I suppose I could do some research myself to answer this question, but not today...
Reading the Strib's "What's the State of Our State?" series that began today (and isn't even visible on the home page, so forget a link), I noted that the state's list of "impaired" waters is growing every year as Minnesota tries to comply with federal law.
This year, about $15 million was earmarked to get started on an estimated $1 billion cleanup. At that rate, it's a 67-year project, assuming waters don't get any worse. But that's not the question.
It's this: How unequal are federal clean water mandates among states — especially if states have to come up with the money? Minnesota presumably has a much bigger liability than, say Utah or Nevada. Not because we're derelict, but because we have more water.
I might've found the answer had I read the Strib's entire "water series." Oh, well.
At least unfunded mandates to educate kids are roughly proportionate among states. I wonder if there are others like this?
