10-13-2025 - Agenda Packet City Council - Regular Meeting

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Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates Executive Summary September 13, 2025 Executive Summary Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates employ a three pronged approach of science, education, advocacy to address Aquatic Invasive Species public policy issues which have a profound benefit to Carman Bay Lake Improvement District. MLR worked with Dr. Peter Sorensen to create the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center, MAISRC. Treatment protocols and prevention strategies are largely driven by the best available science out of MAISRC. https://maisrc.umn.edu The revenue that the MN DNR uses to fund AIS Aquatic Invasive Plant Grants is provided by an AIS Surcharge on a three year boat registration. In 2019 MLR successfully advocated to increase this surcharge to about $10. The amount of grant money available has varied since then from about $600k to a high of $1.2 million. In 2023 MLR successfully advocated to increase the AIS surcharge to about $25 for a three year tag, although the charge is weighted by boat type. Will be advocating for a mix of grant types, with smaller grants for spot treatments, and then larger multi -year grants for longer term treatment programs. Last session the legislature added AIS treatment as a category to the LCCMR Community Resources Grants which are funded by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (Lottery). This is a $28 million dollar fund that will now be open to a variety of AIS related needs. MLR be promoting it to our members and working with them to submit successful grant applications. On the prevention side, MLR made the case to the legislature there should be funding available to protect the public waters. Senate Tax Chair Rod Skoe agreed and created the County AIS Prevention Aid formula which sends $10m annually from the Department of Revenue to each county apportioned by the number of boat ramps and watercraft parking spaces in each county. In the next two years MLR will be working to organize a base large enough to protect the County AIS Prevention Aid formula from being cut in 2027. https://mnlakesandrivers.org 10 9-25-25 CBLID Annual Meeting Minutes DRAFT V.2 10-3-25 83