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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hi all,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I spotted bald eagles spotted soaring on eastern edge of Murphy Hanrehan in Burnsville yesterday, probably after fishing on Black Dog Lake. And the Vermillion River is in danger and needs birders help.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I’m Dan Callahan, a MRVAC member in Dakota County, and longtime subscribers will remember the fight we won to prevent a road being bulldozed through the center of Murphy Hanrehan Regional Park several years ago. We need birders to flock again.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Vermillion River in Scott and Dakota County is in an important greenway for birds, from Elko New Market through Lakeville, Farmington, and the townships until Hastings, where the river joins the Mississippi.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The VRWJPO agency in charge of the Vermillion wants to replace Class 2A state water pollution protections that have been in place for years, with their own special standard that lowers protections and cleanup standards.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If clean water isn’t reason enough to act on this, lower cleanup targets could mean less demand for upland restoration, that benefits birds as well as water quality. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The public hearing is this Tuesday, January 26, at 7 p.m. at the Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center, 4100 220th St. W, Farmington. This is the only public hearing on the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO) draft watershed management plan.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You could also send an 11 word email (or more if you wish) to <a href="mailto:mark.zabel@co.dakota.mn.us">mark.zabel@co.dakota.mn.us</a> with the subject line: <b>Watershed Plan Comments<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>The VRWJPO should stop lobbying to replace Class 2A protections on the Vermillion River. <o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Your Name<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Your Address<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here’s the background:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The watershed plan is a good in most areas, except this odd one. They are using our important natural resource restoration dollars, collected by a tax levy on citizens and businesses in the watershed, for political lobbying to reduce cleanup standards. It is contrary to the VRWJPO’s mission statement and the Watershed Plan Goals. This is wrong and must stop. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here’s the link to the watershed plan: <a href="http://vermillionriverwatershed.org/attachments/195_DRAFT%20Watershed%20Plan%202016%20Public%20Review%20Red%209_24_15.pdf">http://vermillionriverwatershed.org/attachments/195_DRAFT%20Watershed%20Plan%202016%20Public%20Review%20Red%209_24_15.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please help. You can contact me at <a href="mailto:may.fly@comcast.net">may.fly@comcast.net</a>, or call me: 651-238-2111, and I can send you more background information that specifically calls out the language in the plan. Thanks for reading all this!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div>
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