Outdoor heritage fund; prior appropriations extended and modified, and money appropriated.

A bill for an act

relating to natural resources; appropriating money from outdoor heritage fund;

extending and modifying prior appropriations.

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

Section 1.
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APPROPRIATIONS.
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The sums shown in the columns marked "Appropriations" are appropriated to the agencies

and for the purposes specified in this act. The appropriations are from the outdoor heritage

fund for the fiscal year indicated for each purpose. The figures "2026" and "2027" used in

this act mean that the appropriations listed under them are available for the fiscal year ending

June 30, 2026, or June 30, 2027, respectively. "The first year" is fiscal year 2026. "The

second year" is fiscal year 2027. "The biennium" is fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The

appropriations in this act are onetime appropriations.

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APPROPRIATIONS

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Available for the Year

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Ending June 30

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2026

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2027

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Sec. 2.
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OUTDOOR HERITAGE FUND
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Subdivision 1.

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Total Appropriation

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$

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-0-

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$

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188,922,000

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This appropriation is from the outdoor heritage

fund. The amounts that may be spent for each

purpose are specified in the following

subdivisions.

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Subd. 2.

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Prairies

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-0-

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35,901,000

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(a) RIM Grasslands Reserve, Phase 7

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$2,303,000 the second year is to acquire

permanent conservation easements and to

restore and enhance wildlife habitat. Of this

amount, $189,000 is to the commissioner of

natural resources for an agreement with Ducks

Unlimited and $2,114,000 is to the Board of

Water and Soil Resources. Of the amount to

the Board of Water and Soil Resources, up to

$50,000 is to establish a monitoring and

enforcement fund as approved in the

accomplishment plan and subject to Minnesota

Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 17. A

list of permanent conservation easements must

be provided as part of the final report.

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(b) Accelerating Wildlife Management Area

Program, Phase 18

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$4,460,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Pheasants Forever to acquire

in fee and to restore and enhance lands for

wildlife management area purposes under

Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.05,

subdivision 8. Subject to evaluation criteria

in Minnesota Rules, part 6136.0900, priority

must be given to acquiring lands that are

eligible for the native prairie bank under

Minnesota Statutes, section 84.96, or lands

adjacent to protected native prairie.

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(c) DNR Wildlife Management Area and

Scientific and Natural Area Acquisition,

Phase 18

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$3,455,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources to acquire

in fee and to restore and enhance lands for

wildlife management purposes under

Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.05,

subdivision 8, and to acquire land in fee for

scientific and natural area purposes under

Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.05,

subdivision 5. Subject to evaluation criteria

in Minnesota Rules, part 6136.0900, priority

must be given to acquiring lands that are

eligible for the native prairie bank under

Minnesota Statutes, section 84.96, or lands

adjacent to protected native prairie.

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(d) Martin County DNR WMA Acquisition,

Phase 10

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$2,977,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for

agreements to acquire land in fee and to

restore and enhance strategic prairie grassland,

wetland, and other wildlife habitat in Martin

and Watonwan Counties for wildlife

management area purposes under Minnesota

Statutes, section 86A.05, subdivision 8, as

follows: $2,323,000 to Fox Lake Conservation

League, Inc.; $583,000 to Ducks Unlimited;

and $71,000 to the Conservation Fund.

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(e) Northern Tallgrass Prairie National

Wildlife Refuge, Phase 16

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$3,046,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with The Nature Conservancy, in

cooperation with the United States Fish and

Wildlife Service, to acquire land in fee or

permanent conservation easements and to

restore and enhance lands in the Northern

Tallgrass Prairie Habitat Preservation Area in

western Minnesota to add to the Northern

Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge.

Subject to evaluation criteria in Minnesota

Rules, part 6136.0900, priority must be given

to acquiring lands that are eligible for the

native prairie bank under Minnesota Statutes,

section 84.96, or lands adjacent to protected

native prairie.

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(f) Minnesota Prairie Recovery Program,

Phase 14

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$3,445,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with The Nature Conservancy to

acquire land in fee and to restore and enhance

native prairie, grasslands, wetlands, and

savanna. Subject to evaluation criteria in

Minnesota Rules, part 6136.0900, priority

must be given to acquiring lands that are

eligible for the native prairie bank under

Minnesota Statutes, section 84.96, or lands

adjacent to protected native prairie. Annual

income statements and balance sheets for

income and expenses from land acquired and

held by The Nature Conservancy with this

appropriation must be submitted to the

Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council no

later than 180 days after the The Nature

Conservancy's fiscal year closes.

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(g) Prairie Chicken Habitat Partnership of

Southern Red River Valley, Phase 12

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$3,053,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Pheasants Forever, in

cooperation with the Minnesota Prairie

Chicken Society, to acquire land in fee and to

restore and enhance lands in the southern Red

River Valley for wildlife management

purposes under Minnesota Statutes, section

86A.05, subdivision 8, or to be designated and

managed as waterfowl production areas in

Minnesota, in cooperation with the United

States Fish and Wildlife Service. Subject to

evaluation criteria in Minnesota Rules, part

6136.0900, priority must be given to acquiring

lands that are eligible for the native prairie

bank under Minnesota Statutes, section 84.96,

or lands adjacent to protected native prairie.

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(h) RIM Buffers for Wildlife and Water,

Phase 12

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$3,694,000 the second year is to the Board of

Water and Soil Resources to acquire

permanent conservation easements and restore

habitat under Minnesota Statutes, section

103F.515, to protect, restore, and enhance

habitat by expanding the riparian buffer

program under the clean water fund for

additional wildlife benefits from buffers on

private land. Of this amount, up to $60,000 is

to establish a monitoring and enforcement

fund as approved in the accomplishment plan

and subject to Minnesota Statutes, section

97A.056, subdivision 17. Subdivision 8,

paragraph (b), does not apply to this project.

A list of permanent conservation easements

must be provided as part of the final report.

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(i) Accelerating USFWS Habitat

Conservation Easement Program, Phase 6

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$4,448,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for

agreements to restore and enhance wetland

and prairie habitat on habitat easements of the

United States Fish and Wildlife Service as

follows: $2,979,000 to Ducks Unlimited and

$1,469,000 to Pheasants Forever.

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(j) DNR Grassland Enhancement, Phase 17

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$2,111,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources to

accelerate restoration and enhancement of

prairies, grasslands, and savannas in wildlife

management areas; in scientific and natural

areas; in aquatic management areas; on lands

in the native prairie bank; in bluff prairies on

state forest land in southeastern Minnesota;

and in waterfowl production areas and refuge

lands of the United States Fish and Wildlife

Service.

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(k) Enhanced Public Land - Grasslands,

Phase 9

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$2,909,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Pheasants Forever to enhance

and restore grassland and wetland habitat on

public lands in the forest prairie transition,

metro urban, and prairie ecoregions of

Minnesota.

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Subd. 3.

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Forests

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-0-

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36,780,000

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(a) Northern Forests Legacy Project

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$25,090,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources to acquire

priority forest lands in fee in St. Louis County

as wildlife management areas, scientific and

natural areas, state forests, and county forests.

Of this amount, $12,866,000 is for an

agreement with St. Louis County.

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(b) Sand Lake and Seven Beavers

Acquisition and Enhancement

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$7,248,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with The Nature Conservancy to

acquire priority forest habitat lands in fee as

The Nature Conservancy lands, Rajala Woods

Foundation lands, state forests, and county

forests. For lands held in perpetuity by The

Nature Conservancy and Rajala Woods

Foundation, annual income statements and

balance sheets for income and expenses from

land acquired with this appropriation must be

submitted to the Lessard-Sams Outdoor

Heritage Council no later than 180 days after

each organization's respective fiscal year

closes.

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(c) Hardwood Hills Habitat Conservation

Program, Phase 3

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$2,524,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for

agreements to acquire permanent conservation

easements and to restore and enhance forest

habitats in the hardwood hills ecological

section of west-central Minnesota as follows:

$90,000 to St. John's University, $354,000 to

Stearns Conservation District, and $2,080,000

to Minnesota Land Trust. Of the amount to

Minnesota Land Trust, $252,000 is to establish

a monitoring and enforcement fund as

approved in the accomplishment plan and

subject to Minnesota Statutes, section

97A.056, subdivision 17.

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(d) DNR Forest Habitat Enhancement,

Phase 6

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$1,918,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources to restore

and enhance forest wildlife habitats on public

lands throughout Minnesota.

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Subd. 4.

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Wetlands

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32,755,000

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(a) Accelerating Waterfowl Production

Area Acquisition Program, Phase 18

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$5,358,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Pheasants Forever, in

cooperation with the United States Fish and

Wildlife Service, to acquire land in fee and to

restore and enhance wetlands and grasslands

to be designated and managed as waterfowl

production areas in Minnesota.

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(b) RIM Wetlands - Restoring Most

Productive Habitat in Minnesota, Phase 15

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$3,455,000 the second year is to the Board of

Water and Soil Resources to acquire

permanent conservation easements and to

restore wetlands and native grassland habitat

under Minnesota Statutes, section 103F.515.

Of this amount, up to $60,000 is to establish

a monitoring and enforcement fund as

approved in the accomplishment plan and

subject to Minnesota Statutes, section

97A.056, subdivision 17. Subdivision 8,

paragraph (b), does not apply to this project.

A list of permanent conservation easements

must be provided as part of the final report.

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(c) Shallow Lake and Wetland Protection

and Restoration Program, Phase 15

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$6,005,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Ducks Unlimited to acquire

land in fee for wildlife management purposes

under Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.05,

subdivision 8, or to be designated and

managed as waterfowl production areas or

national wildlife refuges in Minnesota, in

cooperation with the United States Fish and

Wildlife Service, and to restore and enhance

prairie lands, wetlands, and land-buffering

shallow lakes.

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(d) Wetland Habitat Protection and

Restoration Program, Phase 11

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$3,167,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Minnesota Land Trust to

acquire permanent conservation easements

and to restore and enhance prairie, wetland,

and other habitat on permanently protected

conservation easements in high-priority

wetland habitat complexes in the prairie,

forest/prairie transition, and forest ecoregions.

Of this amount, up to $140,000 is to establish

a monitoring and enforcement fund as

approved in the accomplishment plan and

subject to Minnesota Statutes, section

97A.056, subdivision 17.

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(e) Living Shallow Lakes and Wetlands

Enhancement and Restoration Initiative,

Phase 12

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$6,571,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Ducks Unlimited to restore

and enhance shallow lakes and wetlands on

public lands and wetlands under permanent

conservation easement for wildlife

management.

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(f) Talcot Lake

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$1,000,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for the

survey, design, engineering, and permitting

of the Talcot Lake restoration and

enhancement project in Cottonwood County.

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(g) Roseau Lake Rehabilitation, Phase 3

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$3,505,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with the Roseau River Watershed

District to restore and enhance the Roseau

Lake and Roseau River habitat complex in

Roseau County.

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(h) Shallow Lakes and Wetlands

Enhancement, Phase 18

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$3,694,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources to enhance

and restore shallow lakes and wetland habitat

statewide.

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Subd. 5.

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Habitats

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81,330,000

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(a) Riparian Habitat Protection in Kettle

and Snake River Watersheds, Phase 3

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$1,122,000 the second year is to the Board of

Water and Soil Resources, in cooperation with

the Pine County Soil and Water Conservation

District, to acquire permanent conservation

easements and restore high-quality forests,

wetlands, and shoreline in the Kettle and

Snake River watersheds. Of this amount, up

to $70,000 is to establish a monitoring and

enforcement fund as approved in the

accomplishment plan and subject to Minnesota

Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 17.

Subdivision 8, paragraph (b), does not apply

to this project. A list of permanent

conservation easements must be provided as

part of the final report.

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(b) Cannon River Watershed Habitat

Restoration and Protection Program, Phase

15

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$2,847,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for

agreements to acquire lands in fee and to

restore and enhance wildlife habitat in the

Cannon River Watershed as follows: $92,000

to Clean River Partners and $2,755,000 to

Trust for Public Land.

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(c) DNR Aquatic Management Area

Acquisition and Trout Stream Easement

Acquisition

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$2,153,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources to acquire

land in fee as aquatic management areas and

to acquire permanent conservation easements

to protect trout-stream aquatic habitat. Of this

amount, up to $88,000 is to establish a

monitoring and enforcement fund as approved

in the accomplishment plan and subject to

Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056,

subdivision 17.

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(d) Washington County Habitat Protection

and Enhancement Partnership, Phase 2

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$2,774,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for

agreements to acquire permanent conservation

easements and to restore and enhance wildlife

habitats in Washington County as follows:

$741,000 to Washington County and

$2,033,000 to Minnesota Land Trust. Of the

amount to Minnesota Land Trust, $196,000 is

to establish a monitoring and enforcement

fund as approved in the accomplishment plan

and subject to Minnesota Statutes, section

97A.056, subdivision 17.

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(e) Fisheries Habitat Protection on Strategic

North Central Minnesota Lakes, Phase 12

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$2,286,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Northern Waters Land Trust

to acquire land in fee and to restore and

enhance wildlife habitat to sustain healthy fish

habitat on coldwater lakes in Aitkin, Cass,

Crow Wing, and Hubbard Counties.

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(f) Greenbelt, Phase 1

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$1,448,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Comfort Lake-Forest Lake

Watershed District to acquire land in fee and

permanent conservation easements and to

restore and enhance wildlife habitat within the

Comfort Lake-Forest Lake Watershed District

boundary.

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(g) Integrating Habitat and Clean Water,

Phase 4

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$1,803,000 the second year is to the Board of

Water and Soil Resources to acquire

permanent conservation easements and to

restore and enhance wildlife habitat identified

under the One Watershed, One Plan program

for stacked benefit to wildlife and clean water.

Of this amount, up to $40,000 is to establish

a monitoring and enforcement fund as

approved in the accomplishment plan and

subject to Minnesota Statutes, section

97A.056, subdivision 17. A list of permanent

conservation easements must be provided as

part of the final report.

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(h) Metro Big Rivers, Phase 16

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$6,685,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for

agreements to acquire land in fee and to

restore and enhance natural habitat systems

associated with the Mississippi, Minnesota,

and St. Croix Rivers and their tributaries in

the metropolitan area as follows: $1,468,000

to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge

Trust, Inc.; $869,000 to Friends of the

Mississippi River; $1,032,000 to Great River

Greening; and $3,316,000 to Trust for Public

Land.

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(i) Mississippi Headwaters Habitat

Corridor Project, Phase 10

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$2,733,000 the second year is to acquire lands

in fee and permanent conservation easements

and to restore wildlife habitat in the

Mississippi headwaters. Of this amount, (1)

$1,369,000 is to the commissioner of natural

resources for agreements as follows: $60,000

to the Mississippi Headwaters Board and

$1,309,000 to Trust for Public Land; and (2)

$1,364,000 is to the Board of Water and Soil

Resources, of which up to $70,000 is to

establish a monitoring and enforcement fund

as approved in the accomplishment plan and

subject to Minnesota Statutes, section

97A.056, subdivision 17. A list of permanent

conservation easements must be provided as

part of the final report.

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(j) Protecting Coldwater Fisheries on

Minnesota's North Shore, Phase 4

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$1,673,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Minnesota Land Trust to

acquire permanent conservation easements

and to restore and enhance wildlife habitat in

priority coldwater tributaries to Lake Superior.

Of this amount, up to $196,000 is to establish

a monitoring and enforcement fund as

approved in the accomplishment plan and

subject to Minnesota Statutes, section

97A.056, subdivision 17.

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(k) Protecting Minnesota's Lakes of

Outstanding Biological Significance, Phase

5

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$2,943,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for

agreements to acquire land in fee and

permanent conservation easements and to

restore and enhance lakes of outstanding

biological significance in northeast and

north-central Minnesota. Of this amount,

$1,592,000 is to the Northern Waters Land

Trust and $1,351,000 is to Minnesota Land

Trust. Of the amount to Minnesota Land Trust,

up to $140,000 is to establish a monitoring

and enforcement fund as approved in the

accomplishment plan and subject to Minnesota

Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 17.

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(l) Red River Basin Riparian Habitat

Program, Phase 2

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$3,867,000 the second year is to acquire

permanent conservation easements to protect,

restore, and enhance stream and riparian

habitat throughout the Red River watershed.

Of this amount, $116,000 is to the

commissioner of natural resources for

agreements with the Red River Watershed

Management Board and $3,751,000 is to the

Board of Water and Soil Resources. Of the

amount to the Board of Water and Soil

Resources, up to $250,000 is to establish a

monitoring and enforcement fund as approved

in the accomplishment plan and subject to

Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056,

subdivision 17. A list of permanent

conservation easements must be provided as

part of the final report.

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(m) Shell Rock River Watershed Habitat

Restoration Program, Phase 15

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$2,039,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with the Shell Rock River

Watershed District to acquire land in fee and

to restore and enhance habitat in the Shell

Rock River watershed.

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(n) Southeast Minnesota Protection and

Restoration, Phase 14

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$7,849,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for

agreements to acquire land in fee and

permanent conservation easements and to

restore and enhance wildlife habitat in

southeast Minnesota. Of this amount,

$1,000,000 is to The Nature Conservancy,

$5,788,000 is to Trust for Public Land, and

$1,061,000 is to Minnesota Land Trust. Of the

amount to Minnesota Land Trust, up to

$140,000 is to establish a monitoring and

enforcement fund as approved in the

accomplishment plan and subject to Minnesota

Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 17.

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(o) St. Croix Watershed Habitat Protection

and Restoration, Phase 7

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$3,807,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for

agreements to acquire land in fee and acquire

permanent conservation easements and to

restore and enhance natural habitat systems in

the St. Croix River watershed as follows:

$2,131,000 to Trust for Public Land, $130,000

to Wild Rivers Conservancy, and $1,546,000

to Minnesota Land Trust. Of the amount to

Minnesota Land Trust, up to $140,000 is to

establish a monitoring and enforcement fund

as approved in the accomplishment plan and

subject to Minnesota Statutes, section

97A.056, subdivision 17.

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(p) Upper Mississippi Flyway Habitat

Conservation Program

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$2,127,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Minnesota Land Trust to

acquire permanent conservation easements

and to restore and enhance wetlands, stream

corridors, and associated uplands in central

Minnesota. Of this amount, up to $196,000 is

to establish a monitoring and enforcement

fund as approved in the accomplishment plan

and subject to Minnesota Statutes, section

97A.056, subdivision 17.

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(q) A River of Birds in the Sky: Conserving

Minnesota's Flyway

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$1,211,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with National Audubon Society to

restore and enhance priority wildlife habitat

along the St. Croix, Minnesota, and

Mississippi river valleys.

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(r) Bone Lake South, Phase 2

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$1,413,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Comfort Lake-Forest Lake

Watershed District to restore and enhance

wildlife habitat in the Bone Lake south habitat

complex in Washington County.

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(s) DNR Aquatic Habitat Restoration and

Enhancement, Phase 9

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$6,429,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources to restore

and enhance aquatic habitat in degraded

streams and aquatic management areas and to

facilitate fish passage throughout Minnesota.

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(t) Little Cannon River Stream Habitat

Restoration

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$500,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for

agreements for survey, design, engineering,

and permitting of the Little Cannon River

restoration and enhancement project in

Goodhue County as follows: $40,000 to Clean

Rivers Partners, $10,000 to Great River

Greening, and $450,000 to Trout Unlimited.

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(u) Mission Creek Watershed Connectivity

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$1,279,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources to restore

and enhance coldwater stream habitat in the

Mission Creek watershed in St. Louis County.

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(v) Mud River Enhancement Project

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$2,917,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Red Lake Watershed District

to restore and enhance the Mud River habitat

complex in Marshall County.

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(w) Oak Savanna Restoration for Living

Landscapes

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$1,679,000 the second year is to the Board of

Water and Soil Resources, in partnership with

the Xerces Society, to restore and enhance oak

savanna and associated ecosystems on local

public and Tribal lands.

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(x) Swift Coulee Channel Restoration and

Enhancement, Phase 2

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$2,635,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with the Middle-Snake-Tamarac

Rivers Watershed District to restore and

enhance priority habitat associated with the

Swift Coulee channel restoration in Marshall

County.

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(y) Woods Creek Restoration

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$750,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Cook County to restore and

enhance coldwater stream habitat in Woods

Creek in Cook County.

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(z) Minnesota Statewide Trout Habitat

Enhancement and Protection

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$750,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for an

agreement with Trout Unlimited for survey,

design, engineering, and permitting of trout

stream restoration and enhancement projects

throughout Minnesota.

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(aa) Conservation Partners Legacy Grant

Program: Statewide and Metro Habitat,

Phase 18

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$13,611,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for a

program to provide competitive matching

grants of up to $500,000 to local, regional,

state, and national organizations for enhancing,

restoring, or protecting forests, wetlands,

prairies, or habitat for fish, game, or wildlife

in Minnesota. Unless there are not enough

eligible grant applications received, of this

amount, at least $3,500,000 is for grants in the

seven-county metropolitan area and cities with

a population of 50,000 or more and at least

$3,000,000 is for grants to applicants that have

not previously applied for money from the

outdoor heritage fund. Grants must not be

made for activities required to fulfill the duties

of owners of lands subject to conservation

easements. Grants must not be made from the

appropriation in this paragraph for projects

that have a total project cost exceeding

$1,000,000. Of the total appropriation,

$600,000 may be spent for personnel costs,

outreach, and support to first-time applicants

and other direct and necessary administrative

costs. Grantees may acquire land or interests

in land. Easements must be permanent. Grants

may not be used to establish easement

stewardship accounts. The program must

require a match of at least ten percent from

nonstate sources for all grants. The match may

be cash or in-kind. For grant applications of

$25,000 or less, the commissioner must

provide a separate, simplified application

process. Subject to Minnesota Statutes, the

commissioner of natural resources must, when

evaluating projects of equal value, give

priority to organizations that have a history of

receiving, or a charter to receive, private

contributions for local conservation or habitat

projects. All restoration or enhancement

projects must be on land permanently

protected by a permanent covenant ensuring

perpetual maintenance and protection of

restored and enhanced habitat, by a

conservation easement, or by public ownership

or in public waters as defined in Minnesota

Statutes, section 103G.005, subdivision 15.

Priority must be given to restoration and

enhancement projects on public lands.

Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056,

subdivision 13, applies to grants awarded

under this paragraph. This appropriation is

available until June 30, 2029. No less than five

percent of the amount of each grant must be

held back from reimbursement until the grant

recipient completes a grant accomplishment

report by the deadline and in the form

prescribed by and satisfactory to the

Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council. The

commissioner must provide notice of the grant

program in the summary of game and fish law

prepared under Minnesota Statutes, section

97A.051, subdivision 2.

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Subd. 6.

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Administration

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-0-

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2,156,000

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(a) Contract Management

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$450,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for contract

management duties assigned in this section.

The commissioner must provide an

accomplishment plan in the form specified by

the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council

on expending this appropriation. The

accomplishment plan must include a copy of

the grant contract template and reimbursement

manual. No money may be expended before

the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council

approves the accomplishment plan. Money

appropriated in this paragraph is available until

June 30, 2028.

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(b) Core Functions in Partner-led OHF

Land Acquisitions

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$1,377,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources to

administer the initial development, restoration,

and enhancement of land acquired in fee with

money appropriated from the outdoor heritage

fund. This appropriation may be used for land

acquisition costs incurred by the Department

of Natural Resources as part of conveyance

of parcels to the department and initial

development activities on fee title acquisitions.

Money appropriated in this paragraph is

available until June 30, 2034.

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(c) Technical Evaluation Panel

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$189,000 the second year is to the

commissioner of natural resources for a

technical evaluation panel to conduct up to 20

restoration and enhancement evaluations under

Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056,

subdivision 10. Money appropriated in this

paragraph is available until June 30, 2028.

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(d) Legislative Coordinating Commission

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$140,000 the second year is to the Legislative

Coordinating Commission for administrative

expenses of the Lessard-Sams Outdoor

Heritage Council and for compensating and

reimbursing expenses of council members.

This appropriation is in addition to the fiscal

year 2027 appropriation in Laws 2025, chapter

36, article 1, section 2, subdivision 6,

paragraph (b), and is available until June 30,

2027. Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.281,

applies to this appropriation.

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Subd. 7.

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Availability of Appropriation

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(a) Money appropriated in this section may

not be spent on activities unless they are

directly related to and necessary for a specific

appropriation and are specified in the

accomplishment plan approved by the

Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council.

Money appropriated in this section must not

be spent on indirect costs or other institutional

overhead charges that are not directly related

to and necessary for a specific appropriation.

Money appropriated for fee title acquisition

of land may be used to restore, enhance, and

provide for public use of the land acquired

with the appropriation. Public-use facilities

must have a minimal impact on habitat in

acquired lands.

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(b) Money appropriated in this section is

available as follows:

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(1) money appropriated to acquire real

property is available until June 30, 2030;

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(2) money appropriated to restore and enhance

land acquired with an appropriation in this act

is available for four years after the acquisition

date with a maximum end date of June 30,

2034;

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(3) money appropriated to restore and enhance

other land is available until June 30, 2031;

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(4) notwithstanding clauses (1) to (3), money

appropriated for a project that receives at least

15 percent of its funding from federal funds

is available until a date sufficient to match the

availability of federal funding to a maximum

of six years if the federal funding was

confirmed and included in the original

approved draft accomplishment plan; and

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(5) money appropriated for other projects is

available until the end of the fiscal year in

which it is appropriated.

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Subd. 8.

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Payment Conditions and Capital

Equipment Expenditures

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(a) All agreements referred to in this section

must be administered on a reimbursement

basis unless otherwise provided in this section.

Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section

16A.41, expenditures directly related to each

appropriation's purpose made on or after July

1, 2026, or the date of accomplishment plan

approval, whichever is later, are eligible for

reimbursement unless otherwise provided in

this section. For the purposes of administering

appropriations and legislatively authorized

agreements paid out of the outdoor heritage

fund, an expense must be considered

reimbursable by the administering agency

when the recipient presents the agency with

an invoice or a binding agreement with the

landowner and the recipient attests that the

goods have been received or the landowner

agreement is binding. Periodic reimbursement

must be made upon receiving documentation

that the items articulated in the

accomplishment plan approved by the

Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council have

been achieved, including partial achievements

as evidenced by progress reports approved by

the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council.

Reasonable amounts may be advanced to

projects to accommodate cash flow needs,

support future management of acquired lands,

or match a federal share. The advances must

be approved as part of the accomplishment

plan. Capital equipment expenditures for

specific items in excess of $10,000 must be

itemized in and approved as part of the

accomplishment plan.

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(b) Unless otherwise provided, no money

appropriated from the outdoor heritage fund

in this act may be used to acquire, restore, or

enhance any real property unless the specific

acquisition, restoration, or enhancement is

approved as part of the accomplishment plan

on the parcel list.

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(c) Reimbursement of eligible expenses must

be submitted no later than 12 months after the

approval of the final report.

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Subd. 9.

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Mapping

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Each direct recipient of money appropriated

in this section, as well as each recipient of a

grant awarded according to this section, must

provide geographic information to the

Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council for

mapping any lands acquired in fee with funds

appropriated in this section and open to public

taking of fish and game. The commissioner

of natural resources must include the lands

acquired in fee with money appropriated in

this section on maps showing public recreation

opportunities. Maps must include information

on and acknowledgment of the outdoor

heritage fund, including a notation of any

restrictions.

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Subd. 10.

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Carryforward

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(a) The availability of the appropriation for

Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 1,

article 1, section 2, subdivision 5, paragraph

(l), St. Louis River Restoration Initiative,

Phase VIII, is extended to June 30, 2027.

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(b) The availability of the appropriation for

Laws 2022, chapter 77, article 1, section 2,

subdivision 5, paragraph (u), Daylighting

Phalen Creek, is extended to June 30, 2028.

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EFFECTIVE DATE.

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Subdivision 10 is effective the day following final enactment.

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