposed legislation (H.F. 1).

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