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Committee hears multiple regional bonding requests; minutes approved and two bills referred to Ways and Means
Summary
The committee reviewed a series of regional capital requests — including water and wastewater projects, trail and road repairs, Como Zoo upgrades, Frogtown recreation plans and downtown park funding — approved minutes and referred two bills to Ways and Means.
The Capital Investment Committee considered a slate of regional and local capital requests and took two procedural actions before adjourning.
Water and wastewater: Representative Johnson and the St. Paul Regional Water Services general manager described a $3.5 million request to rehabilitate a Mississippi River pump station that supplies water for more than 450,000 customers across 14 communities; the witness said the station currently pulls 40–50 million gallons a day on average and that total improvements to that facility would cost about $7.5 million. The same bill includes continued support for lead service line replacement work and testimony warned federal funding for that program will be exhausted by the end of 2027.
The Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (Resort Renew) asked for $20 million in bond funds toward a $40 million effluent filtration project to meet strict mercury discharge limits into the St. Louis River and Lake Superior; the district said the project is necessary to maintain permit compliance and that most equipment dates to the 1970s.
Trails and transportation: Presenters sought funding to rebuild the worst 13‑mile section of the Willard Munger State Trail, citing severe cracking, failing culverts and safety concerns that have pushed riders onto higher‑speed roads. A separate request would reallocate roughly $4 million in remaining bond funds from a completed rail‑grade separation project to reconstruct adjacent portions of Sturgeon Lake Road that provide sole access to the Prairie Island Indian Community.
Local streets and downtown parks: Saint Paul asked for sewer and street infrastructure work along the West 7th corridor; city staff said sanitary sewers in that corridor are about 130 years old and must be addressed before planned street reconstruction. Ramsey County and local officials asked for $20 million to complete Rivers Edge Park in downtown Saint Paul, which county staff said would unlock additional private development and long‑term property tax revenue.
Como Zoo: Testimony reiterated a need for a $25 million replacement of the big‑cat exhibit; Como Friends has committed $3.4 million toward the project and city staff said losing the exhibit would close about one‑sixth of the zoo and threaten accreditation.
Committee actions: The committee approved the minutes from April 16 by voice vote at the start of the meeting. Near adjournment, the chair moved and the committee voted to refer House File 3478 and House File 46‑56 to the Ways and Means Committee for further consideration.
No final bonding appropriations were adopted in the hearing; committee members asked agencies and local sponsors for refined cost estimates, phasing and timelines as projects move toward possible inclusion in a bonding bill.
