This past Monday my Worker Safety and Energy Security Act bill passed out of the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee and was returned to the Senate floor. This bill would increase penalties for individuals who train and enact ecoterrorism, as well those who criminally trespass and damage critical utility infrastructure property or state highway infrastructure.

Over the past couple years, eco-terrorist events across Greater Minnesota have demonstrated the importance and need for this bill to become law. A year ago in February, Scheff Logging, a Minnesotan owned logging company that has been in business for over 30 years, incurred over $130,000 worth of losses after eco-terrorists cased Scheff’s logging site, stole keys to the companies equipment, and finally, destroyed four of the companies machines by cutting hydraulic hoses and wires, pouring sand into radiators, super gluing key holes, and pouring water into the engine compartments. The eco-terrorists caused over $30,000 in damages alone to equipment, but what cost Scheff logging the most was the delay in active logging and the extra employee wages that resulted in a 20% loss in revenue for the Minnesotan company. Of the $137,000 dollars of damage Scheff incurred, insurance covered $37,000. Scheff can only get the remaining $100,000 back by launching an expensive lawsuit against the eco-terrorists and organizations that may have trained and financed them. According to the lawsuit Scheff Logging filed in January of this year, these organizations include MN350, Northfield Against Line 3, the Anti-Colonial Land Defense, and other non-governmental organizations.

Many local Minnesotan businesses don’t have the finances to bounce back quickly from all-encompassing attacks on their equipment. Eco-terrorist acts like these on private business and public infrastructure can be make or break for companies who rely on earning revenue on contracted work. Furthermore, small town economies and every day Minnesotans are reliant on these business’ that bring jobs, lodging needs, and equipment rental revenue to rural parts of the state. When vandalization, eco-terrorism, and damages do occur to these companies like Scheff logging, they shouldn’t have to rely on lawsuits of unknown outcome to make up for the losses. Instead, they should know that the state of Minnesota has their back, this is exactly what the Workers Safety and Energy Security Act would do.

I hope to see this legislation pass with plenty of support. We cannot sit back and shake our heads at this type of ugly behavior without looking for solutions. This bill could help protect essential Minnesota infrastructure and businesses by deterring people who are trained to commit crimes against them.