HF 4080

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 03/04/2020 03:36pm

A bill for an act
relating to natural resources; providing for land and water protection on off-road
vehicle touring routes; requiring a report; proposing coding for new law in
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 84.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [84.8046] PROTECTION MEASURES FOR LAND AND WATER ON
RECREATIONAL MOTORIZED TOURING ROUTES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin For purposes of this section:
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new text begin (1) "commissioner" means the commissioner of natural resources; and
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new text begin (2) "touring route" means a recreational route designated and marked by the commissioner
for use mainly by highway-licensed vehicles when the route consists of state or national
forest roads or township, county, or state roads that feature dirt, gravel, or other rugged
surfaces.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Unpaved roads crossing waters. new text end

new text begin (a) A touring route must not include:
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new text begin (1) an unpaved road that crosses waters designated as exceptional use waters, outstanding
resource value waters, or trout streams;
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new text begin (2) a United States Forest Service operational maintenance level 2 road that crosses
waters or an equivalent state, county, or township road that crosses waters; or
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new text begin (3) an unpaved road that crosses waters designated as impaired.
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new text begin (b) If waters that are crossed by an unpaved road of a touring route are designated as
impaired after the touring route is designated, the commissioner must remove the unpaved
road from the touring route within 60 days after the waters are designated as impaired. Signs
for the touring route must be removed along the portions of the route removed under this
paragraph, and any website showing the route must be updated to reflect the removal.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Noxious weeds. new text end

new text begin A touring route must not be designated on land identified by
the commissioner of agriculture or a county as containing prohibited noxious weeds, restricted
noxious weeds, or county noxious weeds under sections 18.76 to 18.91.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Buffers. new text end

new text begin A touring route must maintain a buffer of at least 300 feet from a
road's edge to a water basin or wetland.
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new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Local approval. new text end

new text begin Before a road is included in a touring route, the commissioner
must obtain approval from the counties and townships in which the road is located and from
the road authority that has jurisdiction over the road.
new text end