A few minutes to help fight aquatic invasive species

Dear MAISRC supporters,

As many of you know, long-term stable funding is needed to ensure that the important work being done here at the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center can continue. Two bills have been introduced in the legislature this week that could be critical for this purpose.

The details:

• Senator Carrie Ruud has introduced Senate File 2031, which would provide $1.5 million per year to sustain the solutions-focused work at the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center. Additional authors are being added to the bill now and a hearing for this week has been requested.
   
• Representative Dale Lueck has introduced the companion House File 2411. Bill authors are also being added, and a hearing has been scheduled.

How you can help:

1. Contact members of the House and Senate Environment Committees to voice your support for these bills. A sample message:
   
   The Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC) is a critical component for the long term prevention and management of AIS and serves to greatly assist Minnesota DNR staff, local AIS resource managers, and citizen volunteers in their work to prevent the further spread of AIS and cope with already infested waterbodies. 
    
   I ask you to please support Senate File 2031 and House File 2411 to ensure the important work of MAISRC continues.
    
2. Thank Senator Ruud and Representative Lueck for sponsoring these bills! Contact Senator Ruud via email at sen.carrie.ruud@senate.mn or, if you're on Twitter, using @CarrieRuud. Contact Representative Lueck via email at rep.dale.lueck@house.mn or on Twitter using @DKL5342.

House environment committee members:

Senate environment committee members: