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| Date: | April 18, 2012 | | Contact Name: | Sandra Whalen | | Contact Phone: | 651-296-5238 | | Contact Email: | sandra.whalen@senate.mn | | For Immediate Release | |
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| ENVIRONMENT CHAIR INGEBRIGTSEN STATEMENT ON GAME & FISH BILL DEFEAT |
(St. Paul) – Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen, chair of the Senate Environment & Natural Resources Committee and author of the Omnibus Game & Fish bill (SF1943/HF2171) said Wednesday that he was frustrated in the level of commitment put toward the bill by Gov. Mark Dayton, who has said he may veto the entire bill without his administration’s requested hunting and fishing license increases.
“Governor's initiatives need support from the Governor for success. Disappointingly, this session has been marked by ‘priorities’ that he has failed to give proper follow-through, then cast political blame on the Legislature when his own party doesn’t back him up. This is a perfect example,” Ingebrigtsen said. “In this vote, 76 percent of the Senate Democrats voted against the environment and Governor Dayton’s own initiative.”
The game and fish bill to fund enhanced sporting opportunities for hunters and fishermen was defeated Tuesday when only seven DFLers voted in favor of the bill.
“I have defended the bill and am personally disappointed because I believe this effort is in the best interests of Minnesota's outdoor sports persons, has great economic development consequences and should have had bipartisan support,” Ingebrigtsen said. “Unfortunately, either the Governor did not communicate this importance to his own party members or they have instead decided employ obstructionism and ‘do nothing’ political strategy. In either case, it is a failure for Minnesotans who care about the outdoors and hunting and fishing."
“Minnesotans know that the environment is not a partisan issue, but Senate Democrats turned it into one by denying funding for political games.”
Ingebrigtsen shared some facts about the economic impact of the hunting and fishing industry in Minnesota in his introduction to the bill on the Senate floor Tuesday, including:
• Fishing contributes $4.7 billion to Minnesota’s economy and more than 43,000 jobs.
• Hunting in Minnesota has a $1.47 billion economic impact.
• More than 597,000 people hunt in Minnesota each year, spending $482.6 million on lodging, food, gas, and gear — an average of $783 per hunter — and generating $64 million in taxes revenue for the state.
• They support more than 14,000 Minnesota jobs with combined salaries and wages of $365 million.
The bill also included a provision to increase walleye stocking by almost 33 percent and $1.1 million in increased long term funding to fight aquatic invasive species. Sixty outdoor groups supported the increases. No known group opposed or voiced any opposition.
