1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to natural resources; appropriating money from the parks and trails fund; 
1.3 	providing for the allocation of certain funding for metropolitan area parks and 
1.4 	trails; creating a regional park and trail grant program; providing funding for a 
1.5 	statewide 25-year park and trail framework;amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, 
1.6 	section 85.53; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 85.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8	Section 1. PARKS AND TRAILS FUND APPROPRIATIONS.
 	
1.9 	The sums shown in the columns marked "Appropriations" are appropriated to the 
1.10 	agencies and for the purposes specified in this act. The appropriations are from the parks 
1.11 	and trails fund, or another named fund, and are available for the fiscal years indicated for 
1.12 	each purpose. The figures "2010" and "2011" used in this act mean that the appropriations 
1.13 	listed under them are available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, or June 30, 2011, 
1.14 	respectively. "The first year" is fiscal year 2010. "The second year" is fiscal year 2011. 
1.15 	"The biennium" is fiscal years 2010 and 2011. Appropriations for the fiscal year ending 
1.16 	June 30, 2009, are effective the day following final enactment. All appropriations in 
1.17 	this act are onetime.

1.18				APPROPRIATIONS
	
1.19				Available for the Year
	
1.20				Ending June 30
	
1.21					2010
		2011

1.22
1.23	Sec. 2. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL 
RESOURCES
 	$
	16,500,000
	$
	19,800,000
	
2.1 	$13,000,000 the first year and $15,500,000 
2.2 	the second year are for state parks, recreation 
2.3 	areas, and trails to:
2.4 	(1) connect people to the outdoors by 
2.5 	providing access, conservation education, 
2.6 	and interpretive services, including enhanced 
2.7 	naturalist programs;
2.8 	(2) accelerate natural resource management, 
2.9 	restoration, and protection activities at state 
2.10 	parks; and
2.11 	(3) accelerate facility maintenance and 
2.12 	rehabilitation, including energy-efficiency 
2.13 	improvements and the use of renewable 
2.14 	sources of energy.
2.15 	$3,500,000 the first year and $4,300,000 
2.16 	the second year are for grants under new 
2.17 	Minnesota Statutes, section 85.535, to 
2.18 	parks and trails recognized as meeting the 
2.19 	constitutional requirement of being a park 
2.20 	or trail of regional or statewide significance. 
2.21 	Grants under this section must be used only 
2.22 	for acquisition, development, restoration, 
2.23 	and maintenance. Up to 2.5 percent of this 
2.24 	appropriation may be used for administering 
2.25 	the grants.
2.26 	The commissioner shall develop a ten-year 
2.27 	strategic state parks and trails plan 
2.28 	considering traditional funding and the 
2.29 	funding available under the Minnesota 
2.30 	Constitution, article XI, section 15. The plan 
2.31 	shall incorporate the 25-year framework 
2.32 	developed under section 7.
2.33 	The commissioner shall submit an annual 
2.34 	report on the expenditure and use of money 
2.35 	appropriated under this section to the 
3.1 	legislature as provided in Minnesota Statutes, 
3.2 	section 3.195. The first year report must be 
3.3 	submitted by March 1, 2010. In subsequent 
3.4 	years the report shall be submitted by January 
3.5 	15. The report must relate the expenditure of 
3.6 	funds by the categories established and detail 
3.7 	the outcomes in terms of additional use of 
3.8 	parks and trails resources, user satisfaction 
3.9 	surveys, and other appropriate outcomes.
3.10 	The department and grantees receiving 
3.11 	money under this section shall give 
3.12 	consideration to contracting with the 
3.13 	Minnesota Conservation Corps for contract 
3.14 	restoration, maintenance, and other activities.

3.15	Sec. 3. METROPOLITAN COUNCIL
 	$
	$13,000,000
	$
	$15,500,000
	
3.16 	(a) To be distributed as required under 
3.17 	new Minnesota Statutes, section 85.53, 
3.18 	subdivision 2.
3.19 	(b) The Metropolitan Council shall submit 
3.20 	an annual report on the expenditure and use 
3.21 	of money appropriated under this section 
3.22 	to the legislature as provided in Minnesota 
3.23 	Statutes, section 3.195. The first report 
3.24 	shall be submitted by March 1, 2010. 
3.25 	In subsequent years, the report shall be 
3.26 	submitted by January 15. The report must 
3.27 	detail the outcomes in terms of additional use 
3.28 	of parks and trails resources, user satisfaction 
3.29 	surveys, and other appropriate outcomes.
3.30 	(c) The implementing agencies receiving 
3.31 	appropriations under this section shall 
3.32 	give consideration to contracting with the 
3.33 	Minnesota Conservation Corps for contract 
3.34 	restoration, maintenance, and other activities.

4.1	Sec. 4. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
 	$
	400,000
	$
	-0-
	
4.2 	To the Board of Regents of the University 
4.3 	of Minnesota for the Center for Changing 
4.4 	Landscapes to create a comprehensive 
4.5 	statewide parks and trails framework and 
4.6 	system inventory.

4.7 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 85.53, is amended to read:
4.8 	85.53 PARKS AND TRAILS FUND.
4.9 		Subdivision 1.Fund established; purpose. The parks and trails fund is established 
4.10 	in the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, section 15. All money earned by the parks and 
4.11 	trails fund must be credited to the fund. 
4.12 		Subd. 2.Metropolitan area distribution formula. (a) Money appropriated from 
4.13 	the parks and trails fund to the Metropolitan Council shall be distributed to implementing 
4.14 	agencies, as defined in section 473.351, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), as grants according 
4.15 	to the following formula:
4.16 	(1) 45 percent of the money must be disbursed according to the allocation formula in 
4.17 	section 473.351, subdivision 3, to each implementing agency;
4.18 	(2) 31.5 percent of the money must be distributed based on each implementing 
4.19 	agency's relative share of the most recent estimate of the population of the metropolitan 
4.20 	area;
4.21 	(3) 13.5 percent of the money must be distributed based on each implementing 
4.22 	agency's relative share of nonlocal visits based on the most recent user visitation survey 
4.23 	conducted by the Metropolitan Council; and
4.24 	(4) ten percent of the money must be distributed as grants to implementing agencies 
4.25 	for land acquisition within Metropolitan Council approved regional parks and trails master 
4.26 	plan boundaries under the council's park acquisition opportunity grant program. The 
4.27 	Metropolitan Council must provide a match of $2 of the council's park bonds for every $3 
4.28 	of state funds for the park acquisition opportunity grant program.
4.29 	(b) Money allocated under paragraph (a) is to:
4.30 	(1) connect people to the outdoors by providing access, conservation education, and 
4.31 	interpretive services, including enhanced naturalist programs;
4.32 	(2) accelerate natural resource acquisition, management, restoration, and protection 
4.33 	activities at regional parks; and
5.1 	(3) accelerate facility acquisition, development, maintenance, and rehabilitation, 
5.2 	including energy-efficiency improvements and the use of renewable sources of energy.

5.3 	Sec. 6. [85.535] PARKS AND TRAILS GRANT PROGRAM.
5.4 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The commissioner of natural resources shall 
5.5 	administer a program to provide grants from the parks and trails fund to support parks and 
5.6 	trails of regional or statewide significance. Grants shall not be made under this section for 
5.7 	state parks, state recreational areas, or state trails.
5.8 		Subd. 2.Priorities. In awarding trails grants under this section, the commissioner 
5.9 	shall give priority to:
5.10 	(1) trail projects that provide connectivity;
5.11 	(2) trail projects that provide enhanced opportunities for commuters; and
5.12 	(3) trail projects that provide enhanced safety.
5.13 		Subd. 3.Match. Recipients must provide a nonstate cash match of at least 25 
5.14 	percent of the total eligible project costs.

5.15 	Sec. 7. CREATION OF FRAMEWORK AND INVENTORY.
 5.16 		Subdivision 1.Framework development.  (a) The University of Minnesota 
5.17 	Center for Changing Landscapes is directed to create a long-range, 25-year framework 
5.18 	for an integrated statewide parks and trails system that provides information on the 
5.19 	natural resource-based recreational opportunities available throughout the state. The 
5.20 	detailed framework must include an inventory of existing regionally and statewide 
5.21 	significant parks and trails, respond to recreational trends and demographic changes, 
5.22 	and identify underserved areas, overused facilities, and gaps in the current parks and 
5.23 	trails system. The framework must identify opportunities for enhancing existing assets, 
5.24 	developing new assets, and linking those assets together effectively. In developing the 
5.25 	framework and creating the inventory, the Center for Changing Landscapes shall use 
5.26 	geographic information system technology, aerial photographs, and other pertinent data 
5.27 	from government agencies. 
5.28 	(b) As part of the inventory, the Center for Changing Landscapes shall develop 
5.29 	a user-friendly Web-based application that will function as a guide for information on 
5.30 	state and regional parks in the state. The Department of Natural Resources and the 
5.31 	Metropolitan Council shall work with the Center for Changing Landscapes to ensure that 
5.32 	all the information currently available on their Web sites is incorporated into the newly 
5.33 	developed statewide Web system. The statewide parks and trails Web guide shall be 
5.34 	incorporated into the Department of Natural Resources Web site.
6.1 	(c) In developing the framework and inventory, the Center for Changing Landscapes 
6.2 	shall consult with the Department of Natural Resources, the Metropolitan Council, local 
6.3 	units of government, park and trail groups, the public, and other stakeholder groups. The 
6.4 	Center for Changing Landscapes shall ensure public participation and active involvement 
6.5 	of user groups and local communities.
6.6 		Subd. 2.Report. The Center for Changing Landscapes shall submit the framework 
6.7 	in a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and house of 
6.8 	representatives committees and divisions having jurisdiction over natural resources policy 
6.9 	and finance by October 1, 2010.