HF1926 Summary

• Appropriates $109.32 million from the outdoor heritage fund for fiscal year 2015 to acquire and restore lands for prairies ($37.4M), forests ($16.1M), wetlands ($24M), and habitats ($30.9M), plus $885,000 for administration.

• Modifies restoration evaluation requirements to mandate (instead of allow) that at least one-tenth of one percent of forecasted outdoor heritage fund receipts be used for evaluating habitat restoration projects completed with outdoor heritage funding.

• Authorizes the commissioner of natural resources to conduct additional appraisals of parcels being acquired in fee or as conservation easements and clarifies that outdoor heritage fund appropriations cannot be spent for eminent domain actions unless the property owner requests it.

• Modifies previous parks and trails fund appropriation to Lakes Minnewashta Regional Park in Carver County to allow funds to be used for park programmer position, roads, parking lots, and paving construction.