1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to economic development; appropriating money for academic and applied 
1.3 	research at the Natural Resources Research Institute; requiring reports.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. NATURAL RESOURCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE; APPROPRIATION.
 1.6 	Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 116C.779, subdivision 1, paragraph (j), 
1.7 	$2,500,000 in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from the renewable development account in 
1.8 	the special revenue fund established in Minnesota Statutes, section 116C.779, subdivision 
1.9 	1, to the commissioner of employment and economic development for a grant to the Board 
1.10 	of Regents of the University of Minnesota for academic and applied research through 
1.11 	MnDRIVE at the Natural Resources Research Institute. Of this amount, $500,000 each year 
1.12 	is to develop and demonstrate new technologies to support forest resource characterization, 
1.13 	$800,000 each year is for research into high-value utilization of forest resources, and 
1.14 	$1,200,000 each year is for seed funding for large-scale precommercial demonstration of 
1.15 	biomass conversion to energy products and new materials. The Natural Resources Research 
1.16 	Institute shall pursue this work in consultation with the Minnesota Forest Resources Council, 
1.17 	the Minnesota Forest Industries, and the Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources, 
1.18 	Agriculture, and Commerce. By January 15, 2020, and again by January 15, 2021, and 
1.19 	January 15, 2022, the commissioner shall submit a report to the chairs of the legislative 
1.20 	committees with jurisdiction over economic development on the outcome of grants under 
1.21 	this section. In fiscal year 2022 and thereafter, the base amount for this appropriation is $0.