News & Events

By Judy Erickson, government relations director

Thursday, Feb. 4 marked the first day of the 2010 Legislative Session and already Parks & Trails has scored big.

A tentative but crucial agreement between Minnesota state officials and U.S. Steel was reached in January, reviving hope that the newest state park at Lake Vermilion will soon become a reality. Plans for the park had stalled a little more than a year after the 2008 Legislature appropriated $20 million for land acquisition and preliminary development of the park.

By Judy Erickson, government relations director

The Parks & Trails Council’s top bonding priorities, state park land acquisition and the 2010 Trails Initiative, received positive hearings before a Joint Committee of the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division and the Senate Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division on January 21 and January 22.  The Divisions spent nearly 12 hours over the course of the two days hearing nearly 60 bills as well as presentations by the state’s environmental and natural resources agencies.

By Judy Erickson, government relations director

The other major factor underlying the ability of the 2010 Legislature to work quickly and efficiently is the political climate. The Legislature always works in a political climate, but this year, it is super-charged.