Legislative Update – July 2, 2024
Dear Neighbors,
This weekend, I toured some of the flooded areas of the Mississippi River in our district with St. Paul Park Mayor, and former state legislator, Keith Franke. This will likely be a top 10 historic flood, and close to the one experienced in 2019. The river is forecasted to recede over the next 7 days significantly.
I am dedicated to working with local officials, at the city and county level, as well as the United States Army Corps of Engineers to ensure we have the tools we need to respond to flooding quickly and effectively.
You can find information on flooding, road closures, and more from local government pages, including the City of South St. Paul Page, Dakota County Page as well as MPR and the National Weather Service.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered and participated in Bingo at Kaposia Days in South St. Paul! It was great to once again call bingo numbers on Saturday, and attend this fantastic event that brings our community together.
Bumble Bee Survey
MPR recently had a great story highlighting the importance of the University of Minnesota Bee Lab’s Bumble Bee Atlas. The volunteer-powered atlas started in Minnesota, but has now expanded nationwide! This atlas helps pollinator researchers collect data on where species are, and volunteers have helped identify species never before found in our state!
I encourage you to read the article, Volunteers are needed for the statewide bumble bee survey, which dives into the importance of the atlas and talks to some amazing volunteers. After that, head over to https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/ and get started yourself!
LCCMR Update
As co-chair of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), we have completed our work hearing projects seeking 2025 funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). There were 126 projects presented in total, and we will meet again at the end of this month to make final decisions.
You can watch video recordings, find information on individual proposals, and more at https://www.lccmr.mn.gov/.
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