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Dear Neighbors,
Today is Arbor Day, a day to recognize the importance of planting and caring for trees and the integral part they play in our ecosystem. As I?ve done every year, I joined my colleagues in handing out tree saplings to all members of the Minnesota House that they can bring back to their districts to plant.
 Yesterday on the House Floor, we distributed White Oak, Black Cherry, and Cranberry Bush saplings from Schumacher?s Nursery in Heron Lake, Minnesota. Planting a tree is one of the most important things we can do to protect our environment, and Arbor Day is the perfect time to bring legislators together to honor our trees.
Last week, MPR reporter Clay Masters visited my farm in Harmony to talk trees, politics, and bipartisanship. As Chair of the Environment Committee, I have dedicated historic funding to trees and tree planting, including addressing the threat of Emerald Ash Borer. You can read more about the House?s Arbor Day tradition from MPR here: Arbor Day tradition aims to put trees in ground while easing political tensions at Capitol
As we head into the last couple weeks of the 2024 Legislative Session, work in committees has ended and our focus now turns to passing bills on the House Floor. Committees have put together budget and policy bills that will be debated in the coming weeks. This week the House Ways and Means Committee heard eleven different supplemental budget bills, including the Environment and Natural Resources bill.
As Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, I am proud that our bill works to address potential problems coming from neonicotinoid pesticides, the concentration of polluters in specific areas, and excess packaging waste. You can read more about the legislation here.
This evening from 5:00-7:00 pm at the Wilder Center (958 Jessie St, St Paul, MN 55130) the Legislative Citizen-Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) will be holding a Metro Area listening session and open house about the future of Minnesota?s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. I hope you can join and share your perspective on this important source of funding for environmental projects, learn more here.
Get your hiking boots ready ? tomorrow, Saturday, April 27 is the next free entrance day to all Minnesota parks! Minnesota state parks are open year-round, and there's a state park within 30 miles of most Minnesotans. With a free day in each season, it's a great opportunity to get out there and explore someplace new! Whether you stay for the whole weekend or just spend a few hours outside, you'll make memories that will last a lifetime. So be sure to get out and visit our wonderful parks!
 Also coming up soon is Dakota County?s 2024 Mississippi River Greenway Cleanup Challenge, which will take place on May 9 from 6-7:30 pm at the Wakota Bridge Trailhead in South St. Paul. Pollution not only hurts the environment but can also be detrimental to the local health of both humans and animals and the economy, so volunteer today and help maintain one of our most beautiful Minnesota treasures. To learn more about the event and apply, visit the link here.
Please continue to share your questions, ideas, and feedback throughout the year. You can reach me by email at?[email protected]?or by phone at 651-296-6828. You can contact my Legislative Assistant Sam O'Neill at 651-296-3305 or via email at?[email protected].?
Sincerely,
Rick Hansen
State Representative
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