Today, the Minnesota Senate passed a comprehensive Environment and Natural Resources budget bill on a bipartisan vote. Senate File 20, chief-authored by Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria), prioritizes Minnesota’s critical environment needs, including groundwater preservation, targeting Aquatic Invasive Species, wastewater management, flood mitigation, and recycling and waste management.
“We take pride in caring for our land, and this budget ensures that folks will have access to an environment that is clean, accessible, and preserved for generations to come,” Ingebrigtsen said. “Minnesotans should also be able to enjoy the outdoors, and our budget supports getting people out on our lakes, boosting our great tourism industry, and investing in our parks and trails that so many residents have used as an escape over the years.”
The legislation also supports Minnesota’s tourism industry and fully funds state parks and trails without raising park permits. Minnesotans heavily relied on parks and trails during the COVID pandemic to get outdoors. Senate Republicans are committed to enhancing outdoor recreation while ensuring all residents can afford and enjoy our natural spaces.
Senate Republicans also ensured Minnesotans would see no new registration fees on boats, kayaks, canoes, or paddleboards.Pay increases were also secured for law enforcement, including Minnesota’s conservation officers, who play a valuable role in supporting public safety outdoors while enforcing environmental and wildlife statutes.
The legislation also funds the Legislative Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resouces’s 2020 and 2021spending recommendations which include special environment and natural resource projects, primarily from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. In total, 165 projects across Minnesota will receive funding to protect, conserve, preserve, and enhance air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources.
“The Senate fought this entire session for a delay in Gov. Walz’s overreach on California air and emissions standards. While we are pleased the implementation will not take effect until 2024, we still firmly believe this is the wrong way to go about policy,” Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-East Gull Lake) added.“Electric cars are coming, but we don’t need to force auto dealers and consumers to purchase them. These are costly standards forced through without legislative oversight, and voters will have an opportunity to cast judgment next year.”