Minnesota Environmental Issues Oral History Project: Interview with Grant J. Merritt

Titles: Minnesota Environmental Issues Oral History Project: Interview with Grant J. Merritt (Supplied title)

Description: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Merritt is a native of Duluth, Minnesota. He received his B.A. in political science and economics, his M.A. in public administration, and his law degree from the University of Minnesota. In 1971, he was appointed as executive director of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency by Governor Wendell R. Anderson. He resigned from the post in 1975 to serve as Governor Anderson's special assistant on the Reserve Mining issue and to return to private law practice. At the time of the interview he headed the law firm of Grant J. Merritt & Associates in Minneapolis. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Background; Stoddard report; involvement in Reserve Mining issue including Save Lake Superior Association; MECCA, John Blatnik, milepost seven vs. milepost twenty, Taconite Amendment, taconite tailings and dumping, air emission concerns, asbestos particles; the PCA since Merritt left as executive director, relationship with the Health Department, Gordon Rosenmeier and the birth of the PCA, Merritt's role as executive director, creation of Special Services unit, organization of; Pigs Eye Plant; NSP lawsuit; nuclear moratorium; role of PCA board; role of media; NSP; PCA's relationship with DNR and Bob Herbst; copper nickel mining issue; reasons for leaving PCA; future Minnesota environmental issues; and the role of citizen groups in the regulatory environment now vs. 20 years ago.

Dates

• 04/15/1988 - 06/08/1988 (Interviews conducted 4/15/1988 (audio), 5/18/1988 (audio), and 6/8/1988 (video).) (Creation)

Creation

• interviewer: Robertson, Margaret A.
• interviewee: Merritt, Grant J.

Identifiers

• Library Call Number: OH 58
• Accession Number: AV1988.99.22
• Accession Number: AV1989.221.4

Holding Type: Oral History - Interview

Project

• Oral History - Project, MHS Collection, project: 'Minnesota Environmental Issues Oral History Project' <OH 58>

Quantity: 3 hours sound cassette 1 hour videocassette 46 pages transcript

Format

• Content Category: sound recordings
• Content Category: moving images
• Content Category: text

Measurements

• 125 minutes length (Audio interview)

Subjects

How can we help?

• Help / About Collections Online
• Learn about the Collections
• Contact the Gale Family Library for help with research, orders, and use/licensing
• Have feedback or comments on the new Collections Online system? Please fill in the Collections Online Feedback Form.