Key: (1) language to be deleted (2) new language
CHAPTER 241-H.F.No. 2383 An act relating to natural resources; providing for the disposition of certain timber sales receipts; creating a forest management investment account; modifying the forest resources Interagency Information Cooperative; modifying the State Timber Act; modifying provisions for timber sales on tax-forfeited land; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2002, sections 84A.51, subdivision 2; 89.035; 89A.09, subdivision 1; 90.02; 90.181, subdivision 2; 90.191, subdivision 2, by adding a subdivision; 90.252; 282.04, subdivision 1; Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, sections 90.101, subdivision 1; 90.14; 90.151, subdivision 1; Laws 2003, chapter 128, article 1, section 5, subdivision 4; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 89; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 90.191, subdivisions 3, 4. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 84A.51, subdivision 2, is amended to read: Subd. 2. [FUNDS TRANSFERRED; APPROPRIATED.] Money in any fund established under section 84A.03, 84A.22, or 84A.32, subdivision 2, is transferred to the consolidated account, except as provided in subdivision 3. The money in the consolidated account, or as much of it as necessary, is appropriated for the purposes of sections 84A.52 and 84A.53. Of any remaining balance, the amount derived from timber sales receipts is transferred to the forest management investment account and the amount derived from all other receipts is transferred to the general fund. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective July 1, 2004. Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 89.035, is amended to read: 89.035 [INCOME FROM STATE FOREST LANDS; DISPOSITION.] All income which may be received from lands acquired by the state heretofore or hereafter for state forest purposes by gift, purchase or eminent domain and tax-forfeited lands to which the county has relinquished its equity to the state for state forest purposes shall be paid into the state treasury and creditedtothe general fundas provided in this section, except where the conveyance to and acceptance by the state of lands for state forest purposes provides for other disposition of receipts. The income derived from timber sales receipts shall be credited to the forest management investment account and the amounts derived from all other receipts shall be credited to the general fund. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective July 1, 2004. Sec. 3. [89.039] [FOREST MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT ACCOUNT.] Subdivision 1. [ACCOUNT ESTABLISHED; SOURCES.] The forest management investment account is created in the natural resources fund in the state treasury and money in the account may be spent only for the purposes provided in subdivision 2. The following revenue shall be deposited in the forest management investment account: (1) timber sales receipts transferred from the consolidated conservation areas account as provided in section 84A.51, subdivision 2; (2) timber sales receipts from forest lands as provided in section 89.035; and (3) interest accruing from investment of the account. Subd. 2. [PURPOSES OF ACCOUNT.] Subject to appropriation by the legislature, money in the forest management investment account may be spent by the Department of Natural Resources in accordance with the forest resource management policy and plan for any of the following purposes: (1) reforestation and timber stand improvement, including forest pest management; (2) timber sales administration, contract marking of commercial thinning sales, cultural resource reviews, and other timber sales costs; and (3) state forest road maintenance costs that exceed appropriations under section 89.70. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective July 1, 2004. Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 89A.09, subdivision 1, is amended to read: Subdivision 1. [ESTABLISHMENT.] Thecommissionerdean of the University of Minnesota, College of Natural Resources, shall be encouraged to coordinate the establishment of an Interagency Information Cooperative. Members of the cooperative must include: (1) the University of Minnesota, College of Natural Resources; (2) the University of Minnesota, Natural Resources Research Institute; (3) the department;(2)(4) the Land Management Information Center;(3)(5) the Minnesota Association of County Land Commissioners;(4)(6) the United States Forest Service; and(5)(7) other organizations as deemed appropriate by thecommissionermembers. Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 90.02, is amended to read: 90.02 [CITATION, STATEMENT OF POLICY.] This chapter may be cited as the State Timber Act. It is the intent and desire of the Minnesota legislature to provide equal opportunity for all segments of our society to participate in the sale process; and attempt to prevent the purchase or acquisition of excessive volumes of the state's timber resources by any one individual or corporation. TheDepartment of Natural Resources is directed to enactrulescommissioner shall establish specific timber sale allocation standards to reach this objective; including provision for sale of all timber species byboth the informaland the auction saleeach method of sale specified in this chapter; and maintaining reasonable proportions of volume in each method of sale. The standards shall be included in each edition of the timber sales manual published by the commissioner. The standards are not subject to the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14 and section 14.386 does not apply. Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 90.101, subdivision 1, is amended to read: Subdivision 1. [SALE REQUIREMENTS.] The commissioner may sell the timber on any tract of state landin lots not exceeding6,000 cords in volumeand may determine the number of sections or fractional sections of land to be included in the permit area covered by any one permit issued to the purchaser of timber on state lands, or in any one contract or other instrument relating thereto. No timber shall be sold, except (1) to the highest responsible bidder at public auction, or (2) if unsold at public auction the commissioner may offer the timber for private sale for a period of no more than six months after the public auction to any person who pays the appraised value for the timber. The minimum price shall be the appraised value as fixed by the report of the state appraiser. Sales may include tracts in more than one contiguous county or forestry administrative area and shall be held either in the county or forestry administrative area in which the tract is located or in an adjacent county or forestry administrative area that is nearest the tract offered for sale or that is most accessible to potential bidders. In adjoining counties or forestry administrative areas, sales may not be held less than two hours apart. Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 90.14, is amended to read: 90.14 [AUCTION SALE PROCEDURE.] (a) All state timber shall be offered and sold by the same unit of measurement as it was appraised. The sale shall be made to the person who (1) bids the highest price for all the several kinds of timber as advertised, or (2) if unsold at public auction, to the person who purchases at any subsequent sale authorized under section 90.101, subdivision 1. The commissioner may refuse to approve any and all bids received and cancel a sale of state timber for good and sufficient reasons. (b) The purchaser at any sale of timber shall, immediately upon the approval of the bid, or, if unsold at public auction, at the time of purchase at a subsequent sale under section 90.101, subdivision 1, pay to the commissioner a down payment of 15 percent of the appraised value. In case any purchaser fails to make such payment, the purchaser shall be liable therefor to the state in a civil action, and the commissioner may reoffer the timber for sale as though no bid or sale under section 90.101, subdivision 1, therefor had been made. (c) In lieu of the scaling of state timber required by this chapter, a purchaser of state timber may, at the time of payment by the purchaser to the commissioner of 15 percent of the appraised value, elect in writing on a form prescribed by the attorney general to purchase a permit based solely on the appraiser's estimate of the volume of timber described in the permit, provided that the commissioner has expressly designated the availability of such option for that tract on the list of tracts available for sale as required under section 90.101. A purchaser who elects in writing on a form prescribed by the attorney general to purchase a permit based solely on the appraiser's estimate of the volume of timber described on the permit does not have recourse to the provisions of section 90.281. Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 90.151, subdivision 1, is amended to read: Subdivision 1. [ISSUANCE; EXPIRATION.] (a) Following receipt of the down payment for state timbersold at publicauctionrequired under section 90.14 or 90.191, the commissioner shall issue a numbered permit to the purchaser, in a form approved by the attorney general, by the terms of which the purchaser shall be authorized to enter upon the land, and to cut and remove the timber therein described as designated for cutting in the report of the state appraiser, according to the provisions of this chapter. The permit shall be correctly dated and executed by the commissioner and signed by the purchaser. If a permit is not signed by the purchaser within 60 days from the date of purchase, the permit cancels and the down payment for timber required under section 90.14 forfeits to the state. (b) The permit shall expire no later than five years after the date of sale as the commissioner shall specify or as specified under section 90.191, and the timber shall be cut within the time specified therein. All cut timber, equipment, and buildings not removed from the land within 90 days after expiration of the permit shall become the property of the state. (c) The commissioner may grant an additional period of time not to exceed 120 days for the removal of cut timber, equipment, and buildings upon receipt of such request by the permit holder for good and sufficient reasons. The commissioner may grant a second period of time not to exceed 120 days for the removal of cut timber, equipment, and buildings upon receipt of a request by the permit holder for hardship reasons only. (d) No permit shall be issued to any person other than the purchaser in whose name the bid was made. Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 90.181, subdivision 2, is amended to read: Subd. 2. [DEFERRED PAYMENTS.] (a) If the amount of the statement is not paid within 30 days of the date thereof, it shall bear interest at the rate determined pursuant to section 16A.124, except that the purchaser shall not be required to pay interest that totals $1 or less. If the amount is not paid within 60 days, the commissioner shall place the account in the hands of theattorney generalcommissioner of revenue according to chapter 16D, who shall proceed to collect the same. When deemed in the best interests of the state, the commissioner shall take possession of the timber for which an amount is due wherever it may be found and sell the same informally or at public auction after giving reasonable notice. (b) The proceeds of the sale shall be applied, first, to the payment of the expenses of seizure and sale; and, second, to the payment of the amount due for the timber, with interest; and the surplus, if any, shall belong to the state; and, in case a sufficient amount is not realized to pay these amounts in full, the balance shall be collected by the attorney general. Neither payment of the amount, nor the recovery of judgment therefor, nor satisfaction of the judgment, nor the seizure and sale of timber, shall release the sureties on any bond given pursuant to this chapter, or preclude the state from afterwards claiming that the timber was cut or removed contrary to law and recovering damages for the trespass thereby committed, or from prosecuting the offender criminally. Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 90.191, subdivision 2, is amended to read: Subd. 2. [TIME FRAME FOR CUTTING AND REMOVAL.] Upon receipt of a down payment for the full appraised value, the commissioner may issue a permit according to section 90.151 to cut timber within the time period specified by the commissioner, which shall not exceed two years from the date of saleunder anysupervision and provisions the commissioner deems advisable.All cut timber, equipment, and buildings not removed from theland within 90 days after expiration of the permit shall becomethe property of the state. The commissioner may grant anadditional period of not to exceed 120 days for the removal ofcut timber, equipment, and buildings upon receipt of a requestby the permit holder for good and sufficient reasons. Thecommissioner may grant a second period of time not to exceed 120days for the removal of cut timber, equipment, and buildingsupon receipt of a request by the permit holder for hardshipreasons only. Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 90.191, is amended by adding a subdivision to read: Subd. 5. [ADDITIONAL PROCEDURE.] The sale procedure under this section is an additional alternative timber sale procedure available to the commissioner and is not intended to replace other authority of the commissioner to sell timber in lots of 500 cords or less. Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 90.252, is amended to read: 90.252 [CONSUMER SCALE OF STATE TIMBER; WEIGHT MEASUREMENT SERVICES; FEES.] Subdivision 1. [CONSUMER SCALING.] The commissioner may enter into an agreement with either a timber sale permittee, or the purchaser of the cut products, or both, so that the scaling of the cut timber and the collection of the payment for the same can be consummated by the consumer. Such an agreement shall be approved as to form and content by the attorney general and shall provide for a bond or cash in lieu of a bond and such other safeguards as are necessary to protect the interests of the state.Such aThe scaling and payment collection procedure may be used for any state timber sale, except that no permittee who is also the consumer shall both cut and scale the timber sold unless such scaling is supervised by a state scaler. Subd. 2. [WEIGHT MEASUREMENT SERVICES; FEES.] The commissioner may enter into an agreement with the owner or operator of any weight scale inspected, tested, and approved under chapter 239 to provide weight measurements for the scaling of state timber according to section 90.251. The agreement shall be on a form prescribed by the attorney general, shall become a part of the official record of any state timber permit so scaled, and shall contain safeguards that are necessary to protect the interests of the state. Except as otherwise provided by the commissioner, the cost of any agreement to provide weight measurement of state timber shall be paid by the permit holder of any state timber permit so measured and the cost shall be included in the statement of the amount due for the permit under section 90.181, subdivision 1. Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 282.04, subdivision 1, is amended to read: Subdivision 1. [TIMBER SALES; LAND LEASES AND USES.] (a) The county auditor may sell timber upon any tract that may be approved by the natural resources commissioner.SuchThe sale of timber shall be made for cash at not less than the appraised value determined by the county board to the highest bidder after not less than one week's published notice in an official paper within the county. Any timber offered atsuchthe public sale and not sold may thereafter be sold at private sale by the county auditor at not less than the appraised value thereof, untilsuchthe time as the county board may withdrawsuchthe timber from sale. The appraised value of the timber and the forestry practices to be followed in the cutting of said timber shall be approved by the commissioner of natural resources. (b) Payment of the full sale price of all timber sold on tax-forfeited lands shall be made in cash at the time of the timber sale, except in the case of oral or sealed bid auction sales, the down payment shall be no less than 15 percent of the appraised value, and the balance shall be paid prior to entry. In the case of auction sales that are partitioned and sold as a single sale with predetermined cutting blocks, the down payment shall be no less than 15 percent of the appraised price of the entire timber sale which may be held until the satisfactory completion of the sale or applied in whole or in part to the final cutting block. The value of each separate block must be paid in full before any cutting may begin in that block. With the permission of the county contract administrator the purchaser may enter unpaid blocks and cut necessary timber incidental to developing logging roads as may be needed to log other blocks provided that no timber may be removed from an unpaid block until separately scaled and paid for. If payment is provided as specified in this paragraph as security under paragraph (a) and no cutting has taken place on the contract, the county auditor may credit the security provided, less any down payment required for an auction sale under this paragraph, to any other contract issued to the contract holder by the county under this chapter to which the contract holder requests in writing that it be credited, provided the request and transfer is made within the same calendar year as the security was received. (c) The county board may require final settlement on the basis of a scale of cut products. Any parcels of land from which timber is to be sold by scale of cut products shall be so designated in the published notice of saleabove mentionedunder paragraph (a), in which case the notice shall contain a description ofsuchthe parcels, a statement of the estimated quantity of each species of timberthereon, and the appraised price of eachspeciespecies of timber for 1,000 feet, per cord or per piece, as the case may be. Insuchthose cases any bids offered over and above the appraised prices shall be by percentage, the percent bid to be added to the appraised price of each of the different species of timber advertised on the land. The purchaser of timber fromsuchthe parcels shall pay in cash at the time of sale at the rate bid for all of the timber shown in the notice of sale as estimated to be standing on the land, and in addition shall pay at the same rate for any additional amounts which the final scale shows to have been cut or was available for cutting on the land at the time of sale under the terms ofsuchthe sale. Where the final scale of cut products shows that less timber was cut or was available for cutting under terms ofsuchthe sale than was originally paid for, the excess payment shall be refunded from the forfeited tax sale fund upon the claim of the purchaser, to be audited and allowed by the county board as in case of other claims against the county. No timber, except hardwood pulpwood, may be removed fromsuchthe parcels of land or other designated landings until scaled by a person or persons designated by the county board and approved by the commissioner of natural resources. Landings other than the parcel of land from which timber is cut may be designated for scaling by the county board by written agreement with the purchaser of the timber. The county board may, by written agreement with the purchaser and with a consumer designated by the purchaser when the timber is sold by the county auditor, and with the approval of the commissioner of natural resources, accept the consumer's scale of cut products delivered at the consumer's landing. No timber shall be removed until fully paid for in cash. Small amounts of timber not exceeding $3,000 in appraised valuation may be sold for not less than the full appraised value at private sale to individual persons without first publishing notice of sale or calling for bids, provided that in case ofsucha sale involving a total appraised value of more than $200 the sale shall be made subject to final settlement on the basis of a scale of cut products in the manner above provided and not more than twosuchof the sales, directly or indirectly to any individual shall be in effect at one time. (d) As directed by the county board, the county auditor may lease tax-forfeited land to individuals, corporations or organized subdivisions of the state at public or privatevenduesale, and atsuchthe prices and undersuchthe terms as the county board may prescribe, for use as cottage and camp sites and for agricultural purposes and for the purpose of taking and removing of hay, stumpage, sand, gravel, clay, rock, marl, and black dirttherefromfrom the land, and for garden sites and other temporary uses provided that no leases shall be for a period to exceed ten years; provided, further that any leases involving a consideration of more than $12,000 per year, except to an organized subdivision of the state shall first be offered at public sale in the manner provided herein for sale of timber. Upon the sale of anysuchleased land, it shall remain subject to the lease for not to exceed one year from the beginning of the term of the lease. Any rent paid by the lessee for the portion of the term cut off bysuchthe cancellation shall be refunded from the forfeited tax sale fund upon the claim of the lessee, to be audited and allowed by the county board as in case of other claims against the county. (e) As directed by the county board, the county auditor may lease tax-forfeited land to individuals, corporations, or organized subdivisions of the state at public or privatevenduesale, atsuchthe prices and undersuchthe terms as the county board may prescribe, for the purpose of taking and removing for use for road construction and other purposes tax-forfeited stockpiled iron-bearing material. The county auditor must determine that the material is needed and suitable for use in the construction or maintenance of a road, tailings basin, settling basin, dike, dam, bank fill, or other works on public or private property, and that the use would be in the best interests of the public. No lease shall exceed ten years. The use of a stockpile for these purposes must first be approved by the commissioner of natural resources. The request shall be deemed approved unless the requesting county is notified to the contrary by the commissioner of natural resources within six months after receipt of a request for approval for use of a stockpile. Once use of a stockpile has been approved, the county may continue to lease it for these purposes until approval is withdrawn by the commissioner of natural resources. (f) The county auditor, with the approval of the county board is authorized to grant permits, licenses, and leases to tax-forfeited lands for the depositing of stripping, lean ores, tailings, or waste products from mines or ore milling plants, uponsuchthe conditions and forsuchthe consideration and forsuchthe period of time, not exceeding 15 years, as the county board may determine; said. The permits, licenses, or leasestobeare subject to approval by the commissioner of natural resources. (g) Any person who removes any timber from tax-forfeited land before said timber has been scaled and fully paid for as provided in this subdivision is guilty of a misdemeanor. (h) The county auditor may, with the approval of the county board, and without first offering at public sale, grant leases, for a term not exceeding 25 years, for the removal of peat from tax-forfeited lands uponsuchthe terms and conditions as the county board may prescribe. Any lease for the removal of peat from tax-forfeited lands must first be reviewed and approved by the commissioner of natural resources if the lease covers 320 or more acres. No lease for the removal of peat shall be made by the county auditor pursuant to this section without first holding a public hearing on the auditor's intention to lease. One printed notice in a legal newspaper in the county at least ten days before the hearing, and posted notice in the courthouse at least 20 days before the hearing shall be given of the hearing. (i) Notwithstanding any provision of paragraph (c) to the contrary, the St. Louis County auditor may, at the discretion of the county board, sell timber to the party who bids the highest price for all the several kinds of timber, as provided for sales by the commissioner of natural resources under section 90.14. Bids offered over and above the appraised price need not be applied proportionately to the appraised price of each of the different species of timber. (j) In lieu of any payment or deposit required in paragraph (b), as directed by the county board and under terms set by the county board, the county auditor may accept an irrevocable bank letter of credit in the amount equal to the amount otherwise determined in paragraph (b), exclusive of the down payment required for an auction sale in paragraph (b). If an irrevocable bank letter of credit is provided under this paragraph, at the written request of the purchaser, the county may periodically allow the bank letter of credit to be reduced by an amount proportionate to the value of timber that has been harvested and for which the county has received payment. The remaining amount of the bank letter of credit after a reduction under this paragraph must not be less than 20 percent of the value of the timber purchased. If no cutting of timber has taken place on the contract for which a letter of credit has been provided, the county may allow the transfer of the letter of credit to any other contract issued to the contract holder by the county under this chapter to which the contract holder requests in writing that it be credited. Sec. 14. Laws 2003, chapter 128, article 1, section 5, subdivision 4, is amended to read: Subd. 4. Forest Management 33,066,00033,066,00033,666,000 Summary by Fund General 32,824,00032,824,00027,209,000 Game and Fish 242,000 242,000 Natural Resources 6,215,000 $7,650,000 the first year and $7,650,000 the second year are for prevention, presuppression, and suppression costs of emergency firefighting and other costs incurred under Minnesota Statutes, section 88.12. If the appropriation for either year is insufficient to cover all costs of presuppression and suppression, the amount necessary to pay for these costs during the biennium is appropriated from the general fund. By November 15 of each year, the commissioner of natural resources shall submit a report to the chairs of the house of representatives ways and means committee, the senate finance committee, the environment and agriculture budget division of the senate finance committee, and the house of representatives environment and natural resources finance committee, identifying all firefighting costs incurred and reimbursements received in the prior fiscal year. The report must be in a format agreed to by the house environment finance committee chair, the senate environment budget division chair, the department, and the department of finance. These appropriations may not be transferred. Any reimbursement of firefighting expenditures made to the commissioner from any source other than federal mobilizations shall be deposited into the general fund. $730,000 the first year and $730,000 the second year are for the forest resources council for implementation of the Sustainable Forest Resources Act. $350,000 the first year and $350,000 the second year are for the FORIST timber management information system and for increased forestry management. $242,000 the first year and $242,000 the second year are from the game and fish fund to implement ecological classification systems (ECS) standards on forested landscapes. This is a onetime appropriation from revenue deposited to the game and fish fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, paragraph (e), clause (1). $6,215,000 the second year is from the forest management investment account in the natural resources fund for only the purposes specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 89.039, subdivision 2. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 89.37, subdivision 4, up to $600,000 for fiscal year 2005 is transferred from the forest nursery account to the forest management investment account in the natural resources fund to provide for cash flow needs. The amount of the transfer shall be repaid to the forest nursery account from the forest management investment account in the natural resources fund no later than June 30, 2012. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective July 1, 2004. Sec. 15. [REPEALER.] Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 90.191, subdivisions 3 and 4, are repealed. Presented to the governor May 18, 2004 Signed by the governor May 20, 2004, 4:45 p.m.
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes