1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to natural resources; establishing the Rice Creek Watershed District 
1.3 	wetland replacement pilot project.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. RICE CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT WETLAND 
1.6 	REPLACEMENT PILOT PROJECT; REPORT.
 1.7 	(a) Until July 1, 2017, notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 103G.222, or 
1.8 	any other law or local plan to the contrary, the Rice Creek Watershed District may replace 
1.9 	wetlands impacted as the result of planned water management projects, including drainage 
1.10 	system repairs, using the following wetland replacement siting priority order:
1.11 	(1) with the concurrence of the governing board of the local county or watershed 
1.12 	district, within any county or watershed district whose county water plan, watershed 
1.13 	management plan, or other water resource implementation plan contains wetland 
1.14 	restoration as a means of implementation;
1.15 	(2) with the concurrence of the commissioner of natural resources, on lands 
1.16 	administered by the commissioner according to paragraph (b); and
1.17 	(3) throughout the state in areas determined to possess less than 80 percent of 
1.18 	presettlement wetland acreage.
1.19 	(b) The commissioner of natural resources, in consultation with the Board of Water 
1.20 	and Soil Resources, may enter into agreements with the Rice Creek Watershed District to 
1.21 	allow wetland replacement on lands administered by the commissioner.
1.22 	(c) Priority for all mitigation siting under this section shall be given to restoration 
1.23 	of wetlands identified as priorities in state and United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
1.24 	restorable wetland inventories or other natural resource and wildlife plans.
2.1 	(d) The Rice Creek Watershed District, in cooperation with the commissioner 
2.2 	of natural resources and the Board of Water and Soil Resources, shall submit a status 
2.3 	report and final report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the committees and 
2.4 	divisions with jurisdiction over the environment and natural resources, that includes:
2.5 	(1) the amount and location of wetlands that have or are planned to be restored on 
2.6 	state lands and other lands as a result of the pilot project;
2.7 	(2) the estimated costs of water management projects completed or to be completed 
2.8 	under the pilot project compared to the estimated costs of the projects had the pilot project 
2.9 	not been in place; and
2.10 	(3) any legislative or other policy changes recommended.
2.11 	The status report shall be submitted no later than December 15, 2013, and the final 
2.12 	report shall be submitted no later than December 15, 2017.

2.13 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.