1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to natural resources; modifying forest 
  1.3             assessment provisions; modifying reporting 
  1.4             requirements; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, 
  1.5             section 89.011, subdivisions 2 and 3. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 89.011, 
  1.8   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 2.  [FOREST ASSESSMENT.] The assessment shall be 
  1.10  updated at least once every ten years and shall include but not 
  1.11  be limited to the following:  
  1.12     (1) the present condition of Minnesota forests across all 
  1.13  land ownership categories; 
  1.14     ~~(a)~~ (2) the present and projected use and supply of and 
  1.15  demand for forest resources ~~in the state~~, reported by management 
  1.16  unit, ecoregion, productivity class, major forest type, tree 
  1.17  species, rate of logging by volume and acreage, and type of 
  1.18  harvesting methods projected to be used; 
  1.19     ~~(b)~~ (3) the development of a forest resources database, 
  1.20  compatible with the database of the Minnesota land management 
  1.21  information center, capable of continuous updating and usable as 
  1.22  a tool in effectively managing forest resources, utilizing 
  1.23  existing databases as much as practicable; 
  1.24     ~~(c)~~ (4) the current and anticipated reforestation needs for 
  1.25  forest land, including the amount of backlog areas, current and 
  2.1   anticipated allowable harvests, identifying poorly stocked 
  2.2   forest land, and delineating those areas needing reforestation 
  2.3   which are prime forest lands or otherwise likely to produce 
  2.4   optimum public benefits from reforestation; and 
  2.5      ~~(d)~~ (5) an inventory and map of all existing state forest 
  2.6   roads and classification by use, standard and condition.  
  2.7      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 89.011, 
  2.8   subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  2.9      Subd. 3.  [PROGRAM ELEMENTS.] The program shall be updated 
  2.10  every four years and shall describe specific actions to address 
  2.11  the assessment and to implement the forest resources management 
  2.12  policy of section 89.002, including but not limited to:  
  2.13     (1) measurable standards to maintain soil productivity, 
  2.14  water quality, riparian habitat, timber supply and quantity, 
  2.15  biological diversity, and recreational uses and to assess 
  2.16  aesthetic impacts of timber harvesting; 
  2.17     ~~(a)~~ (2) improvement of silvicultural practices and improved 
  2.18  methods for harvesting and utilizing timber and timber residues; 
  2.19     ~~(b)~~ (3) measures to improve reforestation practices; 
  2.20     ~~(c)~~ (4) measures to enhance recreational opportunities and 
  2.21  fish and wildlife habitat; 
  2.22     ~~(d)~~ (5) the identification of "prime forest land" according 
  2.23  to criteria developed by the commissioner; 
  2.24     ~~(e)~~ (6) priorities for construction and improvement of 
  2.25  forest roads to achieve the state forest road policy, including 
  2.26  the development of alternative methods for financing forest road 
  2.27  construction, improvement and maintenance, and for imposing a 
  2.28  reasonable share of the costs of the forest road system on those 
  2.29  who directly benefit from the availability and use of the 
  2.30  system; 
  2.31     ~~(f)~~ (7) a description of how the multiple use and sustained 
  2.32  yield management policy will apply to decisions about other 
  2.33  public and private uses of forest lands and resources, including:
  2.34     ~~(1)~~ (i) extractive uses; 
  2.35     ~~(2)~~ (ii) utility corridors; 
  2.36     ~~(3)~~ (iii) industrial, commercial, agricultural and 
  3.1   institutional uses; and 
  3.2      ~~(4)~~ (iv) residential and seasonal use; and 
  3.3      ~~(g)~~ (8) an estimate of the expenditures necessary to 
  3.4   implement the elements of the program, along with the sources 
  3.5   and amounts of revenue available or necessary to finance the 
  3.6   estimated expenditures.  
  3.7      Sec. 3.  [REPORT.] 
  3.8      As part of the biennial report to the legislature, the 
  3.9   commissioner of natural resources must report on the conditions 
  3.10  and trends of forest resources in Minnesota.