MN HF3988

Appropriates $2,500,000 in fiscal year 2019 from the renewable development account to the commissioner of employment and economic development for a grant to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents for research through MnDRIVE at the Natural Resources Research Institute.

Allocates $500,000 annually to develop and demonstrate new technologies for forest resource characterization, $800,000 annually for research into high-value forest resource utilization, and $1,200,000 annually for seed funding for large-scale precommercial biomass conversion to energy products and new materials.

Requires the Natural Resources Research Institute to conduct work in consultation with the Minnesota Forest Resources Council, Minnesota Forest Industries, and the Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Commerce.

Requires reports to be submitted to legislative committees with jurisdiction over economic development by January 15, 2020, January 15, 2021, and January 15, 2022, detailing the outcomes of grants under this section.

Sets the base appropriation amount to $0 in fiscal year 2022 and thereafter.