1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to economic development; requiring a closed 
  1.3             iron mine and related facilities to be maintained for 
  1.4             a period of time; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, 
  1.5             section 93.003. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 93.003, is 
  1.8   amended to read: 
  1.9      93.003 [IRON MINING; CONDITIONS.] 
  1.10     Legal authority to mine and process iron ore, a basic 
  1.11  irreplaceable natural resource of the people of the state of 
  1.12  Minnesota, is subject to the conditions of this section.  When 
  1.13  the owner or operator of an iron mine or related production or 
  1.14  beneficiation facilities determines to discontinue the operation 
  1.15  of the mine or facilities for any reason it shall maintain the 
  1.16  mine or facilities in salable operating condition for at least 
  1.17  one year two years after it discontinues operation in order to 
  1.18  allow the state of Minnesota and other interested public and 
  1.19  private bodies to seek a new owner and operator.  The 
  1.20  requirement imposed by this section is a preliminary and 
  1.21  permanent requirement on the right of an owner to commence or 
  1.22  continue the operation of an iron mine or related facilities.  
  1.23  This requirement is enforceable on all owners and operators and 
  1.24  successors of owners and operators and shall be enforced by the 
  1.25  state in any action in bankruptcy or other litigation that may 
  2.1   affect it. 
  2.2      Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.3      Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment 
  2.4   and is retroactive to December 1, 2000.