1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to agriculture; appropriating money for shade tree replacement.
1.3 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.4 	Section 1. APPROPRIATION.
 1.5 	$5,000,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from 
1.6 	the general fund to the commissioner of agriculture for grants of up to $1,000,000 to cities, 
1.7 	counties, towns, and park and recreation boards in cities of the first class for the development 
1.8 	of response plans, and for the treatment, removal, and replacement of publicly owned shade 
1.9 	trees damaged by or lost to forest pests or disease, or to establish a more diverse community 
1.10 	forest better able to withstand disease and forest pests. The commissioner must give priority 
1.11 	to grant requests to plan, remove, and replace trees within emerald ash borer quarantined 
1.12 	counties. For the purposes of this appropriation, "shade tree" means a woody perennial 
1.13 	grown primarily for aesthetic or environmental services with minimal to residual timber 
1.14 	value and no intent to harvest it for wood. This appropriation is available until and must be 
1.15 	encumbered by June 30, 2019.