1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to forest protection; establishing a program
1.3 	of grants administered by the commissioner of
1.4 	agriculture to municipalities for monitoring,
1.5 	detection, and control or extermination of forest
1.6 	pests; appropriating money; proposing coding for new
1.7 	law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 18G.
1.8 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.9 	Section 1. [18G.15] MUNICIPAL GRANTS FOR FOREST
1.10 	PROTECTION.
1.11 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) The definitions in this
1.12 	subdivision apply to this section.
1.13 	(b) "Municipality" means a county, town, or home rule
1.14 	charter or statutory city in Minnesota.  "Municipality" also
1.15 	means a forest protection joint powers agency or board organized
1.16 	and authorized by any two or more counties, towns, or home rule
1.17 	charter or statutory cities under section 471.59.
1.18 	(c) "Forest protection" means a program implemented by a
1.19 	municipality for purposes of monitoring, detection, control, and
1.20 	extermination of invasive species and plant pests that pose an
1.21 	economic or environmental harm to forests within the
1.22 	municipality.  "Forest protection" does not include
1.23 	reforestation activities.
1.24 		Subd. 2.Municipal authority for forest protection. A
1.25 	municipality is eligible to receive grants from the commissioner
1.26 	or other public or private sources for purposes of activities
2.1 	coordinated with the commissioner under section 18G.12 or for
2.2 	other forest protection activities.
2.3 		Subd. 3.Commissioner to establish a forest protection
2.4 	grant program. The commissioner shall establish guidelines that
2.5 	are not subject to chapter 14 for a program of forest protection
2.6 	grants to applicants that are municipalities for activities
2.7 	under this section.  The commissioner shall prioritize the award
2.8 	of grants based on local needs and the urgency of allocating
2.9 	resources within certain geographic areas to monitor, detect,
2.10 	control, and exterminate invasive species.

2.11 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.12 	$....... is appropriated from the general fund to the
2.13 	commissioner of agriculture in fiscal year 2006 for purposes of
2.14 	making grants to municipalities under Minnesota Statutes,
2.15 	section 18G.15.  Any amount of this appropriation that remains
2.16 	unencumbered on June 30, 2006, remains available until expended.