Keep it Clean program established, and money appropriated.
HF788 establishes a statewide “Keep it Clean” program within the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to reduce water pollution caused by garbage and human waste left on ice during winter recreational use of state waters. The bill directs the commissioner of natural resources, in consultation with the Board of Water and Soil Resources and the commissioners of pollution control and health, to coordinate outreach, media, education, and local partnerships, and to administer a grant program for local governments and nonprofit organizations.
The bill also increases fish house, dark house, and shelter license fees by adding a $10 surcharge to both resident and nonresident licenses. Those surcharge revenues would be deposited into a newly created Keep it Clean account in the game and fish fund and used to administer the program and award grants. The grant program could support winterized dumping stations, biowaste disposal services, increased enforcement and volunteer patrols, public education, spring cleanup efforts, and local advertising about applicable laws and cleanup messaging. The bill includes an appropriation from the general fund in fiscal year 2026 and from the Keep it Clean account in fiscal year 2027, with specified amounts left blank in the introduced text.
HF788 would amend Minnesota Statutes section 97A.475 to add a surcharge to resident and nonresident fish house, dark house, and shelter licenses, and it would create new section 97C.364 to establish the Keep it Clean program and account. It would also create a dedicated funding stream in the game and fish fund for program administration and grants, while authorizing state spending through future appropriations. The bill would affect anglers and ice shelter users, local governments, nonprofits, and state agencies involved in water quality, enforcement, and winter recreation management.
The bill appears generally supportive of environmental cleanup and winter water quality protection, with a focus on practical local implementation rather than broad regulatory change. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. The bill’s framing suggests an emphasis on stewardship, public education, and shared responsibility among winter users and local partners.
The most likely point of contention is the added $10 surcharge on fish house, dark house, and shelter licenses, which shifts program funding onto resident and nonresident users of winter shelters. Another possible issue is whether the program’s enforcement and cleanup activities, including patrols and disposal infrastructure, are the best use of surcharge revenue and general fund appropriations. The bill also leaves appropriation amounts blank in the introduced text, indicating that funding levels may be unresolved and subject to later negotiation.