As of midnight, June 30, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will be shutdown due to a state budget impasse
Frequently Asked Questions about the State Government Shutdown for DNR Customers
The 2011 legislative session ended without a budget agreement and unless an agreement is reached on June 30, large portions of state government will shutdown.
This shutdown will include the majority of the Department of Natural Resources, including the DNR's primary website resources. Please read the FAQ below and visit BeReadyMN.com for more shutdown-related information.
These questions and answers are intended to provide information for DNR employees and customers — citizens, regulated parties, grantees, local governments, and others — on DNR services affected by a state government shutdown.
1. What critical services will DNR continue during the shutdown?
We will continue to provide those services mandated by the Ramsey County court. The court has agreed with the Governor's recommendation to deem the following DNR Priority 1 and 2 services as critical to continue 'at a minimal level of staffing and operating expense' during shutdown:
Conservation law enforcement
Water treatment
Bison herd care
Hatchery maintenance and tree nursery care
Soudan mine maintenance
Pathology lab testing
Dam safety and operations
Dike-water control structure management
Incident command team, including disaster response coordination
Support for critical services
The DNR estimates that these functions will require 220-230 staff. Of those, 186 are conservation officers. These officers will be ensuring the safety and welfare of Minnesota citizens and DNR staff and the security of DNR property and facilities, in addition to serving in their natural-resource protection role.
No other DNR services are operating, including our state parks system and licensing and registration activities. The balance of our approximately 2,500 staff is laid off.
2. Am I still able to purchase a fishing license?
No. The sale of all fishing, hunting and trapping licenses, including online and telephone sales, will be suspended as of midnight, June 30. Likewise, no boat, ATV or other licenses will be sold.
All natural resource and license laws will remain in effect during a shutdown and will be enforced.
3. What are the implications for a shutdown to anglers?
Licensed anglers can continue to fish. All existing rules and regulations will be in force. A mid-season walleye fishing regulation adjustment on Lake Mille Lacs will be delayed or cancelled depending upon the length of the shutdown.
4. What about State Parks reservations and access to park facilities and camping?
During shutdown, the State Parks reservation system is suspended and all state parks and camping facilities are closed. The grounds are posted closed and buildings, restrooms and other facilities are locked.
5. Will day-use be permitted at state parks during a shutdown?
During shutdown, all facilities are locked, roads and campgrounds are closed and gated where possible. Water is shut off, and no services are available. We strongly advise the public not to enter the grounds of any state park during the shutdown. We are concerned about serious health, safety and security issues if visitors enter parks when there are no restroom facilities, water, and staff available. For example, 911 calls might not be possible due to lack of cell phone coverage.
6. What about state trails and public water accesses?
These areas will be maintained and do not have restroom facilities or water service, but are available for day use. Please be especially mindful of all safety guidelines.
7. Can I camp in forest campgrounds?
If there is a shutdown, facilities would be locked, roads and campgrounds would be closed and gated where possible, water would be shut off, and no services would be available. It would be possible, but not recommended, for day-use to continue at state parks during regular day-use hours.
8. Can I have a campfire?
Campfires are permitted, but please check with your county for more information.
9. What are the implications of a shutdown to hunters?
Licensed hunters can continue to hunt. All existing rules and regulations are in force. Wildlife Management Areas are open for use, but will not be maintained. Special hunts (such as the Camp Ripley archery hunt, state park hunts and mentored youth hunts) may not occur, depending upon the length of the shutdown. Applications for those special hunts may not be accepted, depending upon the length of the shutdown. Similarly, the availability of hunting information (2011 hunting regulations booklets and special hunt application information) will be delayed. Information on hunt application deadlines, hunt dates, and cancelled hunts (if necessary) will be available shortly after DNR staff return to work.
10. Who should be contacted to report a wildfire?
Citizens should report wildfires via the 911 emergency notification system.
11. Is open burning allowed?
Open burning and the open burning permit systems are suspended during the shutdown. The exceptions are the following counties that have the authority to issue county open burning permits: Anoka, Brown, Blue Earth, Carver, Chippewa, Clay, Cottonwood, Dakota, Faribault, Freeborn, Grant, Hennepin, Jackson, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Pipestone, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sibley, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Waseca, Watonwan, Washington, Wilkin, and Yellow Medicine.
12. Will state contractors be permitted to continue work?
No. Unless the goods or services are necessary for critical activities or have been themselves deemed critical by the court, those under contract with the state for provision of goods or services are suspended from work.
13. Will the website be up?
No. Online applications and submittal systems will not be operating. Our social media sites will not be updated.
14. Will I be able to communicate with the DNR or its staff?
No. By the end of the working day June 30, Information Center services will be suspended. Voicemail will have out-of-office automatic replies and email service will be unavailable. Mail will not be sorted or delivered. Only those employees deemed critical will have full access to communications.
15. If I am a member of the media, who can I call at the DNR?
All DNR communications staff members are laid off and unavailable to take your calls. The best source of state government information during the shutdown is BeReadyMN.com.
16. What happens with public notice periods that extend into the shutdown?
Public notice periods that extend into the shutdown will not prematurely expire, nor will they automatically be extended. Citizens may still submit comments on permits or other issues on public notice via regular mail, and those comments will be received and reviewed by staff upon their return.
Anyone wishing to submit comments should still observe the published deadline. We may, after the shutdown ends, decide to extend a public comment period. In those cases, we will provide a notice of extension.
17. Can DNR volunteers continue to work?
No. Volunteer activities are suspended during the shutdown. The only exception is for citizen science monitors, who do independent data collection such as loon counting and precipitation recording.
Because no volunteers will be working, classes taught by volunteers, such as firearms safety classes, will not take place.
18. Will permits be processed?
No, work currently underway on processing permit applications has stopped. This applies to all mining and environmental permits issued by DNR..
19. What will happen to existing mining and environmental permits?
Existing permits to mine will continue. All groundwater use permits will continue. Surface water use permits for domestic water supply and power production will continue, but other surface water use permits are suspended. All public water and aquatic plant management permits are suspended. See the additional Frequently Asked Questions for the Division of Ecological and Water Resources, below, for more information about environmental permits
20. What critical services continue within the Division of Ecological and Water Resources?
Very few of these services have been deemed critical. Per the court order, the exceptions are water quality services; pathology lab services; response to a hazardous substance spill or a fish and wildlife kill; and response to a dam safety issue.
21. What will happen to permits that have been issued for work in public waters and aquatic plant management?
All public water and aquatic plant management permits are suspended, including permits for commercial mechanical plant control. If work has started under one of these permits, it is suspended for the duration of the shutdown. If a permit has been issued but work has not started, work may not begin until after the shutdown.
22. What will happen to water use permits?
All groundwater use permits will continue (this includes mine dewatering permits). All surface water use permits for first priority water use will continue. (First priority water use is described in Minnesota Statutes, section 103G.26, and includes domestic water supply and power production that meets contingency planning requirements in Minnesota Statutes, section 103G.285, subd. 6.) All surface water use permits that are not for first priority water use are suspended.
23. What about general permits?
General permits allow the public and local units of government to quickly get DNR authorization for certain types of projects that would otherwise require an individual public water or water use permit. Some general permits require DNR notification before work can begin, while others do not. During the shutdown, work may be done under general permits that do not require DNR notification. Work may not be done under a general permit if DNR notification is required and has not been obtained prior to the shutdown. Common general permits that require DNR notification include temporary water appropriations (general permit number 1997-0005) and flood damage repair projects (general permit number 2001-1172).
24. What will happen with projects undergoing environmental review?
Environmental review, including development of Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) and Environmental Assessment Worksheets, is discontinued during shutdown. Projects may be delayed as a result. DNR contractors who are working on EISs may be able to continue some work during the shutdown, but it would be limited.
25. Can timber still be harvested?
Timber harvesting cutting, skidding, and hauling is curtailed on state permits. The only exception is if wood has previously been cut and piled at a DNR-approved landing immediately adjacent to a state, county, or township road or state or national forest system road.
26. Can firewood be cut from state lands?
No.
27. Will state forests, roads, and trails remain open?
Generally yes. Forest roads and trails are open unless gated or posted closed. However, roads and trails are not being maintained during the shutdown. State forest lands are open for dispersed activities (e.g., bird watching, hiking). Please be especially mindful of all safety guidelines.
28. Who should be contacted to get professional forest management assistance?
DNR offices are closed and DNR foresters are not available to provide assistance to private landowners. Alternative contacts for professional forestry assistance are local Soil and Water Conservation districts, consulting foresters, and forest industry foresters.
29. Who do I call with questions about trees or forests?
Calls can be directed to Minnesota Extension offices, Soil and Water Conservation districts, and county forestry offices.
30. How long will it take to restart DNR services at the end of the shutdown?
That will vary according to the steps necessary to restart specific services. Some services will resume when employees are back on the job. Others could take several days after restart. It is also possible that some DNR services and facilities will be restored in phases.
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