The Minnesota Senate passed bipartisan legislation to fund Minnesota’s environment and natural resources on Tuesday. The omnibus budget bill continues to place an emphasis on funding Minnesota’s critical environment priorities with efforts to tackle both Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), along with increased access and continued funding for state parks and additional efforts to engage Minnesotans and encourage them to take part in the state’s great outdoors. 

Following the passage of the bill, Senator Justin Eichorn (R-Grand Rapids) issued the following statement:

“Over the past several months the Senate has been working to craft a bipartisan environment and natural resources budget that preserves Minnesota’s environment, reduces burdensome regulations, and gives Minnesotans access to our great outdoors and this legislation accomplishes just that.

I’m also excited to see my legislation that allows schools to teach gun safety and hunting and angling make the final bill. This provision is important to me and our region and will allow our kids to get outdoors to learn to be stewards of our lands while teaching them fishing and hunting’s historic Minnesota roots.”

Specifically, the bill includes increased funding to combat the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species with additional investments in a new AIS detection system that will allow Minnesota to make better enforcement choices. Additionally, it addresses Chronic Wasting Disease, providing resources for surveillance, research, and preventive measures to protect Minnesota’s deer populations. The omnibus bill also includes a significant investment to improve Minnesota’s wastewater infrastructure as well as one of Senator Eichorn’s provisions to establish the Wild Rice Council.

Furthermore, there is continued funding to preserve and protect Minnesota’s state parks and trails. The legislation also offers Minnesota residents free admission to state parks and the Minnesota Zoo on state holidays.

Additional provisions bring the environment and outdoors a little closer to the classroom, including another of Senator Eichorn’s provisions that would allow schools to teach gun safety and provide hunting and angling training through schools’ physical education programs. There is also increased funding to support the growth of Minnesota’s high school fishing league.  In total, the bill spends $276 million out of the General Fund over the next biennium funding the Pollution Control Agency, Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Zoo, Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources, Explore Minnesota, Met Parks, Conservation Corps, the Minnesota Science Museum, and the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources