Minnesota Session Laws - 1985, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1985 

                         CHAPTER 59-H.F.No. 94 
           An act relating to agriculture; changing certain soil 
          and water conservation priorities; amending Minnesota 
          Statutes 1984, section 40.036, subdivisions 1 and 3; 
          repealing Minnesota Statutes 1984, sections 40.036, 
          subdivisions 4, 5, and 6; and 40.038, subdivision 1. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1984, section 40.036, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
    Subdivision 1.  [ALLOCATION TO DISTRICTS.] (a) Within the 
limits of available funds, the state board may allocate funds to 
districts to be used to share the cost of implementing any 
system or practices for erosion or sedimentation control or 
water quality improvement which are designed to protect and 
improve the state's soil and water resources.  Any district 
board requesting funds of the state board shall submit a 
comprehensive plan, an annual work plan, and an application for 
cost-sharing funds in the form prescribed by the state board.  
The comprehensive and annual work plans shall be completed as 
provided in section 40.07, subdivision 9.  After review of the 
district's comprehensive plan, the state board shall approve it 
with any necessary amendments or reject it.  If the state board 
approves the comprehensive plan, including the most recent plan 
amendment, the annual work plan and the application of the 
district it shall determine the specific amount of funds to 
allocate to the district for the purpose of cost-sharing 
contracts.  Neither the state board nor the district board shall 
furnish any financial aid for practices designed only for an 
increase in land productivity. 
    (b) The state board shall allocate at least 70 percent of 
available cost-sharing funds for conservation practices to 
address areas with high priority erosion, sedimentation, or 
water quality problems.  The areas must be selected based on the 
comprehensive and annual work plans of the districts and 
statewide priorities established by the board.  At least 50 
percent of available cost-sharing funds shall be allocated for 
conservation practices to control high priority erosion problems 
identified in district annual work plans.  The allocated funds 
must be used for conservation practices to address high priority 
problems as identified in the comprehensive and annual work 
plans of the districts.  
    (c) The remaining cost-sharing funds may be allocated by 
the board for administrative expenses and for grants to 
districts for conservation practices and technical and 
administrative assistance as follows: 
    (1) for technical and administrative assistance not to 
exceed 20 percent of the available cost-sharing funds; and 
    (2) for conservation practices to adddress lower priority 
erosion, sedimentation, or water quality problems. 
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1984, section 40.036, 
subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 3.  [COST-SHARING RULES.] The state board shall adopt 
rules specifying prescribing: 
    (1) the procedures and criteria for allocating funds to 
districts for cost-sharing contracts. The rules shall also 
include; 
    (2) the standards and guidelines which the districts shall 
include in all for all cost-sharing contracts; 
    (3) the scope and content of comprehensive plans, plan 
amendments and annual work plans which local districts must 
submit under section 40.07, subdivision 9, to qualify for 
cost-sharing funds;  
    (4) standards and methods necessary for the planning and 
implementation of a priority cost-sharing program, including 
guidelines for identifying high priority erosion, sedimentation 
and water quality problems;  
    (5) the share of the cost of conservation practices to be 
paid from state cost-sharing money; and 
    (6) requirements for all districts to document their 
efforts to identify and contact land occupiers with high 
priority erosion problems. 
    Sec. 3.  [REPEALER.] 
    Minnesota Statutes 1984, sections 40.036, subdivisions 4, 
5, and 6; and 40.038, subdivision 1, are repealed. 
    Approved May 6, 1985