ABSTRACT
Minnesota's environmental review procedure was patterned after the National Environmental Policy Act and centered on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). On April 3, 1980, Governor Al Quie signed a bill that redesigned the environmental review procedures for Minnesota. The surprising passage of this bill was the result of a carefully drafted proposal and some delicately balanced compromises between business and environmental interests. Environmentalists criticized the Environmental Quality Board (EQB) for what they considered to be a conservative use of the environmental review procedures. Primarily, the EQB was criticized for refusing to order EISs on most of the projects brought to their attention by agency challenges or citizen petitions. Local governments often expressed resentment that their decisions could be appealed to the EQB. The EQB staff also had its own criticisms of the language and procedures of the existing rules and law. Primarily, the staffs were frustrated by the lack of direction and definition in the process.
