Mayoral Environmental Issues: Claim vs. Reality
Protection of Our Drinking Water Source
CLAIM: Rybak claims that his leadership on separation
of storm water and sanitary sewers in the City
protects our drinking water.
REALITY: Our drinking water intake is located on the
Mississippi River in Fridley, Minnesota, significantly
upstream from any sewer discharge points from
Minneapolis, and would therefore have no effect on
source water quality.
SOURCE: City of Minneapolis, Source Water
Assessment, 2001. Also, separation of storm water and
sanitary sewers is mandated by federal law and is not
an original mayoral initiative (59 FR 18688, April 19,
1994).
Storm Water Utility
CLAIM: Rybak claims leadership for new storm water
fee and incentives.
REALITY: CM Sandy Colvin Roy, Chair of the Public
Works and Transportation Committee, spearheaded the
effort for the storm water fee and incentives.
SOURCE: Ordinance2004-Or-132, November 5, 2004,
proposed by CM Colvin Roy, Goodman, Benson, and
Zimmermann.
Storm Water Management
CLAIM: Rybak claims use of alternative storm water
practices instead of big pipe projects.
REALITY: Alternative storm water practices are not
being considered for the largest City projects, such
as the 35W/62 interchange and the 35W storm sewer
upgrade. Storm water management, also, was not
properly addressed at three out of four LRT stations
(the 4th station did address storm water discharges
but only because of Minnehaha Creek Watershed District
requirements).
SOURCE: Environmental Assessment: Interstate 35W and
Highway 62, State Project: 2782-281. St. Marys
Tunnel plan.
Phosphorus Ban
CLAIM: Rybak claims that he made phosphorus a
significant issue in 2001 and later it was banned in
lawn fertilizers in the City.
REALITY: The City phosphorus restrictions were in
place before Rybak was in office.
SOURCE: The Phosphorus Ban was Ordinance
2001-Or-113, proposed by City CM Lisa McDonald and CM
Sandra Colvin Roy. It was adopted unanimously by City
Council on September 28, 2001, and was approved by
Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton on October 4, 2001.
The Above The Falls Master Plan
CLAIM: Rybak claims he is a big supporter of
implementing the Above The Falls Master Plan.
REALITY: As Mayor, Rybak has had the basis to object
to state permits or withhold City permits, but was
silent as heavy industry continues to develop on the
Mississippi River in ways that violate this Plan.
SOURCE: Minnesota Statutes 103G.245, Subpart 6,
prohibits the issuance of the necessary state Public
Waters Work permit if the proposed project is
inconsistent with a local plan. City CUP permits have
been issued to American Iron & Supply and Graco when
such facilities violate the Above The Falls Master
Plan.
Arsenic Clean Up in E. Phillips Neighborhood
CLAIM: Rybak claims that the City is decontaminating
all property in the East Phillips Neighborhood with
harmful levels of arsenic from a former pesticide
manufacturing plant.
REALITY: This Superfund clean up was initiated and
funded by EPA Region V. The City has provided no
funding, has not established clean up standards, and
does not direct clean up activities at this site.
SOURCE: EPA Region V, Superfund Office.
Air Quality
CLAIM: Rybak promised to play a lead role in State
rulemaking on air permits and continue to work
aggressively with the State to protect air quality
when permits are issued for Minneapolis facilities.
(From Sustainability Plan)
REALITY: As a result of resignations and
reassignments, the City no longer has staff to review
State rule makings and permit issuances.
SOURCE: Environmental Services staff roster indicates
loss of the one person working on these air issues
with the City.
Kyoto Protocol
CLAIM: Minneapolis is one of the first cities to meet
the Kyoto Protocol for pollution reduction.
REALITY: Minneapolis may be able to comply with the
Kyoto Protocol by 2010 if CO2 emissions can be further
reduced.
SOURCE: 2003 State of the City.
Coal Plant Conversion
CLAIM: Rybak successfully lobbied for conversion of
the Riverside Coal Plant to natural gas.
REALITY: There was no known opposition. (If a state
needs to increase electric generation to meet
increasing demands, it must reduce existing emissions
to compensate for it. The Riverside Coal Plant
conversion was supported by Xcel Energy, MPCA, and
various environmental organizations, besides the
Mayor.)
SOURCE: MN Stat 216B.1692, required submission of the
Metropolitan Emissions Reduction Proposal (MERP). The
MERP was submitted July 26, 2002, and was reviewed by
MPCA, December 30, 2002.
Vapor Recovery at City Gas Stations
CLAIM: Rybak claims that he led the initiative on
establishing City restrictions on gasoline pumps in
the City for recycling toxic fumes.
REALITY: The City passed an ordinance requiring this
before Rybak took office.
SOURCE: Ordinance 2001-Or-160, proposed by CM
Biernat, amended Title 13, Chapter 287.110, required
that all gas stations established after 1/1/02 must
install and use a Stage I vapor recovery system. This
proposed ordinance passed unanimously on December 28,
2001, by City Council and was approved on December 31,
2001, by Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton.
Guy Gambill
(Uptown)
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