1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to natural resources; appropriating money from the parks and trails fund.
1.3BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.4 Section 1. APPROPRIATION; STATE PARKS AND TRAILS.
1.5 $25,802,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $26,920,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated
1.6from the parks and trails fund to the commissioner of natural resources for state parks,
1.7recreation areas, and trails to:
1.8 (1) connect people to the outdoors;
1.9 (2) acquire land and create opportunities;
1.10 (3) maintain existing holdings; and
1.11 (4) improve cooperation by coordinating with partners to implement the 25-year
1.12long-range parks and trails legacy plan.
1.13 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; REGIONAL PARKS AND TRAILS.
1.14 (a) $12,901,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $13,460,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated
1.15from the parks and trails fund to the commissioner of natural resources for grants for parks
1.16and trails of regional significance outside the seven-county metropolitan area under
1.17Minnesota Statutes, section 85.535. The grants awarded under this paragraph must be based
1.18on the lists of recommended projects submitted to the legislative committees under Minnesota
1.19Statutes, section 85.536, subdivision 10, from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and
1.20Trails Commission established under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.536. Grants funded
1Sec. 2.
25-02673 as introduced01/24/25 REVISOR CKM/EN
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 1039NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: HAUSCHILD, Eichorn, Johnson Stewart, McEwen and Hoffman)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading02/06/2025
Referred to Environment, Climate, and Legacy 2.1under this paragraph must support parks and trails of regional or statewide significance that
2.2meet the applicable definitions and criteria for regional parks and trails contained in the
2.3Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Strategic Plan adopted by the Greater
2.4Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission on April 22, 2015. Grant recipients
2.5identified under this paragraph must submit a grant application to the commissioner of
2.6natural resources. Of the amount appropriated, up to $140,000 each year may be used by
2.7the commissioner for the actual cost of issuing and monitoring the grants for the commission.
2.8Of the amount appropriated, $500,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2027
2.9are for the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission to carry out its duties
2.10under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.536, including the continued development of a statewide
2.11system plan for regional parks and trails outside the seven-county metropolitan area.
2.12 (b) By January 15, 2026, the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission
2.13must submit a list of projects that contains the commission's recommendations for funding
2.14from the parks and trails fund for fiscal year 2027 to the chairs and ranking minority members
2.15of the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural
2.16resources and the parks and trails fund.
2.17 (c) By January 15, 2026, the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission
2.18must submit a report that contains the commission's criteria for funding from the parks and
2.19trails fund, including the criteria used to determine if a park or trail is of regional significance,
2.20to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and divisions with
2.21jurisdiction over environment and natural resources and the parks and trails fund.
2.22 Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; COORDINATION.
2.23 $652,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $679,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the
2.24parks and trails fund to the commissioner of natural resources for coordination and projects
2.25between the department, the Metropolitan Council, and the Greater Minnesota Regional
2.26Parks and Trails Commission; enhanced web-based information for park and trail users;
2.27and support of activities of the Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee.
2.28 Sec. 4. PARKS AND TRAILS FUND APPROPRIATION EXTENSIONS.
2.29 Subdivision 1.Cannon Valley Trail; Goodhue County.The availability of the grant
2.30to Goodhue County for the Cannon Valley Trail project from the parks and trails fund fiscal
2.31year 2023 appropriation under Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 1, article 3, section
2.323, paragraph (b), is extended to June 30, 2027.
2Sec. 4.
25-02673 as introduced01/24/25 REVISOR CKM/EN 3.1 Subd. 2.Beaver Island Trail; Stearns County.The availability of the grant to Stearns
3.2County for the Beaver Island Trail project from the parks and trails fund fiscal year 2023
3.3appropriation under Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 1, article 3, section 3, paragraph
3.4(b), is extended to June 30, 2027.
3.5 Subd. 3.Bluffs Traverse Trail; city of Winona.The availability of the grant to the city
3.6of Winona for the Bluffs Traverse Trail project from the parks and trails fund fiscal year
3.72023 appropriation under Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 1, article 3, section 3,
3.8paragraph (b), is extended to June 30, 2027.
3.9 Subd. 4.Jay C. Hormel Nature Center; city of Austin.The availability of the grant
3.10to the city of Austin for the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center project from the parks and trails
3.11fund fiscal year 2024 appropriation under Laws 2023, chapter 40, article 3, section 3,
3.12paragraph (c), is extended to June 30, 2027.
3.13 Subd. 5.Spirit Mountain Recreation Area; city of Duluth.The availability of the
3.14grant to the city of Duluth for the Spirit Mountain Recreation Area project from the parks
3.15and trails fund fiscal year 2023 appropriation under Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter
3.161, article 3, section 3, paragraph (b), is extended to June 30, 2027.
3.17 Subd. 6.Waabizheshikana/Marten Trail; city of Duluth.The availability of the grant
3.18to the city of Duluth for the Waabizheshikana/Marten Trail project from the parks and trails
3.19fund fiscal year 2024 appropriation under Laws 2023, chapter 40, article 3, section 3,
3.20paragraph (c), is extended to June 30, 2027.
3.21 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
3Sec. 4.
25-02673 as introduced01/24/25 REVISOR CKM/EN