1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to natural resources; appropriating money for accelerated conservation 
1.3 	planting, living snow fences, and tree planting.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. ACCELERATED CONSERVATION PLANTING PROGRAM; 
1.6 	APPROPRIATION.
 1.7 	$8,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the Board of 
1.8 	Water and Soil Resources for an accelerated conservation planting program. This is a onetime 
1.9 	appropriation and is available until June 30, 2026. The work must be carried out consistent 
1.10 	with the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 103C.501, and be used for financial and 
1.11 	technical assistance to landowners via local units of government for the purpose of 
1.12 	establishing or enhancing tree, shrub, and associated conservation practices that will reduce 
1.13 	greenhouse gas emissions and add resiliency to the landscape by sequestering carbon, 
1.14 	conserving energy, and improving water quality and habitat. Of this amount, $500,000 must 
1.15 	be used to address invasive species control via cooperative weed management agreements. 
1.16 	Money appropriated in this section may only be used to acquire and plant trees native to 
1.17 	Minnesota.

1.18 	Sec. 2. LIVING SNOW FENCE PROGRAM; APPROPRIATION.
 1.19 	$4,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner 
1.20 	of transportation for contracts to build and improve living snow fences consisting of trees, 
1.21 	shrubs, native grasses, and wildflowers. Money appropriated in this section may only be 
2.1 	used to acquire and plant trees native to Minnesota. This is a onetime appropriation and is 
2.2 	available until June 30, 2026.

2.3 	Sec. 3. ASH TREE REPLACEMENT GRANTS; APPROPRIATION.
 2.4 	(a) $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
2.5 	commissioner of natural resources for grants to local units of government to replace trees 
2.6 	removed to address emerald ash borer. Priority must be given to environmental justice areas. 
2.7 	Money appropriated in this section may only be used to acquire and plant trees native to 
2.8 	Minnesota. This is a onetime appropriation.
2.9 	(b) For purposes of this appropriation, an environmental justice area is one or more 
2.10 	census blocks with a history of higher than average cumulative impacts from air pollution 
2.11 	located in Minnesota:
2.12 	(1) in which, based on the most recent data published by the United States Census Bureau:
2.13 	(i) 40 percent or more of the population is nonwhite;
2.14 	(ii) 35 percent or more of the households have an income at or below 200 percent of the 
2.15 	federal poverty level; or
2.16 	(iii) 40 percent or more of the population over the age of five have limited English 
2.17 	proficiency; or
2.18 	(2) within Indian Country, as defined in United States Code, title 18, section 1151.

2.19 	Sec. 4. SCHOOL TREE PLANTING GRANTS; APPROPRIATION.
 2.20 	$1,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner 
2.21 	of natural resources for grants to schools, including public and private schools, to plant trees 
2.22 	on school grounds while providing hands-on learning opportunities for students. A grant 
2.23 	application under this section must be prepared jointly with the parent-teacher organization 
2.24 	or similar parent organization for the school. This is a onetime appropriation and is available 
2.25 	until June 30, 2024.