Accessibility menu
State Representative Rick Hansen
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-6828
For more information contact: Matt Swenson 651-297-8406
Press/News Releases
BILL PROTECTING TREES FROM EMERALD ASH BORER PASSED ON ARBOR DAY
ST. PAUL – Last week marked the annual recognition of Arbor Day – a national holiday celebrating the health and prosperity of trees in our country. Minnesotans statewide hold our wealth of forests in high regard as an inherent element of our heritage, an essential resource for our livelihood, and a vital component of our future. That legacy, however, may now be threatened by invasive species such as the Emerald Ash Borer – a shiny green beetle known for killing over 20 million trees throughout Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.
A bill (HF1016) authored this session by Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL – South St. Paul), is one of several measures that would protect trees in Minnesota from the potential infestation of the Emerald Ash Borer. This incredibly damaging invasive species, originally arriving in the United States from imported wood products from China, has spread in other states through the use of infested firewood. For that reason, Hansen's bill requires that firewood used on land administered by the Department of Natural Resources must come from a firewood distribution site located on DNR-administered land, or from a firewood dealer approved by the DNR.
The bill passed on Arbor Day in the House by a vote of 115 to 13. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 52 to 6.
"I am pleased that this bill received such wide-spread support in the Legislature this session," said Rep. Hansen. "Since the Emerald Ash Borer spreads primarily through infested firewood, by regulating the use of infested firewood, this bill will ultimately protect Minnesota trees from the devastating effects of a full-blown, statewide infestation."
Recognizing that a lack of preventative measures led to the loss of tens of millions of trees in other states, Rep. Hansen and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources brought this bill to the Legislature early in the session to ensure that these protections would be put in place as soon as possible.
"I have worked very closely with the members of both parties and the DNR in crafting this bill and moving it through the legislative process," said Rep. Hansen. "The help and cooperation of the DNR and my legislative colleagues in this process was essential to the bill's success in protecting our trees."
The bill has been presented to Governor Pawlenty and awaits his signature.
News Items
- Rep. Rick Hansen chosen as leader of Great Lakes Legislative Caucus - (Posted: Dec 27 2012 8:34AM)
- Need Holiday Gifts? Consider DNR Gift Cards - (Posted: 2012-11-27 00:00:00)
- Looking Forward to Serving, Getting the Job Done - (Posted: 2012-11-14 00:00:00)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.