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State Representative Rick Hansen
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-6828
For more information contact: Ben Schweigert 651-296-5809
Column/LTE
MINNESOTA NEEDS MORE INVESTMENT IN CONSERVATION
Dear Editor:
On Thursday, May 5th, the House passed its Omnibus Environment and Natural Resources bill. This bill continues to cut funding for the key conservation programs that protect Minnesota’s outdoor heritage, and as three Representatives from very different parts of the state, we joined many others to vote against it. We need to be doing more, not less, to protect our natural resources.
Our efforts to preserve our great outdoors have already become weak in recent years. In 2003, the state spent only 1.35% of our general fund dollars on conservation and natural resources, the lowest level since 1982. Now the Governor and the House Leadership want even further cuts.
The bill passed by the House would cut $46 million out of General Fund spending on natural resources, a drop of over 14%. This includes major cuts to the Pollution Control Agency, the Board of Water and Soil Resources, and $16 million in cuts to the Department of Natural Resources, 8% less than current levels. The bottom line for this bill is there will be fewer foresters in the woods, less money to restock our lakes, and a loss of waterfowl habitat.
In addition, the bill makes changes to the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources to allow the Governor to appoint all of the members of the Commission. This gives him even more control over environmental funding and politicizes an agency that should be working for the benefit of all Minnesotans.
We joined with a bipartisan group of legislators seeking to improve this part of the bill by establishing a citizen Commission with input from both political parties, all parts of the state, and both chambers of the Legislature. Unfortunately, the bill's sponsors were able to defeat us after three attempts, and the final bill gave the Governor the power over the Commission he had wanted.
Minnesotans are united by their love of the outdoors, whether it is hunting, snowmobiling, or just going for a walk in the woods. However, our outdoor tradition is being threatened as our streams and lakes become polluted and our state parks lose funding. If we want our children to be able to enjoy hunting, camping, fishing, and canoeing in our lakes and forests as much as we do, we need a serious effort to reinvest in our natural resources. This bill does not do it.
Sincerely,
Representative Rick Hansen
Representative Frank Moe
Representative Andy Welti
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