Massive natural resource bill advances at Minnesota Capitol

A bull elk runs through the woods in northwestern Minnesota, part of a potential source herd for an elk reintroduction in eastern Minnesota. A House committee has advanced a bill that includes $4 million for the elk restoration effort led by the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

By John Myers

April 04, 2023 at 9:14 AM

ST. PAUL 鈥� A key Minnesota House committee has advanced sweeping legislation dealing with outdoors and natural resources, providing millions of dollars for programs and projects and changing several state laws dealing with hunting, fishing and much more.

The omnibus natural resources bill passed the House Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee by a narrow 9-7 vote last week and now goes to the House Ways and Means Committee for action.

A similar omnibus, or all-encompassing outdoor bill (a conglomeration of separate bills), has advanced in the Senate. But both bills still face scrutiny, controversy and likely changes when they get to the House and Senate floors and then in a combined conference committee.

It鈥檚 been a whirlwind. It鈥檚 been a pace (of outdoor legislative action) that I鈥檝e never seen before.

Bob Meier, assistant Minnesota DNR commissioner

The House bill, sponsored by Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL- South St. Paul, has nearly $1 billion for programs and projects in the Pollution Control Agency, Department of Natural Resources, Board of Water and Soil Resources and other agencies dealing with issues like climate change; protecting pollinators like bees and butterflies; fighting aquatic invasive species; managing the spread of emerald ash borer; guarding against chronic wasting disease; restricting deer farms; and working on ways to get cancer-causing PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," out of the environment.

Hansen called the House bill the largest one-time natural resource investment in Minnesota history. The bill includes funding for the Department of Natural Resources ($472.84 million), Pollution Control Agency ($233 million) and Board of Water and Soil Resources ($98.66 million).

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a whirlwind. It鈥檚 been a pace (of outdoor legislative action) that I鈥檝e never seen before,鈥� said Bob Meier, longtime assistant DNR commissioner who deals with government affairs and legislation.

The DNR鈥檚 share of new funding, much of it from the state鈥檚 budget surplus, would include $157.46 million for forest management; $100 million for parks and trails; $51.67 million for ecological and water resources; and $24.5 million for fish and wildlife.

Savana Portage State Park — The price of admission permits for Minnesota state parks would increase under a bill advancing at the state Capitol, from $35 to $45 for annual passes. Resident individual fishing licenses would increase from $25 to $30.

Fishing license, park fees increased

Nearly all fishing license fees would go up under the House plan, following Gov. Tim Walz's and the DNR鈥檚 original budget request, with resident fishing licenses increasing from $25 to $30 and nonresident licenses from $46 to $62. Trout stamps will jump from $10 to $12. The Senate version does not have a fishing license fee increase included.

鈥淲e haven鈥檛 raised them in more than a decade and, after we get past this budget surplus, we need a stable source of revenue going forward,鈥� Meier said.

The bill would also increase fees for state park permits and various licenses. An annual state park permit fee would rise from $35 to $45, and a one-day permit from $7 to $10.

Boat license fees also increase, with three-year motorboat stickers 鈥� for boats up to 19 feet long 鈥� jumping from $27 to $59 with another $20 invasive species surcharge tacked on.

鈥淥ur boat landings are going to be as bad as St. Paul streets if we don鈥檛 keep them up better, and we need staff and money going forward to do that,鈥� Meier said.

deer farm deer — Captive deer at a deer farm feed eating at a feeder. A bill advancing at the Capitol would transfer oversight of Minnesota deer farms from the Board of Animal Health to the DNR.

Among the many policy provisions included in the House bill are those that would:

Give $4 million in state funds for the transplant of northwestern Minnesota elk to Carlton and southern St. Louis counties for the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa鈥檚 efforts to reestablish an eastern Minnesota elk herd.
Move responsibility for deer and elk farms from the state Board of Animal Health to the DNR, and also require live animal testing of captive deer and elk as well as other stricter regulations on cervid farms, including a ban on any new farms and restrictions against importing any animals from areas with any history of chronic wasting disease.
Provide $15 million over the next two years for the state鈥檚 natural resource agreement with several Ojibwe bands covered by the 1854 Treaty. The longstanding agreement essentially pays the bands to not exercise their full tribal hunting and fishing rights in parts of Northeastern Minnesota.
Require hunters use nontoxic shotgun shells in state wildlife management areas in the farmland regions of the state.
Bans the use of felt-soled waders in lakes and rivers statewide in an effort to reduce the spread of an invasive algae called didymo, or .
Allows the DNR to establish swan protection zones that could include banning lead fishing sinkers on Twin Cities lakes and rivers where trumpeter swans tend to congregate. A broader, statewide ban on small lead tackle was not approved.
Transfer ownership of the Upper Sioux Agency State Park near Granite Falls to the Upper Sioux tribal community.
Provide $600,000 for grants to develop local shooting sports facilities statewide.
Changes in how fish kills are reported in the state for faster action by state agencies.
Orders a study on the status of so-called "rough fish" in Minnesota to determine which need more protections.
Awards $1.4 million for the Voyageur Country and Prospector ATV trails in northern Minnesota.
Award $10 million to the University of Minnesota for aquatic invasive species research.
Reestablish an PCA Citizens Board with authority to weigh in on the permitting process.
Allow municipalities to prohibit the use of pesticides that harm pollinators, and another provision that bans neonicotinoid chemicals on state-managed lands.
Tightens requirements for bags and food packaging marked 鈥渂iodegradable.鈥�
Establish a 鈥淟owland Conifer Carbon Reserve鈥� program within some state forests that could include timber and peat harvesting restrictions.
Allow fines up to $100 for leaving trash on frozen lakes.
Regulate the use of PFAS 鈥� perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals 鈥� called "forever chemicals" because they don鈥檛 break down and may affect human health. Provisions could require disclosures and ban their intentional use in many products such as ski wax, children's products and firefighting foam.
Require boater safety education courses for adults as well as teens, phasing in restrictions over several years.

Meier said the DNR can live with overseeing deer farms in the state, but has serious issues with the lowland conifer reserve program, noting it would lock out the timber industry from more timberland and is possibly unconstitutional in how it would compensate the state鈥檚 school trust for lost timber revenue.

"We want to protect those sensitive areas, too, and we already are in many cases. But there are just some major concerns with how that bill is worded right now. ... The key now is to find a solution that gets everyone where they need to be on this,鈥� Meier said.

Meir also said the DNR would support the led shotgun shell ban on farmland wildlife management area if hunters are given three years to make the change before the non toxic requirement went into effect.

The bill鈥檚 funding is in addition to money for DNR and other outdoor projects included in the state bonding/construction legislation and is in addition to both the state鈥檚 Environment and Natural Resources Trust funding speeding and the state heritage sales tax spending.