By rwv | August 4, 2025 | Comments Off on ACTION NEEDED FROM ALL SNOWMOBILERS!
ACTION NEEDED FROM ALL SNOWMOBILERS!
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SURVEY FROM THE MN DNR
As a component of the 4 The Outdoors initiative, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is exploring the use and application of fees in conservation and outdoor recreation. After gathering public input on the funding system as a whole, we’re now focusing on developing strategies to improve fees for a sustainable funding future. We have created a short questionnaire to better understand Minnesotans’ values and preferences for the use and application of fees, The survey is open until August 20, 2025.
4 The Outdoors identifies some of the biggest challenges in securing adequate financial resources to support natural resource management for conservation and outdoor recreation, and also identifies concrete steps we can take to advance on the path towards financial stability and sustainability moving forward. Exploring the use and application of fees is one of the four key actions DNR is working on in implementation of the 4 The Outdoors report.
LEGISLATION UPDATE
The following is a quick update on our legislation priorities:
Snowmobile License Plates: The bill was introduced but not yet heard in committee. We know that so called “vanity plate” legislation takes several years to pass. The bill is alive for the 2026 session and will be working with key lawmakers during the interim.
Sales Tax Exemption for trail development and maintenance: We had a good hearing with the Chair calling this her favorite tax exemption bill, but the bill was not included in the omnibus tax bill.
SIFA Reduction: The senate proposed a 30% reduction to Sustainable Forest funding. Senator Hauschild successfully argued for a compromise position of a 10% reduction in the tax conference committee.
PFAS: Christian successfully argued in committee that youth snowmobiles should be exempted from the FPAS ban.
Snowmobile Funding: $9,624,000 was appropriated for each of the next 2 fiscal years. Note that the only source of funds for this appropriation is our dedicated account so amounts actually expended will depend on account balances.
