BAD Amendment added SF 2314 – Omnibus Environment and Natural Resources Bill

The People of Minnesota are appalled at the action in the Minnesota State Senate to add a late Amendment to SF 2314 with no Committee Debate or other Vetting of this language. Reversing a Decision by the Commissioner of the MnDNR sets BAD POLICY!

Please call or email your State Representative, Gov. Walz and ask that either the whole Omnibus Bill be thrown out or request an Amendment to SF 2314 to:

Delete lines 187.4 to 187.7

187.4 Sec. 162. WRIGHT REGIONAL WATER-RELATED EQUIPMENT INSPECTION
187.5 PROGRAM.
187.6 By July 1, 2019, the Department of Natural Resources shall approve the expansion of
187.7 the Wright County regional inspection pilot program to include nine lakes.
187.8
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

This concerns the Wright County Regional Inspection Pilot Program which the Commissioner of the MnDNR Sarah Strommen denied the 2019 application due to various reasons as outlined in her, of which I attached on PDF copy of her letter to Wright County SWCD.

The amendment via the language would reverse the decision of the DNR Commissioner and add 9 lakes to a Pilot Program which began with 3 lakes in the fall of 2017. As an Engineering person, I see a big problem with this in the the data cannot be used as it would now be completely different. How does one gather good data when you change parameters in the middle?

In the most recent Wright County Board hearing on the Ordinance the enacted the Mayor of Annandale spoke of how the program affected Annandale businesses as they had a huge decline in Summer traffic as people avoided these lakes. The Ordinance of which was written to be Repealed if the Commissioner of the MnDNR does not authorize it by April 15, 2019.

There is a Facebook Group with over 1,000 members that have been working on stopping this program. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1501474759942534/?multi_permalinks=2185240004899336&notif_id=1556292054151641&notif_t=group_activity

When 1st enacted, they were delayed as they had not had any Public Sessions for Public Input,which they did after most all decisions were made. Much of this whole project was done without all stakeholders included to make a good program.

They have spent over $600,000 Tax Dollars on this failing program, Grants received from the Initiative Foundation which received $4,000,000 from the Legacy Funds. No real accounting or audit of spending.

The need for additional Lakes is due to they are out of money and need additional revenue to boost their funds to run this. Contrary to initial plans, this was supposed to save them money.

One complaint from many people is that there is no exit inspection and the law thru which this was created does not give them DNR or the County authority to have watercraft owners return for an exit inspection. Thus, with all 3 of the original lakes (Pleasant, Sylvia & John) having 2 or more forms of A.I.S. with 2 include both Zebra Mussels and Starry Stonewort. Another is that Lakeshore Owners having a watercraft launch ability from their property are not required to go through the Inspection Station.

The House substituted the SF 2314 replacing their Bill HF 2209.
It will now go to the House Floor, on tuesday, April 30th.

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate…
Edit or delete this
SF 2314 Status in the Senate for the 91st Legislature (2019 – 2020)
REVISOR.MN.GOV
SF 2314 Status in the Senate for the 91st Legislature (2019 – 2020)

Attachments:

1. 

   SF-2314-Schedule.jpg
   

2. 

   WCIP-MnDNR-1.pdf
   

These people have no shame. They were like a petulant child scolded and sent to their room. They should be sent a bill for wasting the governments time, unfortunately they will win and the bill will pass beginning the privatization process.

Thanks for the update.

That’s the way of the future, elected officials side with lake owners to stop you from driving out to fish a public lake. I will not be going to this years Buffalo American legion for the memorial day program as Bruce Anderson will be there and I’m not happy with his bill. May just punch the joker in the nose.

Unless Minnesota sportsman start to band together and speak up, Minnesota could vary well become a pay to play state at some point in the future. I’m as guilty as anyone else. I just want to go about doing what I like to do and not get involved in all the politics around me. I think most sportsman are the same and that may be our problem at some point.

I don’t know. I have a short memory but it seems to me anglers were much less divided before the advent of the AIS scare.

Sure we would complain about little things like why the DNR made this or that law (there wasn’t any news releases to explain them).

Between milfoil, zebra mussels and asian carp, ais stamps, electric barriers and chemicals (can’t forget the DNA debacle and Mille Lacs) I’m wondering why I’m buying a fishing license more and more each year.

I better teach the Favorite Granddaughter how to fish before it’s outlawed. (Not a whole lot of sarcasm in that statement)

I’m pretty sure if the Lessard amendment people withheld money for all the projects the DNR can’t do it would get some attention.