Video & Transcript Research : 'Como Zoo'
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MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Energy Finance and Policy Committee 3/18/25
Energy Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Representative Hollins said the Como Zoo is one of the areas that uses the most energy in the city of
- She added that she loves the Como Zoo, even though it is not in her district anymore, and noted that
- Como Zoo and Conservatory is an economic engine that provides $162 million in economic impact to the
- Over 400,000 students are touched by programs and field trips to Como Zoo and Conservatory. right away
- We have a strong focus on conservation at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, which supports the well-being
Keywords:
energy, economic development, funding, renewable resources, Clean Energy Economy Minnesota, air ventilation, geothermal, school financing, Minnesota Climate Innovative Finance Authority, geothermal energy, renewable energy, construction funding, Como Zoo, energy efficiency, HF2162, Minnesota, planning grants, renewable development account, clean energy, Department of Commerce
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Agriculture Committee Meeting - 2026-04-08
Agriculture Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- In 2025, lawmakers created a pathway for accredited zoos to import live cervids with appropriate safeguards
- lawmakers created a pathway for In 2025, lawmakers created a pathway for accredited<00:59:36.000>
zoos
Keywords:
energy, renewable energy, ammonia, hydrogen, certificate tracking, funding, environment, elk, cervidae, cervid importation, chronic wasting disease, CWD, animal health, livestock, wildlife disease, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, state veterinarian, zoo, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, AZA
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 3/5/25
Agriculture Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- zaa those are two different types of zoo zaa those are two different types of zoo accreditation<
- zoo zoo is<01:03:18.440>
that <01:03:18.559>is <01:03:18.680>being <01:03:18.839 - In addition, one of the co-owners of Hemker Park and Zoo is a member of AZA.
- Hemker Park and Zoo fully supports and urges the amendment to Minnesota Statute 35.155.
- Hemker Park and Zoo is a member of AZA.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Paul. to experience Como Zoo, the wildlife, to experience Como Zoo, the wildlife, the<00:19:59.640>
- Uh, so, yes, the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory has been open since 1897.
- can for the people here at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in the city of St.
- Como Park Zoo and Conservatory's Como Park Zoo and Conservatory's purview<00:26:23.840>
for - >
Conservatory <00:26:39.440>were Como Park Zoo and Conservatory were Como Park Zoo and
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Environment, Climate and Legacy - 03/04/25
Environment, Climate, and Legacy
Transcript Highlights:
- Senate File 1152 is an appropriation request for Como Park Zoo and Conservatory for $1,750,000 in fiscal
- Just a little bit more about Como Park Zoo and Conservatory: it has been celebrated as the most visited
- Como Zoo and Conservatory does in our community, the region, and the state of Minnesota. 1,750,000 in
- I am the deputy director, and I'm five days in my role as interim director at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
- Como Park Zoo and Conservatory continues to serve as a treasured resource for all Minnesotans, inspiring
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Representative Hollins: "This is a request for Como Zoo and Conservatory to replace Como's structurally
- Como Zoo Park and Conservatory has been celebrated as the most visited cultural attraction in Minnesota
- Paul and Como Park Zoo and Conservatory.
- She also said Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is one of Minnesota's most visited cultural institutions
- Erica Prosser said Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is one of Minnesota's most visited cultural institutions
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
FULL INTERVIEW: Lowering Energy Costs Through Innovation | Senator Nick Frentz May 29th, 2026
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Paul, there's a Como Zoo project, which will help provide a little bit more than $2 million to provide
- And so, I not only like that it will save energy and save money for the Como Zoo and the city of St.
- Zoo<00:15:11.120>
project, <00:15:11.760>which Paul, there's a Como Zoo project, which - Paul, there's a Como Zoo project, which will<00:15:12.200>
help <00:15:12.520>provide < - <00:15:25.840>
of money for the Como Zoo and the city of money for the Como Zoo and the city
Summary:
The interview focused on Minnesota’s clean energy policy, energy affordability, and the state’s path toward its 100% clean electricity goal. The senator said Minnesota’s clean energy reputation comes from environmental concern, job creation, and lower long-term costs, noting that wind is now the lowest-cost generation source and that solar costs have fallen sharply. He said rising electricity demand has led to some increased coal use, but argued the state can still meet its 2040 clean energy target through continued renewable buildout, permitting reform, conservation, and demand response.
A major topic was data centers. The senator emphasized both concerns and benefits, saying hyperscale data centers can bring substantial construction jobs, property tax revenue, and, under the 2025 law, payments to low-income energy assistance. He cited the Pine Island Google data center as air-cooled, with no water concerns, and said it will pay $5 million annually while funding 1,600 MW of wind, solar, and battery resources at its own expense. He also said Xcel’s filing projected a $1.1 billion ratepayer savings over 10 years, while urging the public to weigh both pros and cons, especially around water use and local tax impacts.
The discussion also covered nuclear power and climate costs. The senator said the Senate has passed a nuclear study three years in a row and expects it to advance, while the moratorium on new nuclear plants remains tied to the Prairie Island Indian Community and unresolved nuclear waste storage. He argued Minnesota likely cannot reach its emissions goals without nuclear in the mix, though he acknowledged current nuclear is not cost-competitive and said future advanced or small modular nuclear could change that. On affordability, he pointed to climate-driven costs such as higher homeowners insurance and storm damage, and described Senate energy omnibus provisions including conservation, plug-in solar, and renewable development account projects such as a Como Zoo clean energy project. No votes were taken in the interview itself, but the senator referenced the recently announced budget deal and said he still needed to negotiate a renewable development account agreement between the House and Senate.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate - 03/24/25
Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate
Transcript Highlights:
- This is a really exciting energy project in my district and our capital city at the Como Park Zoo and
- Como Zoo and Conservatory has been celebrated as the most visited cultural attraction in Minnesota, with
- Paul and the interim director of Como Zoo Park. they provide access to all.
- Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is an economic engine that provides $162.7 million in economic impact
- With millions of visitors every year to Como and one of the country's few remaining free public zoos,
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Tim Morrow: Tim Morrow, President, Tim Morrow: CEO San Antonio Zoo. I am for the bill.
- San Tim Morrow: Antonio Zoo, a 501c3 nonprofit institution of education and conservation, is home to
- In some cases, San Antonio Zoo is the only place these animals exist.
- My name is Diana Warden, and I'm the Senior Director of Safety and Security at the Dallas Zoo.
- On the night of January 29th, 2023, Daveon once again entered the Dallas Zoo by jumping over a fence,
Keywords:
HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- We have 120 species and over 300 animals on a 19-acre campus, so we're slightly larger than Como Zoo
- We have 120 species and over 300 animals on a 19-acre campus, so we're slightly larger than Como Zoo
- We have 120 species and over 300 animals on a 19-acre campus, so we're slightly larger than Como Zoo
- We have 120 species and over 300 animals on a 19-acre campus, so we're slightly larger than Como Zoo
- We have 120 species and over 300 animals on a 19-acre campus, so we're slightly larger than Como Zoo
Keywords:
Duluth, Lake Superior Zoo, capital improvements, funding, bonds, appropriations, capital investment, port development, grant caps, state assistance, navigation facilities, Dakota County, state bonds, park improvements, infrastructure, transportation, safety, congestion, water infrastructure, bond issuance
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Legacy finance bill, HF2563, heard in House Ways and Means Committee 4/21/25
Transcript Highlights:
- There's $3 million for the Como Zoo, uh, $500,000 for the Great Lakes Aquarium, and $150,000 for the
- On line 335 is the Minnesota Zoo. There's $2.35 million for the Minnesota Zoo.
- There's $3 million for the Como Zoo, uh, $500,000 for the Great Lakes Aquarium, and $150,000 for the
- On line 335 is the Minnesota Zoo. There's $2.35 million for the Minnesota Zoo.
- Uh, on line 335 is the Minnesota Zoo. There's $2.35 million for the Minnesota Zoo.
Summary:
House File 2563, the Omnibus Legacy Bill, was presented as a roughly $779 million package funding projects across Minnesota through the four Legacy funds: Outdoor Heritage, Clean Water, Parks and Trails, and Arts and Cultural Heritage. Chairs Vang and McDonald described the bill as a responsible one-time spending measure with no ongoing base funding, emphasizing habitat restoration, water protection, parks and trails, and arts and cultural heritage. Nonpartisan staff then walked through the spreadsheet, explaining that the bill largely follows the recommendations of the relevant councils and governor, with some additions such as a Wilderness Inquiry partnership, an Ash River sewer extension, competitive grant funding, and several arts and history projects.
Staff highlighted the major allocations and structure of the bill: Outdoor Heritage funding for land and habitat projects, Clean Water funding for water-quality work, Parks and Trails funding following the traditional 40-40-20 split, and Arts and Cultural Heritage funding for the State Arts Board, Minnesota Historical Society, Humanities Center, Indian Affairs Council, Department of Education, and other recipients. They also noted policy provisions requiring Clean Water Council recommendations to be broken out by fiscal year, requiring recent 990 forms for arts grantees, limiting arts funds from being used for capital construction except in specified cases, and extending a prior appropriation for the Sunni Lee memorial project. Members asked about land acquisition, the new 990 requirement, and reduced funding for children’s museums; chairs and staff responded that Outdoor Heritage includes land acquisition, the 990 is simply a documentation requirement, and children’s museum funding is lower because more money is now placed in a competitive grant pool.
The chairs said the bill reflects compromise and an effort to keep the bill relatively clean of earmarks, while also noting that a Department of Revenue transfer of more than $31 million from legacy funds affected available funding and forced difficult choices. After discussion, the committee laid the bill over, with the chair noting it was also being done in honor of Representative Mary Murphy.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Meeting: Senate Committee and House Committee on Capital Investment - 05/17/26
Transcript Highlights:
- Paul Como Zoo, $2.931 million for Washington County CSAH 5 Trail, and then $1 million for Washington
- Paul Como Zoo, $2.931 million for Washington County CSAH 5 Trail, and then $1 million for Washington
- Paul Como Zoo, $2.931 million for Washington County CSAH 5 Trail, and then $1 million for Washington
- <00:25:36.320>
Uh <00:25:36.520>then the Minnesota Zoo for operating. - Uh then the Minnesota Zoo for operating.
Summary:
The committee took up a large bonding bill and reviewed the final spreadsheet of capital investments. Chairs and members repeatedly thanked staff, House and Senate negotiators, and the Governor’s team for a collaborative process. The bill was described as a statewide package rather than a partisan one, with major funding for higher education asset preservation, DNR projects, public safety, transportation, the Met Council, veterans facilities, corrections, DEED/local projects, and a large water infrastructure section.
House Fiscal staff and Senate fiscal staff walked through the bill line by line. Highlights included University of Minnesota and Minnesota State asset preservation, education and language immersion school funding, DNR trail and flood mitigation projects, public safety facilities, local road and bridge grants, Met Council parks and I/I grants, veterans home and armory funding, corrections projects including the Faribault vocational expansion, and many local economic development and public facility projects across Greater Minnesota and the metro. The bill also included Public Facilities Authority water and wastewater grants, housing rehabilitation funding, historical society grants, a Minnesota Zoo operating transfer, airport appropriations, and several cancellations of prior appropriations to help finance the package.
Members generally praised the bill and the bipartisan work behind it. Some Republicans emphasized the one-time license fee reduction and affordability, while also saying DEED’s business development infrastructure funding was too low. Senator Nelson highlighted long-awaited transportation projects such as Highway 14 and township roads. Senator Dibble supported the transportation investments but criticized the bill for having no transit funding, calling that a major omission. No vote was recorded in the excerpt, but the discussion centered on final review and support for moving the bonding bill forward.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- On line 296, the Como Zoo and Conservatory is receiving $3 million.
- The Minnesota Zoo is receiving $2.35 million on line 333.
- Uh, we get the zoo first—the good people of the zoo. Yes, that's fine, that's fine.
- The Minnesota Zoo is a beloved ...47-year-old state agency.
- I don't know anyone that's not a fan of the Minnesota Zoo.
Bills:
HF2563
Keywords:
HF2563, legacy finance bill, Legacy Amendment, outdoor heritage fund, clean water fund, parks and trails fund, arts and cultural heritage fund, Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, Clean Water Council, Minnesota legacy funds, habitat conservation, prairie restoration, wetland restoration, forest conservation, riparian buffers, water quality, groundwater protection, drinking water, septic systems, watershed planning
AL
Alabama 2026 1st Special Session
Alabama Senate Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee Jan 28th, 2026
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Keywords:
oyster shell, tax credit, recycling, restaurant, state revenue, environmental benefit, sales tax exemption, seafood, fishing industry, local government, municipal exemption, seagrass restoration, environmental policy, water quality, marine ecosystems, conservation efforts, marine conservation, environmental remediation, coastal ecosystems, state waters
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Tim Morrow, President and CEO, San Antonio Zoo. I am for the bill.
- , and guests when Davion Irvin repeatedly and illegally entered zoo property after hours.
- On the night of January 29th, 2023, Davion once again entered the Dallas Zoo by jumping over a fence,
- Irvin told detectives he would... come back to the zoo and try to take more animals if he could.
- Today we have the most advanced security system in the zoo, but having the additional support of this
Keywords:
HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- The second category is an emergency assistant for Minnesota Zoo of $3.8 million to address the zoo operating
- <01:25:04.120>
Zoo, Oxbow Park, Como Zoo, Oxbow Park, Como Zoo, Cramer<01:25:06.000>Lake - an emergency assistant for Minnesota Zoo an emergency assistant for Minnesota Zoo of<01:25:21.960
- of 3.8 million to address the zoo of 3.8 million to address the zoo operating<01:25:25.480>
shortfall - This was in the Minnesota Zoo one time.
Summary:
The Senate Finance Committee took up Senate File 203, a broad housing bill authored by Senator Port. Port described the measure as a package including $50 million in housing infrastructure bonds, MHFA administrative and investment reforms, expanded Greater Minnesota infrastructure grants for workforce housing, manufactured housing bill of rights provisions, and a private equity restriction on large investors buying certain single-family homes starting in 2026. Fiscal analyst Eric Olafson walked through the spreadsheet and said the $50 million bond authorization would add debt service costs over time, with the total estimated debt service for that authorization at about $75.8 million. Senator Draheim raised concern about the growing cost of bonding and said the state should rely more on cash than debt.
The committee then adopted two technical amendments. The A21 amendment, described by Port as correcting manufactured housing bill of rights language, aligning MHFA board meeting language, conforming a lived-experience exemption to federal law, and fixing a capacity-building grants reference, was approved without objection. The A20 amendment, offered by Draheim, was also adopted and would give the legislature more control and visibility over MHFA funding and how quickly program dollars are reinvested after agency operations.
Members then debated Draheim’s A22 amendment, which would delete the manufactured home park provisions from the bill. Draheim and several Republicans argued the section could function like rent control, could burden good park owners, and might have unintended consequences for park operations and purchases. Port, Senator Boldon’s allies, and other supporters said the provisions were needed to protect residents from rent spikes and private equity abuses in manufactured home communities, where residents own their homes but not the land. The transcript ends during that debate, before any final disposition on A22 or the bill itself is shown.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Press Conference: DFL Legislators Launch the Climate Superfund Bill - 03/04/26
Transcript Highlights:
- rain caused over a hundred million dollars in damage to roads and bridges, state parks, and the Duluth Zoo
- <00:05:08.560>
and <00:05:08.680>the <00:05:08.760>Duluth <00:05:09.160>Zoo - <00:05:09.600>
on <00:05:09.760>the state parks, and the Duluth Zoo on the state parks - , and the Duluth Zoo on the North<00:05:10.080>
Shore. - Funded by our common-sense sales tax, the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is undergoing a $16 million
Summary:
Rep. Athena Hollins and Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart introduced Minnesota’s proposed climate superfund bill, describing it as a way to make major historical greenhouse gas polluters help pay for climate adaptation and infrastructure repair. They said the bill would target large fossil fuel corporations with significant emissions and use the revenue for projects such as stormwater upgrades, bridge and roof protection, erosion control, drinking water protection, cooling cities, and other resilience work. Both lawmakers framed the proposal as a matter of accountability and fairness, arguing that Minnesotans should not keep paying for damage caused by companies that profited from fossil fuel pollution.
Several supporters testified in favor of the bill, including St. Paul City Council Vice President Nyang Kheimey, former legislator and medical student Hunter Cantrell, Unidos Minnesota volunteer Bonnie Becol, and 100% Minnesota’s Aurora Vautrin. They emphasized local climate impacts such as flooding, wildfire smoke, extreme heat, emerald ash borer damage, asthma, and infrastructure failures, and said the costs are increasingly falling on taxpayers, local governments, and vulnerable communities. Kheimey highlighted municipal needs and St. Paul’s own climate investments, while Cantrell focused on environmental racism and health harms, and Becol and Vautrin stressed species loss, community recovery costs, and the burden on residents.
In the question-and-answer portion, Hollins and Johnson Stewart explained that the bill would apply to fossil fuel corporations with at least 1 billion metric tons of carbon emissions and a nexus to Minnesota, not local utilities. They said the State Auditor’s office would determine the assessments owed by companies, while the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency would hold the fund and administer grants. They also said they were looking to models in Vermont and New York and hoped the proposal could attract bipartisan support because it is tied to affordability and shifting costs away from taxpayers and onto polluters. No vote or formal committee action was taken in the transcript, and the event ended with the sponsors opening the bill to questions.
LA
Bills:
SCR54, SCR59, HCR5, HCR62, HCR78, HCR86, HB595, HB688, HB802, HB841, HB1161, HB1171, HB1189, HB1248, HB1258
Keywords:
Mississippi River Basin, fishery commission, invasive species, sustainability, economic impact, red drum, fishing regulations, tournament permits, wildlife management, recreational fishing, flood management, FEMA, floodplain maps, environmental risks, Louisiana, flood insurance, risk assessment, community planning, seafood, commercial fishing
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee 1/21/25
Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- This is a board consisting of 30 members, and they maintain and operate the Minnesota Zoo.
- c> the Minnesota Zoo uh and the zoo the Minnesota Zoo uh and the zoo typically<00:18:28.520>
receives - The zoo ones go to the Minnesota Zoo, the Como Zoo.
- <00:29:22.600>
the <00:29:22.720>duuu zoo ones go to the minnesot zoo the duuu zoo - In FY 24, that was $2.4 million. area and the DNR and Zoo typically area and the DNR and Zoo typically
Summary:
The committee met for an organizational hearing of the Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee. Members and staff introduced themselves, with several legislators noting their backgrounds in farming, mining, water management, and outdoor recreation, and the chair reviewed draft committee rules emphasizing decorum, quorum, timely starts, and submitting bill hearing requests to the committee administrator. The committee also heard from nonpartisan staff and caucus staff who will support the committee this session.
House Research and House Fiscal staff then provided an overview of the committee’s jurisdiction and the major agencies and programs it oversees. The presentation covered the Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Control Agency, Environmental Quality Board, Board of Water and Soil Resources, Metropolitan Council regional parks and water resources, Conservation Corps of Minnesota, Minnesota Zoological Board, Science Museum of Minnesota, and the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. Staff summarized the main statutory chapters and subject areas under each, including wildlife, state lands, mining, water use, air and water permitting, environmental review, wetlands, drainage, and natural resources funding.
The finance portion explained the committee’s appropriation types and major funding sources, including direct, statutory, and open appropriations. Staff highlighted the general fund, bonding, the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, the Game and Fish Fund, and the Heritage Enhancement Account, along with how those dollars are typically used for parks and trails, habitat, land acquisition, flood and drainage projects, and agency operations. Members also discussed whether DNR and BWSR responsibilities in overlapping water statutes can conflict; staff said responsibilities are generally clear in statute, though conflicts can occur and are usually resolved.
AL
Alabama 2025 Regular Session
Alabama House Ways and Means Education Committee Apr 30th, 2025
Ways and Means Education
Transcript Highlights:
- clinic, blood bank, public health clinic, public libraries, services for the disabled, health center, or zoo
- House Bill 546 has to do with the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo.
- This zoo was initially given tax-free status in 2018, but that status expired in September of 2022.
- So it sunset, mirroring the Birmingham Zoo. It does fall into your zoo category.
Keywords:
entertainment, film, music, production incentives, Alabama Film Office, tax rebates, media industry, economic development, Baptist convention, tax exemption, sales and use tax, Alabama, nonprofit, HB203, High Socks for Hope, nonprofit tax exemption, sales tax, use tax, state tax exemption, local option tax exemption