Legislative Update – September 28, 2023
Dear neighbors,
We are getting closer to On The Road Again, South St. Paul’s annual fall festival and World Championship Booya Cook-off coming up on October 7, 2023. You can find more information on Facebook and also in this Pioneer Press article.
I also wanted to take a moment to highlight that the DNR is now taking applications for the second round of the Expedited Conservation Project (ECP), which funds eligible activities that restore or enhance forests, wetlands, prairies, or habitat for fish, game, and wildlife on public lands/waters in Minnesota. You can learn more here.
Also in case you missed my posts during last week’s Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) you can find them on my official Facebook Page, including this video of me handling a yearling female sharp-shinned hawk at the University of Minnesota’s Avian Ecology Lab. You can watch the video here.
Capital Investment Tour
I have been back on the road as a part of the House Capital Investment Committee’s bonding tour. In the next couple of months, a group of bipartisan members from the committee will be out on the road visiting projects that are seeking legislative funding. This is a great way for us to see the impact of past funding while learning about future preservation and enhancement projects.
This week the tour visited towns in Northeastern Minnesota, including Wyoming, Cambridge, Rush City, Pine City, and Duluth. Our site visits included MN State’s Pine Technical College, the Great Lakes Aquarium, Duluth Public Library, and more.
NCEL Letter
This week I was proud to sign on to a letter from the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators to the U.S. Department of Energy in support of the agency’s proposal to increase the efficiency levels of water heaters which generate high energy bills and contribute to the climate crisis.
We’re urging the Department of Energy to swiftly finalize this proposed rule. The new proposed standards are a win-win, saving money for the families we represent while also significantly reducing climate pollution across the country.
Stay in Touch!
Please continue to share your questions, ideas, and feedback throughout the year. You can reach me by email at rep.rick.hansen@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-6828. You can contact my Legislative Assistant Sam O'Neill at 651-296-3305 or via email at Samuel.ONeill@house.mn.gov.
Sincerely,
Rick Hansen
State Representative