Greetings District 10!
MN Association of Soil Water Conservation District’s Legislator of the Year Award
For her extensive and significant efforts to support SWCDs at the Legislature, the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) recognized Senator Carrie Ruud on Dec. 13 as its 2021 MASWCD Legislator of the Year.
Ruud received the award at the 85th annual MASWCD Annual Meeting in Bloomington. MASWCD annually honors a legislator who promotes natural resource conservation through the legislative process and recognizes the key role that SWCDs can play in delivering conservation practices on private land.
SWCD funding and policy issues regularly are critical issues before the Legislature. Ruud, who also received the MASWCD legislator award in 2017, serves as chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance Committee.
“I’m incredibly honored to receive this award, our SWCDs are integral when it comes to effective resource conservation—they are the ‘boots on the ground’ that protect our state’s soil, water, and natural resources. As we head into the new year, I look forward to continuing the partnership so that we may continue preserving our state’s wonderful natural resources.”
“Senator Ruud has been our unwavering, common-sense voice for practical land conservation,” said Sheila Vanney, MASWCD Assistant Director. “We are so grateful for Senator Ruud’s work to ensure that SWCDs’ voices are heard at the capitol, and for seeing the vital role the SWCDs play in our state’s environmental health. No legislator has been more supportive or a greater friend to SWCDs than Senator Ruud.”
Winter Truck Load Increases—North Frost Zone (begins December 18)
The Minnesota Department of Transportation indicates the winter load increases will begin on unrestricted state highways in the north frost zone.
Frost zones and restricted routes can be found on the MnDot Load Limits Map.
Start and end dates and other load limit information are shown here.
Vehicles will be allowed to operate up to 10 percent over the standard legal maximum loads on unrestricted highways during the winter load increase period. However, trucks must comply with current registration weight laws and not exceed registered gross weight tolerances.
Please check with local agencies (cities, counties, and townships) prior to increasing any weights on their routes. The sign posted on the roadway governs the load limit in effect. A winter weight increase permit is required to take advantage of the 10 percent weight increase on interstate highways only; a permit is not required for state trunk highways. MnDOT will report start and end dates on its 24-hour automated message center at 1-800-723-6543 for the U.S. and Canada.
For updated road condition information, call 511 or visit www.511mn.org.
Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board
The IRRRB met this week—and as a member of the board, we approved a total combined project investments of $157.7 million for northern Minnesota. The projects are expected to increase the regional tax base, create permanent and construction jobs, provide essential services, improve education, and expand outdoor recreation and mining. Please see here for more details: IRRRB information.
Thank you for the positive meetings this week—Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Minnesota Parks & Trails Council, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota IRRRB, Legislative COVID Response Commission and Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce. As always, it is great to connect with constituents, business, and government organizations.
Warm wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season!
If you’re looking to hear more from the Capitol, please like me on Facebook.
As always please feel free to contact my office with any questions you might have. My office can be reached by phone at (651) 296-4913 or at sen.carrie.ruud@senate.mn.
Talk to you soon!
Carrie Ruud