State Sen. Bill Weber was recognized by the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC) July 29 during the Coalition’s summer conference in Alexandria for his positive impact on environmental issues in Greater Minnesota.
Sen. Weber, a Republican from Luverne, is serving his third term in the Minnesota Senate. The Legislator of Distinction Award is given to legislators who played key roles in advancing CGMC’s policy during the preceding legislative session.
As a mayor-turned-legislator, Sen. Weber has long been a strong supporter of issues that are important to Greater Minnesota cities. This year, he served as the chief Senate author of an innovative initiative aimed at tackling the sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of long-lasting “forever” chemicals that are linked to various health concerns and that have been found in water bodies across the state. He helped secure $600,000 for the creation of the PFAS Municipal Reduction Strategy, which focuses on studying the sources of PFAS, developing strategies to prevent PFAS from entering wastewater plants, and educating wastewater professionals and the public on PFAS and habits that result in them entering the environment.
In addition, Sen. Weber successfully advocated for the creation of a stakeholder group that will involve representatives from municipal organizations like the CGMC to help develop plans and strategies for dealing with PFAS.
