A special session for a northern economic relief package is unlikely, said Governor Walz at a wildfire briefing Wednesday morning.
Walz said the package will more than likely occur as a regular session event in January.
The Minnesota Executive Council will not extend the peacetime emergency brought on by the ongoing wildfire situation in northern St. Louis, Lake and Cook Counties.
This means that a special legislative session will not be mandated to approve the emergency’s renewal, which is set to expire on Tuesday, August 11.
Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson cited improved conditions as the reason for the emergency’s upcoming expiration. The National Guard will no longer be deployed on the fires, though firefighting operations will continue.
Walz said he would be open to an economic relief package if legislators can come to an agreement, and encouraged legislators to begin pulling together a plan.
With legislators rearing up for the oncoming election season, however, political conversations could very likely prevent a package from coming to fruition in the narrowly-split legislature.
“I want to let the folks up there know if we can come to some kind of agreement and we can get a package that can get forward. I'm certainly open to that,” Walz said. “I just would not want to set expectations too high. I think it would be a pretty heavy political lift at this point in time.”
At a press conference in Ely on Monday, July 27, Walz had said that he would talk with state legislative leadership about what special session negotiations could look like, in the case an August 11 session were to occur.
“My perspective, if there is a special session, it should focus on the fire and the recovery of northern Minnesota, and that’s it,” Walz said. “And you can do more work next year when you come back.”
The upcoming legislative session is a budget year, which could benefit economic recovery proponents. Walz said the state is in good shape economically.
The Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety is working with local counties for damage assessments.
The team will assist communities economically through Minnesota’s Disaster Assistance Contingency Account.
The division also plans to bring together the Minnesota Recovers Task Force to identify the area’s needs. A page will soon be available on the Department of Public Services website so local organizations, businesses and governments can locate resources.
Walz will return north this weekend to visit and patronize local businesses.
