HF 4838

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 04/26/2022 09:51am

A bill for an act
relating to capital investment; appropriating money for state parks, recreation areas,
and trails; authorizing the sale and issuance of state bonds.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. STATE PARK, RECREATION AREA, AND TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS.

Subdivision 1.

Title.

This act shall be titled the "Reinvesting in Minnesota State Parks
and Trails Act."

Subd. 2.

Appropriation; natural resources asset preservation.

$63,500,000 is
appropriated from the bond proceeds fund to the commissioner of natural resources for the
preservation and replacement of state-owned facilities and recreational assets to be spent
in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 84.946; for state parks established under
Minnesota Statutes, section 85.012; state recreation areas established under Minnesota
Statutes, section 85.013; and state trails established under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.015.
This appropriation is for accessibility improvements, water and wastewater system upgrades,
and road and bridge repairs at Fort Ridgely, Fort Snelling, Itasca, Myre-Big Island,
Tettegouche, Wild River, William O'Brien State Parks, and other state parks, recreation
areas, and state trails as determined by the commissioner. For any project listed in this
subdivision that the commissioner determines is not ready to proceed, the commissioner
may reallocate that project's money to another project described in this subdivision or other
state trail, recreation area, or park infrastructure. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes,
section 84.946, the commissioner may use this appropriation to replace buildings if,
considering the embedded energy in the building, that is the most energy-efficient and
carbon-reducing method of renovation.

Subd. 3.

Appropriation; state park campground renovations.

$16,000,000 is
appropriated from the bond proceeds fund to the commissioner of natural resources to
renovate state park campgrounds statewide. This appropriation may be used for the following
types of projects: replace and upgrade shower and toilet buildings to address Americans
with Disabilities Act, code, and safety issues; upgrade substandard electrical service, water,
and wastewater utilities; upgrade sidewalks and parking to meet accessibility code; redesign
campground layouts to comply with current storm water management best practices and
regulations; repave campground roads; lengthen campground spurs to accommodate modern
vehicles while still ensuring adequate screening between sites; and update building lighting
and heating systems with low energy technologies. This appropriation is for campground
renovations at Beaver Creek Valley, Frontenac, Itasca, Old Mill, and Sibley State Parks.
Amounts remaining after completion of those projects may be applied to projects at other
state park campgrounds. For any project listed in this subdivision that the commissioner
determines is not ready to proceed, the commissioner may reallocate that project's money
to another project described in this subdivision or other state park campground infrastructure.

Subd. 4.

Appropriation; Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State
Park.

$12,000,000 is appropriated from the bond proceeds fund to the commissioner of
natural resources for development of Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State
Park, including the design and construction of a visitor center, camping facilities, trails, and
rehabilitation of a fire tower and related infrastructure.

Subd. 5.

Appropriation; state trail maintenance.

$4,800,000 is appropriated from the
bond proceeds fund to the commissioner of natural resources to renovate paved state trails
established under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.015, according to the commissioner's
priorities and as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 84.946. This appropriation is for
trail repair projects on the Glacial Lakes, Paul Bunyan, and Munger State Trails. Amounts
remaining after completion of those projects may be applied to other paved state trail projects.
For any project listed in this subdivision that the commissioner determines is not ready to
proceed, the commissioner may reallocate that project's money to another state trail project
described in this subdivision or other state trail infrastructure.

Subd. 6.

Appropriation; state park and trail land acquisition.

$4,000,000 is
appropriated from the bond proceeds fund to the commissioner of natural resources to
acquire and preserve critical parcels from willing sellers of private lands within the statutory
boundaries of state parks established under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.012, and to
acquire land for state trails authorized under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.015.

Subd. 7.

Bond sale.

To provide the money appropriated in this section from the bond
proceeds fund, the commissioner of management and budget shall sell and issue bonds of
the state in an amount up to $100,300,000 in the manner, upon the terms, and with the effect
prescribed by Minnesota Statutes, sections 16A.631 to 16A.675, and by the Minnesota
Constitution, article XI, sections 4 to 7.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day following final enactment.