Minnesota Session Laws - 1997, Regular Session

                             CHAPTER 46-S.F.No. 137 
                  An act relating to natural resources; modifying the 
                  provisions of the youth corps advisory committee; 
                  authorizing the commissioner to make certain contracts 
                  and grants; making conservation corps crew services 
                  available for natural resources projects; changing the 
                  method of allocation of conservation corps crew 
                  services; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 
                  84.0887, subdivision 4, and by adding a subdivision; 
                  and 84.99. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 84.0887, 
        subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 4.  [ADVISORY COMMITTEE.] The commissioner shall 
        establish a youth corps advisory committee with broad state 
        representation including youth.  The committee expires June 30, 
        2001. 
           Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 84.0887, is 
        amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
           Subd. 9.  [CONTRACTS; GRANTS.] The commissioner of natural 
        resources may contract with and make grants to nonprofit 
        agencies to assist in carrying out the purposes, plans, and 
        programs of the office of youth programs, Minnesota conservation 
        corps. 
           Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 84.99, is amended 
        to read: 
           84.99 [WORK CREWS; ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.] 
           The commissioner of natural resources is authorized to 
        provide work crews Minnesota conservation corps crew services to 
        the 14 forested counties that operate land departments under 
        chapter 282.  Any money appropriated for these crews must be 
        used for forestry-related programs using participants of the 
        Minnesota conservation corps.  Crews shall work on natural 
        resources projects including, but not limited to, forestry 
        projects. 
           The money must be apportioned to the counties in the 
        proportion that each county's managed commercial forest land is 
        to the managed commercial forest land in all 14 counties.  If a 
        county does not use all of its share, the commissioner shall 
        reallocate the balance to those of the 14 counties whose 
        Minnesota conservation corps program was not fully supported by 
        the first allocation for either year.  The reallocation must be 
        based on the proportion that commercial forest lands in each 
        county to receive the reallocated money is to the managed 
        commercial forest land in all of the counties receiving a 
        reallocation. 
           All participating counties will be eligible to receive a 
        minimum of four weeks of three-person crew service.  In 
        determining the allocation of additional crew services, the 
        commissioner will apportion the remaining crew time to 
        participating counties in the proportion of the managed 
        commercial forest land in each participating county to the total 
        managed commercial forest land in all participating counties.  
        Participating counties shall submit a two-year work plan to the 
        commissioner in the first year of the biennium.  The plan must 
        describe proposed natural resources projects having demonstrable 
        results and long-term benefits.  Eligible counties shall notify 
        the commissioner of their intention to participate by April 1 of 
        each odd-numbered year.  Crew time not fully utilized by a 
        participating county in the first year of the biennium will be 
        available to that participating county in the second year of the 
        biennium. 
           Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
           This act is effective July 1, 1997. 
           Presented to the governor April 17, 1997 
           Signed by the governor April 21, 1997, 10:18 a.m.