A state Senate committee will meet Friday in Bemidji to discuss a bill that would attempt to realign the six agencies and five state departments dealing with the environment and natural resources.

The bill, introduced last session by Sen. Mary Olson, DFL-Bemidji, "would streamline the process for citizens and businesses that work with management agencies," says the Bemidji Pioneer.

There's a sense that many agencies and departments have overlapping jurisdiction in natural resource areas and that local governments also perform some of the same functions.

Among the entities to be considered in a possible realignment are: the Pollution Control Agency, Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Quality Board, Board of Water and Soil Resources, Petroleum Tank Release Compensation Board, Harmful Substances Compensation Board, Agricultural Chemical Response Compensation Board and certain powers and duties of the departments of Transportation, Health, Agriculture and Commerce.

Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, DFL-Fridley,chair of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Policy Committee, also is developing ideas for natural resources reforms, which will be discussed at the hearing from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday at the American Indian Resource Center on the Bemidji State University campus.

Legislators often take hearings on the road to provide easier access to citizens affected by the proposed legislation.

“Our area has an abundance of natural resources that our citizens utilize every day for their livelihood and recreation,” Olson told the paper. “I look forward to the committee meeting in my district because it will offer local citizens, who otherwise might not be able to make it down to the Capitol in St. Paul, the opportunity to have their voices heard on the issue of how we might better structure management of our natural resources.”