Legislative Update from Rep. Warwas

Dear friends and neighbors on the Iron Range,  

It’s great to be back on the Range for the weekend, knowing that the high temps in my neighborhood may reach 50 degrees - up north, that’s tee shirt weather! I hope all you have a chance to enjoy the warmer weather. 

Eveleth Community Center Grand Opening! 

Last weekend kicked off with a great community celebration at the grand opening of the Eveleth Community Center. Eveleth Mayor Adam Roen, and a host of volunteers, marked the occasion with a ribbon cutting, joined by veterans presenting the flag and a great brass performance of the national anthem. The event brought out a strong crowd and highlighted everything the new facility has to offer, from event rental spaces to recreational activities like indoor pickleball. It was great to see so many community members come together and celebrate this re-commissioned gathering space.    

Repealing Housing Stabilization Services 

One legislative win this week was passing a bill to repeal DHS’s Housing Stabilization Services program. To be clear, the state had already paused this program because it has been rife with fraud, so the official action we’ve taken is to pull it out of statute. Taxpayers need to expect competent action, and the House delivered it with this bill. Hopefully the Senate will agree on a companion bill. I made a short video regarding the bill, which you can see at the link below. 

Lake Country Power 

I enjoyed a chance meeting with Mike Forsman and Jason Long of the Lake Country Power board this week at the Capitol. Being from Ely and Orr, respectively, these men are well suited to represent electric power consumers (all of us!) at the legislature, following the efforts of the Minnesota Rural Electric Association. These folks are working hard to lift the nuclear moratorium in our state, which is long overdue, and an effort that I strongly support. 

Breakfast at St. Paul College

Culinary students at St. Paul College served up a nice breakfast to Legislators this week before we started our day on the hill. Many suburban and metro community colleges were introduced, and we all had an opportunity to highlight how community colleges impact our regions. 

Truly a pleasure to meet Hunt Electric COO Kevin Colvard and chat about my daughter working for their company at the Mesabi Metallics project in Nashwauk. I hope to welcome Kevin to the Range later this year and appreciate the presence Hunt has in our local industries and trades. 

I was also dining in good company at my table, with the Director of Marketing and Communications at Fond du Lac College, Taylor Warnes, and their college President, Anita Hanson. Chancellor Scott Olson provided a warm welcome and facilitated good conversations as well. 

Learning about Paint Care Programs 

I had a productive meeting with Ross Dudzik and Jeremy Jones regarding the continued success of paint care programs in Minnesota earlier this week. Whether you do drop offs at "Household Hazardous Waste" at your county location or a participating retailer, you are helping keep paint out of regional landfills, which is good for everyone. 

Thanks for the time and education, gentlemen! 

Infrastructure for Silver Bay 

It was great to connect with Silver Bay Mayor Wade LeBlanc this week, along with Councilor Richard DeRosier and Administrator Lana Fralich, as they came to the Capitol to discuss their bonding priorities. Communities like Silver Bay are facing significant infrastructure needs, and finding the right path forward is not always easy. I appreciate their dedication and the work they’re putting in to advocate for their community and make the most of every available resource. 

Minnesota Rural Electric Cooperative Association Reception 

The Minnesota Rural Electric Cooperative Association held their annual legislative reception this week. Events like this are a great opportunity to connect with policymakers and industry leaders, which is key to shaping Minnesota’s energy future. I had the chance to speak with Michael Partin, President of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, about the benefits of nuclear energy and the importance of an all-of-the-above approach to electrification. Michael is from Tennessee, which has nuclear power generation that produces over 8,000 megawatts. Using average consumption calculations, that would be enough to power up almost 6 million households! Minnesotans need safe, affordable and reliable power, and nuclear should definitely be an option for our ratepayers. 

Special thanks to Agriculture Chair Paul Anderson and his wife, Faith, for including me in their conversations at the event. Paul is the most senior member of our legislative body, and is highly respected for his work on the Ag. Committee. 

North St. Louis SWCD 

I had a fantastic evening connecting with the dedicated team from the North St. Louis Soil & Water Conservation District, including Mark Peterson and Jon Utecht. Their award-winning work is a true point of pride for our northern communities. Representatives from Wright and Carleton County SWCD’s also joined the conversation, along with Paul Fish from the South St. Louis SWCD. With so many important topics on Minnesota’s conservation agenda, this group was the perfect way to wrap up my workday. 

Working with St. Louis County on HF573 

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet with St. Louis County Administrator Kevin Gray and Environmental Services Director Dave Fink, in the office of House Speaker Lisa Demuth, to discuss the regional impact of the proposed Municipal Solid Waste facility planned for Canyon. This project has significant positive implications for our communities, and it was valuable to hear directly from county leaders about their approach to managing these challenges. 

St. Louis County has developed advanced technology, led by Dave Fink and his team, to treat landfill leachate and mitigate PFAS in downstream waters and local aquifers. This work represents an impressive achievement in environmental management and demonstrates the county’s commitment to protecting public health and our natural resources.  

This week, Director Fink and Commissioner Jugovich testified on HF573, the legislation related to this project. Their testimony outlined clear plans for the work ahead, providing lawmakers with detailed information on the solutions and safeguards in place. It was encouraging to see this level of expertise and preparation guiding such an important project for our region. 

HR Management Day on the Hill 

The Minnesota Society for Human Resource Management had a "Day on the Hill" planned, and I had the chance to meet with HR managers from United States Steel Minntac facility, where I work outside of my legislative duties. We discussed how certain legislated mandates can make running a successful business more challenging, an issue that is very much part of ongoing conversations at the Capitol. 

I also ran into a former coworker, John Hiivala, now the Chief People Officer for Wescom Inc. in Duluth. Seeing John at the Capitol was the highlight of my day. We both value lifelong learning, and I never know where I’ll see him next! 

Duluth and St. Louis County Days 

Rounding out the week of legislative duties at Duluth & St. Louis County Days was a great opportunity – the banquet room at the Intercontinental was packed with Rangers, Duluthians and guests from all over the state. 

I love seeing everyone showcasing what makes our region great – from mining to tourism, the 148th Fighter Wing and so much more, there was certainly something for everyone.  

Meeting with Second Harvest Heartland 

This week, I met with Sophie Wallerstedt, Public Affairs Manager for Second Harvest Heartland, and learned something surprising: prepared meals donated by restaurants to support people who can’t cook for themselves are currently taxed. Eliminating these taxes could allow food banks to provide roughly 100,000 more meals each year. This is a problem we can fix, and I look forward to supporting Representative Wayne Johnson’s bill aimed at addressing it. 

Blatnik Bridge Funding Update 

By now, funding news about the Blatnik bridge replacement has been well distributed. I’m grateful to see the federal government rolling out the dollars for this critical project, which will also provide years of good paying jobs for a great number of folks in our local trades. See my comments in the link below.