Waelti, John J.2010-06-292010-06-291974-10Waelti, John J. 1974. Minnesota Water and Related Land Resource Policies with emphais on the 68th Legislative Session. Water Resources Research Center.https://hdl.handle.net/11299/91536Water Resources planners in Minnesota have followed three courses of action regarding water and related land resources framework planning. The first involves coordination of State activities, currently under the Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Environmental Planning and Protection. The second has been directed at gathering background information on the water resource base and estimating resource needs to the year 2020. Third, water resource planners have inventoried State policy as it regards water resources. Throughout the water resources planning effort those responsible for the program have maintained that decisions regarding water resources should be based on policy developed by those politically responsible tot he citizens of Minnesota. Previous State publications have examined existing policy and posed policy questions to which answers were needed. The purpose of this publication is to review the actions of the 68th (1973-74) Legislative Session in resolving key water resource policy questions. The publication reviews existing policy (prior to the 68th session) as expressed in the law, recommendations expressed in the Governors Message on Environmental Quality to the 68th Session, recommendations of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Environmental Quality, and interim recommendations of the Legislature regarding water resources. The water resource related bills that became law during the 68th Session are enumerated and their key provisions are highlighted. These bills are reviewed for policy statements and directions. The key water resource policy questions are then reviewed and answered insofar as possible based on implicit and explicit policy statements of the Legislature. The 68th Session of the Legislature made some progress in either answering or determining direction of some of the policy questions. Other questions remain unanswered, and new questions regarding water resources are arising as resource scarcity, concern for environmental quality, and energy problems become more evident and bear greater consideration in public decision processes.en-USresource policywater policywater resource planningNewsletter or Bulletin