Bemidji’s Representative in the Minnesota Legislature John Persell commented in an interview today that he hasn’t seen political gridlock like this in the capitol in all the time he’s been there.
Persell authored the original language behind the request for Bemidji’s Water Treatment Plant, which has undergone some changes in committees as legislators work toward compromise between the divided legislative branch.
Persell commented on the desires of some to have the House and Senate weigh in on the governor’s COVID-19-related decisions.
Persell spoke to his military background, highlighting that in emergencies, a defined leader is needed to prevent chaos. The full interview is available on Bemidji Now.
Listen to the full interview
The city of Bemidji is planning to go ahead with the project, despite the uncertainty around bonding to fund it. Phase 1 is slated to begin this year, which will provide several hundred thousand of gallons pumped and cleaned, with more capacity expected whenever Phase 2 is completed.
The treatment plant is being designed to clean PFAs from the city’s drinking water. The plant will also clean up iron and manganese, which engineers behind the project say is necessary in order to effectively remove the PFAs.
The PFAs are related to the use of firefighting foam at the Bemidji Regional Airport, right on top of the well field.
In the latest version of the House’s bonding bill, almost $10.2 million is dedicated to the project. The request includes language that if litigation against the manufacturer of the foam is successful, the city would reimburse the state up to $4 million.
