June 17, 2023
The Forests and Wildlife Stewards and other North Star volunteers and coalitions have been very active supporting and writing testimony on pollinator, pesticide, habitat, and wildlife bills during the recent legislative session. It’s great news that several applicable sections were included in these large omnibus bills:
- Transportation Bill (Sec. 8 & 97-98) for roadside enhancement of roadsides with pollinator and other wildlife habitat and vegetative buffers ("Highways to Habitats")
- Agriculture Bill for PFAS reviews and regulation in pesticides and a Pollinator Research Account (Sec. 6, 36)
- Compensation of bees killed by pesticides (Sec. 37)
- Pesticide surcharges and limited use on cannabis (Sec. 39)
- Ban on PFAS in pesticides unless unavoidable (Sec. 40)
- Livestock-wolf conflict prevention program grants (Sec. 6 & 93-94)
- Environment, Natural Resources, Climate & Energy Bill for CRP monies toward many types of conservation including pollinator and wildlife habitat (Sec. 54)
- Funding to study lowland conifer stands' carbon storage and how to enhance their climate resilience, biodiversity & air/water benefits (Sec. 61 & 67)
- Trust fund appropriations incl. for pollinators and habitats including "Lawns to Legumes" native plant garden grants (Sec. 79-83, 94, 121-122, 236-237)
- Allowance of city ordinances against pesticides (Sec. 282)
- Requirements for use, storage and disposal of treated seed (Sec. 21, 281, 283)
- Gross misdemeanor charges and increased restitution values for harm to native swans (Sec. 204 & 207)
Not passed this session were House provisions to ban or better regulate systemic pesticide-treated seeds in farming, designated swan resting areas where lead tackle would be prohibited with signage and lead tackle collection efforts, and a much-desired ban on an open hunting and trapping season on wolves. (Fortunately, the recent Endangered Species Act re-listing protects wolves in most states including Minnesota).