# DNR *Minnesota state agency for natural resources; a named party, through its commissioner, to the State's $850 million 3M settlement.* The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the [[Minnesota]] state agency responsible for the conservation and management of the state's natural resources. It runs state parks, state forests, recreational trails and recreation areas, and it manages minerals, wildlife and forestry across the state.[^1] The agency has six divisions: Ecological & Water Resources, Enforcement, Fish & Wildlife, Forestry, Lands & Minerals, and Parks & Trails.[^1] In this record the alias "DNR Commissioner" refers to the agency's head. The commissioner appears in that official capacity as a party to the State's 3M settlement.[^2] The settlement agreement through which the State recovered $850 million from 3M names three parties: the State by its Attorney General, the MPCA Commissioner and the DNR Commissioner.[^2] Paragraph 14 designates the MPCA and/or the DNR to use the funds.[^3] Paragraph 17 establishes a [[Working Group]] "consisting of representatives of the MPCA, the DNR, East Metropolitan Area municipalities, and 3M."[^4] The agency dates its list of commissioners to 1931. In that year the [[Minnesota Legislature]] placed natural-resource management under a new Department of Conservation. The department took its present name in 1971.[^5] ## Who - **Party to the 3M settlement.** The DNR Commissioner is one of the three named parties to the 3M settlement agreement, with the State by its Attorney General and the MPCA Commissioner. No county appears on the instrument.[^2] - **Working Group.** Under paragraph 17, the body that advises on spending the settlement money includes representatives of the MPCA, the DNR, East Metropolitan Area municipalities and 3M.[^4] - **Commissioners.** - The agency's list of commissioners begins with William T. Cox, whose tenure ran from August 20, 1931, to February 1933.[^6] - The longest single tenure on the list is that of Joseph N. Alexander, from July 1, 1978, to January 4, 1991.[^6] - More recent commissioners were Eugene R. Merriam (January 27, 2003 – January 2, 2007), Mark Holsten (January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011) and Tom Landwehr (January 6, 2011 – January 5, 2019).[^6] - Dave Schad served as acting commissioner from January 5 to January 7, 2019. Sarah Strommen has held the office from January 7, 2019, and was listed as the incumbent in the revision retrieved October 27, 2026.[^6] - The record here does not state which governor appointed each commissioner, or that governor's party. ## What - **Stated charge.** The agency's charge is conservation and management of the state's natural resources, carried out through its six divisions.[^1] - **Magazine.** The DNR publishes the bimonthly *Minnesota Conservation Volunteer*, which describes itself as a "donor-supported magazine advocating conservation and careful use of Minnesota's natural resources."[^8] - **Role under the 3M settlement.** The settlement instrument assigns the agency a role over the 3M money. Paragraph 14 designates the MPCA and/or the DNR to use the funds.[^3] ## When - **1931.** The Legislature created the Department of Conservation. It joined four existing state entities (forestry, game and fish, drainage and waters, and lands and timber) and added a state parks division and a tourist bureau.[^5] - **1971.** The agency was renamed the Department of Natural Resources to "better reflect its broader responsibilities."[^5] - **November 27, 2012.** The White Bear Lake Restoration Association filed suit against the DNR over what the group alleges was the agency's role in the shrinking of the lake.[^7] ## How - **3M funds.** Under the settlement, the funds are to be used by the MPCA and/or the DNR (paragraph 14).[^3] Spending is advised by a Working Group on which 3M holds a seat (paragraph 17).[^4] - **White Bear Lake.** After the 2012 suit, the DNR had 13 communities adopt water-conservation measures to cut consumption.[^7] ## How much - The State recovered $850 million from 3M under the settlement agreement. The release runs to the State.[^2] ## How many - **Divisions.** Six.[^1] - **Communities.** Thirteen adopted water-conservation measures after the White Bear Lake suit.[^7] - **Volunteers.** The agency's services draw on more than 33,000 volunteers. The cited account gives no date for this figure.[^9] ## In the at-issue record **Not a plaintiff (at issue 003).** - The State recovered $850 million from 3M.[^2] - Washington County owned the landfill, hosts the plant and drinks the water, but it was not a plaintiff.[^2] - The parties named on the agreement are the State by its Attorney General, the MPCA Commissioner and the DNR Commissioner. The release runs to the State.[^2] **The company on the Working Group (at issue 007).** - The agency's stated charge is conserving and managing the state's natural resources.[^1] - The same settlement that designates the MPCA and/or the DNR to use the 3M funds (paragraph 14)[^3] also sets up the advisory Working Group in paragraph 17. That group includes representatives of 3M, the company whose payment funds the settlement.[^4] **The federal action against the State.** - On January 14, 2026, the [[United States Department of Justice]] Office of Public Affairs issued release No. 26-21, titled *United States Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime*.[^10] - Attorney General Pamela Bondi certified the case as a matter of general public importance.[^10] - The complaint in *[[United States v. State of Minnesota (0:26-cv-00273)]]*, No. 0:26-cv-00273 (D. Minn.), was filed the same day under [[Title VII]] of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]].[^11] - The complaint cites [[Minn. Stat. § 43A.191]] eight times. These citations include subdivision 3(c)'s requirement that an agency explain its reason for hiring a non-affirmative candidate.[^11] - The action is pending, and its allegations have not been adjudicated. The record here does not establish whether or how the complaint addresses the DNR. ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Minnesota Department of Natural Resources*, lead section, rev. 1378496322 (retrieved 2026-10-27) — the agency's charge, functions and six divisions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Department_of_Natural_Resources [^2]: Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, *3M Settlement Agreement* (date not stated in the record) — names the State by its Attorney General, the MPCA Commissioner and the DNR Commissioner as parties; the $850 million recovery; the release runs to the State; no county appears. https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Cases/3M/docs/Agreement.pdf [^3]: Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, *3M Settlement Agreement*, ¶ 14 (date not stated in the record) — designates the MPCA and/or the DNR to use the funds. https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Cases/3M/docs/Agreement.pdf [^4]: Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, *3M Settlement Agreement*, ¶ 17 (date not stated in the record) — establishes a Working Group of representatives of the MPCA, the DNR, East Metropolitan Area municipalities and 3M. https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Cases/3M/docs/Agreement.pdf [^5]: Wikipedia, *Minnesota Department of Natural Resources*, "History," rev. 1378496322 (retrieved 2026-10-27) — the 1931 consolidation under the Department of Conservation and the 1971 renaming. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Department_of_Natural_Resources [^6]: Wikipedia, *Minnesota Department of Natural Resources*, "Commissioners," rev. 1378496322 (retrieved 2026-10-27) — list and tenure dates of commissioners since 1931. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Department_of_Natural_Resources [^7]: Wikipedia, *Minnesota Department of Natural Resources*, "Lawsuit," rev. 1378496322 (retrieved 2026-10-27) — the White Bear Lake Restoration Association suit of November 27, 2012, and the 13 communities' conservation measures. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Department_of_Natural_Resources [^8]: Wikipedia, *Minnesota Department of Natural Resources*, "Publications," rev. 1378496322 (retrieved 2026-10-27) — the bimonthly *Minnesota Conservation Volunteer* and its self-description. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Department_of_Natural_Resources [^9]: Wikipedia, *Minnesota Department of Natural Resources*, "Volunteering," rev. 1378496322 (retrieved 2026-10-27) — more than 33,000 volunteers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Department_of_Natural_Resources [^10]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, *United States Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime*, release No. 26-21 (Jan. 14, 2026) — the release title; Attorney General Bondi's certification of the case as a matter of general public importance. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-department-justice-files-lawsuit-against-minnesotas-affirmative-action-regime [^11]: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, *Complaint, United States v. State of Minnesota*, No. 0:26-cv-00273 (D. Minn. filed Jan. 14, 2026) — Title VII action; cites Minn. Stat. § 43A.191 eight times, including subd. 3(c). https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1423361/dl