County Board actions: Water quality projects, e-cig regulations, renewed recycling contract

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Carolyn Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969

County board actions

Votes approved water quality improvement projects and e-cig ordinance changes.

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Special levies will fund watershed projects

The board set a special levy to support projects in four watershed management organizations: Bassett Creek, Shingle Creek, West Mississippi and Elm Creek. The special levy is separate from the general property tax levy, which is set to be approved next month.

Projects include:

  • Bassett Creek: $1.3 million for three water quality improvement projects, improving water quality and stream habitat of Bassett and Plymouth Creeks within the cities of Minneapolis and Plymouth, and reducing phosphorus loading into Northwood Lake in New Hope.
  • Shingle Creek: $363,600 for three storm water retrofit projects and a diverted streamflow treatment project in the cities of Crystal, Minneapolis, and Robbinsdale, and to support a best management practices (BMP) program.
  • West Mississippi: $131,300 to complete a storm water retrofit project in Champlin and support a BMP cost-share program, which will implement small water quality projects throughout the watershed to protect and improve the quality of water resources.
  • Elm Creek: $492,812 for five water quality improvement projects including stream bank/shoreline restoration along Rush Creek in Maple Grove, Fox Creek in Rogers and the Mississippi River at the Elm Creek Dam in Champlin, repair of storm water outfalls along the Mississippi River in Champlin, and in-lake water treatment to reduce phosphorus at Fish Lake in Maple Grove.

Learn more about special levies.

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    Measure applies tobacco rules to e-cigs, moves authority to Public Health

    The board approved an amendment to County Ordinance 21 that will apply all county tobacco regulations to electronic tobacco and tobacco-related products, such as e-cigarette. The measure will allow the ordinance to adapt in the future to new tobacco products. This change puts Hennepin County in line with new state regulations and wording meant to better control use of tobacco products. It will also allow the board to delegate licensing of tobacco retailers to the Hennepin County Public Health Department. 

    Learn more about the ordinance change.

    Vote early November 1-7

    Hennepin County eligible voters will directly place their ballots into a ballot counter when voting in person November 1-7.

    Voting machines will record votes as they are turned in, but will not report results until after the polls close on Election Day, November 8.

    Learn more about locations and hours for early voting.

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