I watched the Minnesota House floor debate over HF2774/SF2904 (YouTube below). The arguments seemed familiar. The bill passed on a bipartisan vote of 72-58.
Here's the press release from House bill author, Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Chair Rick Hansen, DFL-S. St. Paul:
SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Today, the Minnesota House passed SF 2904/HF 2774, the 2024 Environment and Natural Resources Policy bill, authored by Representative Rick Hansen (DFL—South St. Paul), on a bipartisan vote of 72-58. The policy package includes nation-leading legislation modernizing statutes on native rough fish, expanding opportunities to protect native prairies, and preparing Minnesota for a new Electronic Licensing System, including a mobile phone app, for issuing angling and hunting licenses, visitor permits, and outdoor recreation vehicle registrations.
The Environment and Natural Resources Policy bill builds on last year’s success when lawmakers passed the largest investment in protecting our environment in state history, including a nation-leading PFAS prevention package, and funding to address emerald ash borer, aquatic invasive species, and chronic wasting disease.
“We are passing first-in-the-nation legislation to support our native fish, modernizing our laws and recognizing their vital role in Minnesota’s ecosystem,” said Rep. Hansen. “House DFLers are taking action to prepare for an electronic licensing system that will improve the outdoor recreation experience for Minnesotans across our state, expand opportunities to protect native prairies, and address the threat of feral hogs.”
The legislation also includes provisions consolidating Department of Natural Resources (DNR) citizen oversight committees into one Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee, strengthening manure management plans, and providing additional protections for wetlands.
The House also passed HF 3508, the 2024 State Lands bill, also authored by Rep. Hansen, on a bipartisan vote of 76-55.
At Session Daily, Margaret Stevens reported in Local control over wetlands roils waters as House passes environment policy bill:
Preparing the way for digital licenses, distinguishing between native fish and invasive species, strengthening manure management and setting up barriers to a possible invasion of feral pigs are a few provisions included in a relatively technical environment and natural resources policy bill.
Sponsored by Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul), HF2774/SF2904* was passed, as amended, 72-58 by the House Monday. It now heads back to the Senate, which passed it 51-16 almost a year ago.
“SF2904 is a mid-session policy bill with a variety of provisions on environmental policy that we thought we could find fairly common agreement on,” Hansen said. “It’s not that exciting, but it’s very important.”
Much of the bill sets the stage for digital licenses for outdoor activities like hunting, fishing and snowmobiling by removing references to signed documents, display stickers and hunting tags.
It also modifies language so that native rough fish — fish not always prized by anglers — would be protected while invasive species are not. It’s a first-in-the-nation definition of rough fish that shows the state values creatures that have been here for eons, Hansen said.
Many provisions impact the Board of Water and Soil Resources with technical and definitional updates to existing law. Rep. Josh Heintzeman (R-Nisswa) offered a couple amendments addressing the board’s jurisdiction.
One defining waters that aren’t public with public value was adopted. The was included in response to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision Sacket v. EPA that narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act. The bill aims to bring the state to the same level of protection in headwater areas that had been in place prior to the Supreme Court case.
An amendment to eliminate provisions that would give the board authority over buffer zones in some cases failed.
Republicans argue that local control is working as more than 95% of landowners comply with buffer zone regulations to reduce runoff.
“Here comes the heavy hand of government again,” Heintzeman said. “[This amendment] keeps local people working with their landowners rather than some bureaucrat at some office in St. Paul.”
Here's the Minnesota House Information Services YouTube of the debate:
Bluestem welcomes this bill's passage.
Image: The long-nosed gar will no longer be a "rough" fish. Via MNDNR.
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