SF 584

as introduced - 83rd Legislature (2003 - 2004) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to natural resources; modifying disposition 
  1.3             of money in certain accounts; providing for the 
  1.4             environmental review of certain motorized trails; 
  1.5             providing for grants to local law enforcement; 
  1.6             appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.7             2002, sections 84.794; subdivision 2; 84.803, 
  1.8             subdivision 2; 84.927, subdivision 2; proposing coding 
  1.9             for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 84. 
  1.10  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.11     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 84.794, 
  1.12  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.13     Subd. 2.  [PURPOSES.] (a) Subject to appropriation by the 
  1.14  legislature, money in the off-highway motorcycle account may 
  1.15  only be spent for: 
  1.16     (1) administration, enforcement, and implementation of 
  1.17  sections 84.787 to 84.796; 
  1.18     (2) acquisition, maintenance, and development of 
  1.19  off-highway motorcycle trails and use areas; and 
  1.20     (3) grants-in-aid to counties and municipalities to 
  1.21  construct and maintain off-highway motorcycle trails and use 
  1.22  areas; and 
  1.23     (4) enforcement and public education grants to local law 
  1.24  enforcement agencies. 
  1.25     (b) The distribution of funds made available for 
  1.26  grants-in-aid must be guided by the statewide comprehensive 
  1.27  outdoor recreation plan. 
  2.1      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 84.803, 
  2.2   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  2.3      Subd. 2.  [PURPOSES.] Subject to appropriation by the 
  2.4   legislature, money in the off-road vehicle account may only be 
  2.5   spent for: 
  2.6      (1) administration, enforcement, and implementation of 
  2.7   sections 84.797 to 84.805 and Laws 1993, chapter 311, article 2, 
  2.8   section 18; 
  2.9      (2) acquisition, maintenance, and development of off-road 
  2.10  vehicle trails and use areas; 
  2.11     (3) grant-in-aid programs to counties and municipalities to 
  2.12  construct and maintain off-road vehicle trails and use areas; 
  2.13  and 
  2.14     (4) grants-in-aid to local safety programs; and 
  2.15     (5) enforcement and public education grants to local law 
  2.16  enforcement agencies. 
  2.17     Sec. 3.  [84.905] [MOTORIZED RECREATIONAL VEHICLE USE; 
  2.18  ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.] 
  2.19     Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITIONS.] (a) For the purposes of this 
  2.20  section, the following terms have the meaning given them. 
  2.21     (b) "Motorized recreational vehicle" means: 
  2.22     (1) an off-highway motorcycle, as defined in section 
  2.23  84.787, subdivision 7; 
  2.24     (2) an off-road vehicle, as defined in section 84.797, 
  2.25  subdivision 7; or 
  2.26     (3) an all-terrain vehicle, as defined in section 84.92, 
  2.27  subdivision 8. 
  2.28     (c) "Motorized recreational vehicle sports park" means an 
  2.29  area that is posted and designated to permit off-trail use of 
  2.30  motorized recreational vehicles. 
  2.31     (d) "Motorized trail" means a trail where the use of 
  2.32  motorized recreational vehicles is allowed. 
  2.33     Subd. 2.  [MANDATORY ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 
  2.34  WORKSHEET.] An environmental assessment worksheet, according to 
  2.35  section 116D.04 and rules of the environmental quality board, is 
  2.36  required for: 
  3.1      (1) the construction of a new motorized trail greater than 
  3.2   25 continuous miles in length; 
  3.3      (2) the conversion of a nonmotorized trail system to a 
  3.4   motorized trail system; or 
  3.5      (3) the development of a motorized recreational vehicle 
  3.6   sports park. 
  3.7      Subd. 3.  [ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW EXEMPTION.] Environmental 
  3.8   review, under section 116D.04 and rules of the environmental 
  3.9   quality board, is not required for: 
  3.10     (1) the formal designation of a motorized trail that is 
  3.11  lawfully used by motorized recreational vehicles at the time of 
  3.12  designation; 
  3.13     (2) the rerouting of less than one continuous mile of 
  3.14  motorized trail for safety considerations or to avoid sensitive 
  3.15  areas; or 
  3.16     (3) the designation of existing public or forest roads for 
  3.17  motorized recreational vehicle use. 
  3.18     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 84.927, 
  3.19  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  3.20     Subd. 2.  [PURPOSES.] Subject to appropriation by the 
  3.21  legislature, money in the all-terrain vehicle account may only 
  3.22  be spent for:  
  3.23     (1) the education and training program under section 
  3.24  84.925; 
  3.25     (2) administration, enforcement, and implementation of 
  3.26  sections 84.92 to 84.929 and Laws 1984, chapter 647, sections 9 
  3.27  and 10; 
  3.28     (3) acquisition, maintenance, and development of vehicle 
  3.29  trails and use areas; 
  3.30     (4) grant-in-aid programs to counties and municipalities to 
  3.31  construct and maintain all-terrain vehicle trails and use areas; 
  3.32  and 
  3.33     (5) grants-in-aid to local safety programs; and 
  3.34     (6) enforcement and public education grants to local law 
  3.35  enforcement agencies. 
  3.36     The distribution of funds made available through 
  4.1   grant-in-aid programs must be guided by the statewide 
  4.2   comprehensive outdoor recreation plan. 
  4.3      Sec. 5.  [OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE AND TRAILS APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  4.4      Subdivision 1.  [ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.] 
  4.5   $....... in fiscal year 2004 and $....... in fiscal year 2005 
  4.6   are appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources from 
  4.7   the natural resources fund for grants to county law enforcement 
  4.8   agencies for off-highway vehicle enforcement and public 
  4.9   education activities based on off-highway vehicle use and trail 
  4.10  mileage in the county.  Of this amount, $....... each year is 
  4.11  from the all-terrain vehicle account, $....... each year is from 
  4.12  the off-road vehicle account, and $....... each year is from the 
  4.13  off-highway motorcycle account.  The county enforcement agencies 
  4.14  may use money received under this subdivision to make grants to 
  4.15  other local enforcement agencies within the county that have a 
  4.16  high concentration of off-highway vehicle use. 
  4.17     Subd. 2.  [TRAIL DEVELOPMENT.] $....... in fiscal year 2004 
  4.18  and $....... in fiscal year 2005 are appropriated to the 
  4.19  commissioner of natural resources from the natural resources 
  4.20  fund for trail development.  Of this amount, $....... each year 
  4.21  is from the all-terrain vehicle account, $....... each year is 
  4.22  from the off-road vehicle account, and $....... each year is 
  4.23  from the off-highway motorcycle account. 
  4.24     Subd. 3.  [OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE FACILITIES.] $....... in 
  4.25  fiscal year 2004 is appropriated from the natural resources fund 
  4.26  to the commissioner of natural resources for the Iron Range 
  4.27  off-highway vehicle recreation area.  Of this amount, $....... 
  4.28  is from the all-terrain vehicle account, $....... is from the 
  4.29  off-highway motorcycle account, and $....... is from the 
  4.30  off-road vehicle account.  This appropriation is available until 
  4.31  expended.