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Dear neighbors,
The House has passed eight bipartisan budget bills, including the Environment and Natural Resources budget! We plan to keep working through the weekend. Please keep reading these updates and follow my official Facebook page for the latest news from the Capitol. You can also watch a live video of the House floor debate here.
Environment and Natural Resources Budget: Investing in the Great Outdoors
Minnesotans are proud of our state’s abundant natural resources, and we want our families and our neighbors to be able to enjoy the outdoors for years to come. Today, the House passed a problem-solving Environment and Natural Resources budget with a bipartisan vote of 99-34.
When we began negotiating, Senate Republicans threatened not to pass an Environment budget unless the state halted plans to enact clean car standards. If this had happened, state parks and the environmental arm of our government would’ve shut down on July 1. House DFLers successfully fought to prevent this crisis. We worked hard to find a bipartisan agreement so Minnesota can keep moving forward on clean car standards – which will reduce pollution and protect the environment – and our government can continue safeguarding the state’s water, air, land, and wildlife.
The budget protects Minnesotans from pollution and harmful chemicals, addresses growing environmental threats, protects animals and wildlife, and creates more opportunities for people to get outdoors. It also invests nearly $132.27 million from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund in 165 critical projects across Minnesota. These investments, which Senate Republicans blocked last year, will help preserve and enhance our environment and natural resources.
You can find more information about the budget here, but these are a few of the exciting things it does:
- Funds efforts to identify and reduce sources of PFAS – “forever chemicals” that may increase health risks – and prohibits using them in food packaging
- Invests in carbon sequestration strategies, include tree planting
- Helps communities prevent and manage emerald ash borer (EAB) infestations
- Supports programs like No Child Left Inside that create opportunities for children and young adults to get outdoors and participate in recreational activities
- Helps stop the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) with dedicated funding and measures that expand the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)’s authority to regulate deer farms and prohibit importing carcasses of deer and similar species
- Supports a water quality and storage program that will help mitigate impacts of climate change
- Provides funding to assess and maintain air, water, and soil quality
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I’ll likely be working late at the Legislature, but I wish I could join community members at the Kaposia Days Grande Parade this evening! You can find more information about this annual event here.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, ideas, or feedback. I appreciate your input!
Sincerely,
Rick Hansen
State Representative
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