Conservation Corps Minnesota remains open during state government shutdown

PRESS RELEASE
Conservation Corps Minnesota
July 1, 2011

For immediate release

Contact:   Len Price, Executive Director
651.209.9900 x12 (office); 612.306.8658 (cell); len.price@conservationcorps.org
www.conservationcorps.org

Maplewood, Minn. – As a nonprofit business, and not a state government agency, Conservation Corps Minnesota will continue to operate through the state shutdown. Our crews of youth and young adults will work until we have exhausted our contracts with project partners that are not state entities or located at state facilities.

Much of our work is on public lands and in collaboration with state agencies and programs. The shutdown has forced us to vacate facilities that we lease from state agencies, such as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). We have suspended work in shuttered state parks. Projects involving state-funded partners are on hold.

Work we have contracted with federal and other nonprofit partners and funded by non-state sources will continue as planned, and in some cases has been rescheduled to begin immediately. Field crews in the Superior National Forest will continue trail maintenance as scheduled. Energy Squads that partner with the Neighborhood Energy Connection will continue making St. Paul homes more energy efficient. Youth and young adult field crews are working on federal, county, city and nonprofit service projects.

When the state passes a budget, we will restart operations involving state agencies and facilities.

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