1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to natural resources; requiring refunds on certain timber sales; 
1.3 	appropriating money for a forest fragmentation study.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. TIMBER SALE REFUND.
 1.6 	This section applies in the case of a public auction timber sale conducted in June 
1.7 	2007 by an open bid process where a bidder was later found to be ineligible. The 
1.8 	commissioner of natural resources shall refund to the qualified purchaser the difference 
1.9 	between the purchase price paid and the price the purchaser would have paid at the 
1.10 	qualified purchaser's lowest bid.

1.11 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 1.12 	$50,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2009 from the forest management investment 
1.13 	account to the Forest Resources Council to conduct a study of options and make 
1.14 	recommendations to the legislature for addressing the fragmentation and parcelization of 
1.15 	large blocks of private forest land in the state. This is a onetime appropriation.

1.16 	Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 1.17 	Sections 1 and 2 are effective the day following final enactment.