Minnesota Legislature
HF 1661
as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am
Current Version - as introduced
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A bill for an act
relating to natural resources; providing for management of native prairies in
railroad rights-of-way; requiring rulemaking; appropriating money; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 219.99.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 219.99, is amended to read:
219.99 RAILROAD PRAIRIE RIGHT-OF-WAY; BEST MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES.
new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end
new text begin Prairie preservation plan. new text end
The commissioner of natural resources
shall conduct a field review of railroad rights-of-way to identify native prairie. The priority
will be to identify and conduct a field review of any surveys which have been conducted
previously, whether by public or private persons, of native prairies within railroad
rights-of-way in this state. In cooperation with railroad companies, the commissioner shall
identify management practices used to control vegetation along railroad rights-of-way. The
commissioner shall then assess the impact of those management practices on the prairie
lands within the railroad rights-of-way. Based on that assessment, the commissioner deleted text begin and
railroad companiesdeleted text end shall deleted text begin jointlydeleted text end develop deleted text begin voluntarydeleted text end new text begin a plan of new text end best management practices
for new text begin preserving new text end prairie lands within deleted text begin railroaddeleted text end new text begin the new text end rights-of-waynew text begin of each railroad companynew text end .
new text begin Subd. 2. new text end
new text begin Management practices schedule. new text end
new text begin
No later than March 15 each year, each
railroad company shall register with the commissioner of natural resources a schedule
detailing how the railroad company will comply with its plan of best management
practices to preserve its prairie lands in the forthcoming 12 months.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 3. new text end
new text begin Rules. new text end
new text begin
The commissioner of natural resources shall adopt rules, including
regular inspection of prairies on railroad rights-of-way, to implement this section. The
commissioner shall present to the 2008 session of the legislature a plan to recover costs
of the rulemaking.
new text end
Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end
new text begin
$....... in fiscal year 2008 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of natural resources for the plans and compliance issues in section 1.
new text end