2005 Minnesota Statutes

     298.2961 Producer grants. 

    Subdivision 1.    Appropriation.  (a) $10,000,000 is 
 appropriated from the Douglas J. Johnson economic protection 
 trust fund to a special account in the taconite area 
 environmental protection fund for grants to producers on a 
 project-by-project basis as provided in this section. 

    (b) The proceeds of the tax designated under section 
 298.28, subdivision 9b, are appropriated for grants to producers 
 on a project-by-project basis as provided in this section. 

    Subd. 2.    Projects; approval.  (a) Projects funded 
 must be for: 

    (1) environmentally unique reclamation projects; 

    (2) pit or plant repairs, expansions, or modernizations 
 other than for a value added iron products plant; or 

    (3) haulage trucks and equipment and mining shovels. 

    (b) To be proposed by the board, a project must be approved 
 by at least eight Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board 
 members.  The money for a project may be spent only upon 
 approval of the project by the governor.  The board may submit 
 supplemental projects for approval at any time. 

    (c) The board may require that it receive an equity 
 percentage in any project to which it contributes under this 
 section.  

    Subd. 3.    Redistribution.  (a) If a taconite 
 production facility is sold after operations at the facility had 
 ceased, any money remaining in the taconite environmental fund 
 for the former producer may be released to the purchaser of the 
 facility on the terms otherwise applicable to the former 
 producer under this section. 

    (b) Any portion of the taconite environmental fund that is 
 not released by the commissioner within three years of its 
 deposit in the taconite environmental fund shall be divided 
 between the taconite environmental protection fund created in 
 section 298.223 and the Douglas J. Johnson economic protection 
 trust fund created in section 298.292 for placement in their 
 respective special accounts.  Two-thirds of the unreleased funds 
 must be distributed to the taconite environmental protection 
 fund and one-third to the Douglas J. Johnson economic protection 
 trust fund. 

    Subd. 4.    Grant and loan fund.  (a) A fund is 
 established to receive distributions under section 298.28, 
 subdivision 9b, and to make grants or loans as provided in this 
 subdivision.  Any grant or loan made under this subdivision must 
 be approved by a majority of the members of the Iron Range 
 Resources and Rehabilitation Board, established under section 
 298.22. 

    (b) Distributions received in calendar year 2005 are 
 allocated to the city of Virginia for improvements and repairs 
 to the city's steam heating system. 

    (c) Distributions received in calendar year 2006 are 
 allocated to a project of the public utilities commissions of 
 the cities of Hibbing and Virginia to convert their electrical 
 generating plants to the use of biomass products, such as wood. 

    (d) Distributions received in calendar year 2007 must be 
 paid to the city of Tower to be used for the East Two Rivers 
 project in or near the city of Tower. 

    (e) For distributions received in 2008 and later, amounts 
 may be allocated to joint ventures with mining companies for 
 reclamation of lands containing abandoned or worked out mines to 
 convert these lands to marketable properties for residential, 
 recreational, commercial, or other valuable uses. 

    HIST: 1996 c 471 art 12 s 8; 1997 c 231 art 8 s 11; 1Sp2001 c 
 5 art 6 s 33; 2003 c 127 art 11 s 11,12; 1Sp2005 c 1 art 4 s 91