Koochiching County officials Tuesday took action to oppose the proposed federal Clean Water Restoration Act, authored by U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar.

The county board agreed to support the National Association of Counties, which says that changing the phrase “navigable waters” in the existing act to read “waters of the United States” would broaden federal authority.

Commissioner Kallie Briggs said the county is better off supporting an organization in opposing the change to the act than standing alone in opposition. An organization will give counties a unified voice against the proposed change, she said.

The request to oppose the bill originated from Minnesota Rural Counties Caucus, at which Briggs represents Koochiching. The caucus has encouraged the Association of Minnesota Counties to support NACo in its opposition, Briggs said.

NACo contends that the change would broaden the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act, according to NACo’s resolution.

A draft resolution written by the caucus to support NACo states that the change would force the Army Corps to review projects and applications for permits in greater numbers. The Army Corps already has a national backlog of 30,000 permits under the present definition of “waters,” according to the draft resolution.

Minnesota Rep. Tom Anzelc told The Journal Tuesday the “real story” about Oberstar’s proposed act is “confusion”.

Anzelc said he agrees with Oberstar’s contention that Minnesota’s Wetland Conservation Act would take precedent over the federal rules because the state act is more stringent. However, he said there is much confusion and fear over what Oberstar has proposed.

It’s time to bring all stakeholders to the table to discuss Oberstar’s proposal “and differentiate the state’s statute, the statute’s function and the state’s role within that of the federal government,” Anzelc said.

“Less is a threat than could be a threat.” That’s how Minnesota Sen. Tom Saxhaug phrased his concern in a phone interview on his way to the Capitol Tuesday.

Saxhaug agreed that people do not know how the federal proposal could impact Minnesotans, “but if I can’t get clear to satisfaction I have to be hesitant to support it.”

Saxhaug said he’ll research the proposed federal bill before visiting Borderland next week to discuss the 2008 session with local officials.

Anzelc said northern Minnesota’s perception of the “heavy hand of federal government is that, ‘here we go again’. It does not sit well with local elected officials. But confusion is the real word, the bottom line. We are confused.”

Minnesota’s wetland laws must be changed, both Anzelc and Saxhaug said Tuesday. Both said they would carry bills in the 2008 Minnesota Legislature to clarify and relieve Koochiching of some of the wetland concerns.

Anzelc said Minnesota’s wetland laws must be “streamlined and corrected.”