HF 1885

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to natural resources; providing for emergency management of invasive
species; appropriating money for invasive species management; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 84D.02, by adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 84D.02, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Contracts for services for emergency invasive species prevention work;
commissions to persons employed. new text end

new text begin The commissioner may contract for or accept the
services of any persons whose aid is available, temporarily or otherwise, in emergency
invasive species prevention work, either gratuitously or for compensation not in excess of
the limits provided by law with respect to the employment of labor by the commissioner.
The commissioner may issue a commission, or other written evidence of authority, to any
person whose services are so arranged for and may thereby empower the person to act,
temporarily or otherwise, in any other capacity, with powers and duties as may be specified
in the commission or other written evidence of authority, but not in excess of the powers
conferred by law. The commissioner of agriculture, under authority provided by law, must
cooperate with the commissioner in emergency control of invasive species prevention.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Terrestrial invasive plant management program. new text end

new text begin $650,000
in fiscal year 2008 and $650,000 in fiscal year 2009 are appropriated from the general
fund to the commissioner of natural resources to provide for a terrestrial plant invasive
species management program for local governments and nonprofit organizations. Priority
for grants shall be based on those entities that provide a matching contribution. Of this
amount:
new text end

new text begin (1) $400,000 each year is to be targeted toward prairie conservation and restoration
on natural and seminatural lands in the Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands, and
Eastern Broadleaf Forest Provinces, as defined by the Department of Natural Resources
ecological mapping and landscape classification system, for:
new text end

new text begin (i) beginning county cooperative weed management programs on natural lands and
lands enrolled under the federal conservation reserve program;
new text end

new text begin (ii) assisting counties and other local units of government to develop invasive plant
species management systems; and
new text end

new text begin (iii) restoring native plants in selected invasive species management sites by
providing local native seeds and plants to landowners for implementation; and
new text end

new text begin (2) $250,000 each year is available on a statewide basis for use on natural and
seminatural lands to support:
new text end

new text begin (i) local units of government by providing equipment and services in assisting the
public to participate in invasive species management;
new text end

new text begin (ii) local units of government for emergency situations to control new occurrences of
high priority invasive species infestations;
new text end

new text begin (iii) local education efforts on the identification, control, and prevention of invasive
species; and
new text end

new text begin (iv) the creation of local neighborhood groups to eradicate and control invasive
species.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Emergency management of invasive species. new text end

new text begin $350,000 in fiscal year
2008 and $350,000 in fiscal year 2009 are appropriated from the general fund as an
open appropriation to the commissioner of natural resources for controlling emergency
infestations of aquatic and terrestrial invasive species under the authority of Minnesota
Statutes, section 84D.02, subdivision 7. The money is available until expended.
new text end