 Dear Neighbors, March 20 marked the first day of Spring! I hope you had a chance to enjoy the beautiful weather over the weekend. This week also marks our first major legislative deadline to advance bills out of committee. Here’s a look at some of the legislation we’ve been working on in the House: Drought Relief, Climate Resiliency, & Protecting Clean Water AccessThe agriculture and food production industries aren’t just major pieces of Minnesota’s economy; they are critical to ensuring we all have healthy, nutritious food to eat. Unfortunately, due to persistent drought conditions starting last year, many farmers and ranchers have faced enormous challenges. I was proud to support significant drought relief legislation that passed in the House recently to help them recover, with the funding targeted toward the smallest operations, including specialty crop producers who are unable to access federal crop insurance. We also need to recognize the impact of climate change, including extreme weather swings, so it’s imperative we invest in climate resiliency. The bill includes investments to help communities remove and replace impacted trees and prepare for future water challenges, replace seedlings on DNR-managed lands killed by the drought, and to help private forestland owners and tribal and county governments replace seedlings on their lands. In a time of accelerating climate change and increasing water scarcity, we must proactively develop a comprehensive strategy for ensuring abundant clean water in Minnesota. Tomorrow, on World Water Day, I’ll present my bill that calls for a study to do just so that we can develop a plan guided by science to protect our water. |