News

Boating industry position on safe surfing

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image of wake surf boat with surfer behind and people in the boat

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), one of the principle marine industry associations, has released their position on wakesurfing. It should be of no surprise that they are pro-wakesurfing as their members include, among others, the surf boat manufacturers. 

NMMA is pushing this position across the U.S., Minnesota included. On December 26, Outdoor News, a Minnesota-based media outlet published a letter to the editor from NMMA detailing the NMMA wakesurfing position. 

NMMA states they support statewide regulations which are fair for all and science based. Unfortunately, they chose the research that their boating industry organizations have funded, which does not match the groundbreaking research from the University of Minnesota’s Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory.

NMMA believes a statewide standard that requires wakesurfing 200 feet from shore in depths of 10 feet or greater minimizes environmental impacts

The U of MN research on wave energy from wakesurfing suggest that the distances from shore need to be much greater to achieve a less destructive wave hitting the shore. And their research on lakebed impacts from wakesurfing suggest that the depth of water need to be much greater to minimize the environmental impacts.

Enbridge, DNR reach $2.8M agreement to resolve Line 3 aquifer breach

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image of large oil tank with Enbridge name

With the Christmas holiday approaching you may have missed this. 

On December 22, 2025, Minnesota Public Radio reported that Canadian company Enbridge has agreed to a nearly $3 million settlement for piercing a groundwater aquifer while building the Line 3 oil pipeline in northern Minnesota.  The MN Department of Natural Resources said it reached the agreement with Enbridge over the aquifer breach that was discovered in 2022 near Swatara in Aitkin County

A new $28M program for the environment

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MN ENTRF Community Grant Program logo

Funded by Minnesota’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) and managed by the MN DNR, the new Community Grant Program will support projects for the public purpose of protection, conservation, preservation and enhancement of the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife and other natural resources.

The program will increase the number and diversity of grant recipients who receive ENRTF funding, especially in communities that have been adversely affected by pollution and environmental degradation. Grant awards will benefit communities and residents in all regions of our state.

During the 2025 session, lawmakers appropriated just over $28 million from the ENRTF to the DNR for the Community Grants Program. That funding is available until June 30, 2029. The MN DNR is in the process of developing the structure and processes of the program. We will try to keep you in the look as more becomes known. In the meantime, you can get more information on this exciting new program on the DNR’s website.

Join the Minnesota Cattail Collaborative

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MN Cattail Collaborative logo

This project, part of the MAISRC Lab to Lakes initiative, is testing invasive cattail management across Minnesota lakes; restoring native nearshore habitats, reconnecting lake ecosystems, supporting healthy fish communities, and empowering local management through participatory science.

Groups such as lake associations, watershed districts, lake improvement districts, state park managers, and others can participate.

If you have invasive cattails and want to get involved in this exciting research work, check out the Cattail Collaborative webpage for more information.  MN Sea Grant and MAISRC are recruiting participants this winter. They will be hosting a virtual workshop for participants and will help participants find management partners.

Cook County COLA raises sulfide mining concerns

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Cook County COLA map

Image: Google Maps

The Cook County Coalition of Lake Association’s (CCCoLA) focus is on promoting responsible lake and shoreland management practices with the goal of preserving water quality, healthy shorelands, and wildlife habitat.) The CCCoLA Board, representing 21 Lake/Road/Property Owner Associations throughout Cook County, has been studying the threat to human health, wildlife, the environment, and the region’s economy posed by copper-nickel sulfide mining. 

Their conclusion: Copper-nickel mining in proximity to the Rainy River and Lake Superior Watersheds raises several troubling concerns. 

Their concerns are environmental, economic, and health related. You can read more about these issues on the MN COLA website and on the websites of many of the other environmental organizations.

Pro-mining supporters focus on job creation, the need for these critical minerals, and their confidence in the mining companies and the State’s approval processes to build appropriate safeguards into the mining operations.  The sulfide mining issues have come back into focus with the change in the administration in Washington DC, and most recently, with a bill passed in the U. S. House to overturn former President Joe Biden’s mining ban in northern Minnesota. The measure now moves to the Senate for consideration and, if approved there, to President Trump, who campaigned in 2024 on overturning Biden’s 20-year block on mining across 225,504 minerals-rich acres (91,200 hectares) in the Superior National Forest.

MAISRC seeks proposals for research

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MAISRC driven logo

MAISRC is seeking proposals for research studies to advance early detection and prevention of the establishment aquatic invasive species (AIS), create and improve options for AIS control, and assess risk and species impacts to prioritize management actions in Minnesota. Through this competitive Request for Proposals (RFP), MAISRC will administer an estimated $2,300,000 to fund high-priority research needs focused on both new lines of research and continuation of existing projects. 

Proposals are invited from investigators at any Minnesota-based academic, governmental (federal, tribal, state, local), or non-profit research institution or organization with demonstrated capacity to conduct rigorous scientific research. Proposed work should build capacity within and benefit the state of Minnesota.

The deadline for pre-proposals is March 2, 2026, at 11:59 PM CST. For more information, go to MAISRC’s 2026 RFP webpage.

DNR hosts 2026 Roundtable

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2026 MN DNR Roundtable logo

The DNR’s annual Roundtable was held on January 9, 2026. 

Jim Kutzner (MN COLA) and Sue Wolf (President of the Cedar Lake Conservation Club in Wright County) attended the event and have provided a terrific writeup. Their writeup includes links to some of the recorded portions of the program. It’s worth reading! Click here to read the writeup.

Recap of the MN COLA/SafeWakes seminar

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MN COLA and SafeWakes logos in a single frame

Our members rank “enhanced wake activities” as one of their three most pressing issues. To that end, MN COLA has been working for years on the environmental and safety challenges from recreation using enhanced wakes. Finding ways to share and protect our incredible water resources is the goal and it will require several steps.

  • One step is to raise awareness and increase the understanding of the impacts of enhanced wake activities across the boating population. MN COLA was a vocal proponent at the 2023 legislature, arguing for a mandatory boat operator’s license in Minnesota intended to improve safety on the water. Obtaining that license requires that boaters complete an education program that addresses among other things, best practices related to boating safety, AIS, and minimizing conflicts on the water. 
  • Another step is obtaining the science to underpin possible solutions. MN COLA actively supports the work done by the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory at the University of Minnesota to understand the impact of boat wakes and propellor thrust. 
  • And we believe that some form of regulation will be required to achieve the balance needed for recreation, safety, and environmental protection. Unfortunately, a statewide approach isn’t likely in the near term. In the interim, obtaining local regulations on surface water activities may be possible using the DNR petition process. In fact, it was used in 2024 by Caribou Lake in Cook County to establish surface water restrictions on enhanced wake activities.

This special seminar was designed to provide an overview of the DNR petition process. 

Here are links to materials from the seminar, including:

Presentation slides in PDF format which you can download

References – these are important links discussed in the seminar

Recorded videos:

The presentation

The Q&A portion of the seminar

MN COLA hosts webinar on top 3 priorities

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MN COLA webinar graphic

On December 4th, MN COLA hosted a webinar targeted to all State Representatives and Senators, County Commissioners, County Sheriff’s, and others. The 39-minute webinar was a success, and we received many positive comments from attendees.

Here is a link to the webinar as well as reference materials you may find useful, including the slides used, references and bibliography for the content shown, a one-page summary that may be useful as you talk to your elected officials and local leaders.

We believe the webinar provided important, thoughtful, and timely information about the three biggest challenges our members see as we work to protect Minnesota’s public waters:

  • Water Quality
  • Aquatic Invasive Species
  • Enhanced Wake Activities

You have a role to play too! Elected officials act on pressure they get from their constituents, so meet with them to help them understand the issues and ask for their support!These are not Republican nor DFL issues; they are non-partisan issues that need addressing to protect the waters of the state.

Itasca Waters 2025 “Practical Water Wisdom” webinars

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Itasca Waters logo

Itasca Waters puts on a virtual learning series (think one-hour webinar) every first Thursday of the month at noon CT. Mark your calendars now and register for these sessions. Registration is required for each session. Check out the Practical Water Wisdom page for more details and registration links.

Here are the next four upcoming topics:

  • February 6 – Invasive Freshwater Jellyfish – Why Are They Increasing So Fast and What Do They Do in Lakes?
  • March 6, – Lakeshore Development and Natural Shoreline Protection to Preserve Biotic Health
  • April 3 – Beaver Dams, Ponds, and Effects
  • May 1 – Climate Change Effects on Fisheries

This series is presented by Itasca Waters with the support from Minnesota Sea Grant, Itasca Soil and Water Conservation District, Itasca Coalition of Lake Associations, KAXE/KBXE, Rapids Radio and Grand Rapids Herald Review.