The Minnesota Senate approved an Environment and Natural Resources Supplemental Finance Bill on Monday containing hyper-partisan provisions imposing new costly regulations on Minnesota employers.

The most controversial provision in the bill is the Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act establishing an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program holding packaging producers responsible for recycling costs of packaging waste. These burdensome and costly new regulations have been shown to increase grocery prices by $36-$57 per month.

Packing producers face steep fines for failing to comply with these new requirements, including:

First-time offense: $25,000 penalty per day of violation

Second offense occurring within 5 years: $50,000 per day of violation

A third or subsequent offense within 5 years: $100,000 per day of violation

“Minnesotans expect their legislators to work across the aisle to strike a balance between protecting our natural resources and encouraging economic growth,” Senator Justin Eichorn (R-Grand Rapids), Republican Lead on the Environment, Natural Resources, and Legacy Committee, said. “Unfortunately, instead of finding balance, Democrats are forcing through controversial environmental restrictions that will crush Minnesotans with more price increases on top of inflation and $10 billion in new taxes passed last year.” 

Senate Republicans proposed several amendments to improve the bill, including an attempt to remove the entire packaging waste provision. Additionally, two more proposals to conduct a thorough assessment and legislative report to determine the necessity of EPR legislation, and exempt marine products from EPR regulations failed along party lines.