SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Tuesday, the House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee held a remote hearing on legislation authored by Rep. Julie Sandstede (DFL – Hibbing) to invest $10 million toward new facilities at the University of Minnesota’s Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI). The investment would fund lab expansion at NRRI’s Duluth facility and a new mineral processing and metallurgy building at their Coleraine facility.
“NRRI’s efforts are truly global in scope as they find solutions for water quality issues, improve forest health, and expand our mineral economies in the 21st century. Unfortunately, their current facilities can’t fully support the state-of-the-art equipment necessary to perform emerging types of research,” Rep. Sandstede said. “With this one-time investment, we can support their collaborative, groundbreaking work developing tools and technologies to reduce risk and support sound, long-term decisions for Minnesota.”
Through partnerships with both the public and private sectors, along with an integrated research model, NRRI works to deliver solutions creating opportunities for natural resource stewardship. NRRI employs over 140 scientists, engineers, technicians, staff, and students across both facilities.
The new lab space at the Duluth facility would cost between $4-6 million. As research becomes more complex, the larger lab space will offer more flexibility to house state-of-the-art instrumentation and researchers in aquatic ecology, water management, forestry, and wildlife studies and minerals research.
The current buildings in Coleraine were built in the 1930s and also present difficulties in supporting state-of-the-art equipment needs. The new mineral processing facility – estimated to cost between $4-5 million – would help NRRI engage industry partners and demonstrate more emerging technology opportunities.
The committee laid the bill over for future consideration in a Higher Education finance bill. Video of the hearing will be available on House Public Information Services’ YouTube Channel.