Rep. Rick Hansen’s Statement on Environmental Provisions of State Bonding Bill
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed H.F. 669, a bonding bill that is the product of the bipartisan framework agreement reached at the end of the 2022 Legislative Session. The bill, authored by Representative Fue Lee (DFL – Minneapolis), passed on a vote of 91-43.
The bill appropriates $66 million to the Department of Natural Resources for asset preservation and to improve the Badoura State Forest Nursery and Waterville Fish Hatchery. It also funds a $10 million lead service line replacement program.
The bill also contains several environmental provisions, including $28 million for flood hazard mitigation, $12 million for local road wetlands replacement, $10.7 million for the Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) program to increase conservation easements, $8.4 million for community tree planting grants to address Emerald Ash Borer, $6 million for state forest reforestation and much more.
Representative Rick Hansen (DFL – South St. Paul), chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, voted for the bill and released the following statement on the bill’s environmental provisions:
“Prevention is better than cleanup,” Rep. Hansen said. “This bonding bill includes the strongest environmental prevention efforts from the state of Minnesota this century. Whether it is a tree nursery, fish hatchery, or lead line replacement, this bill delivers.”
Rep. Hansen’s floor speech in support of H.F. 669 can be found on the House Public Information Youtube Channel.
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