HF1012

Purpose

• To manage and restrict the use of offhighway vehicles (OHVs) and snowmobiles on state public lands in Minnesota in order to protect land, water quality, aquatic life, and wildlife.
• To require environmental review before building or expanding OHV trails, provide a process to decommission existing trails with evidence of environmental impact, and align Minnesota’s OHV rules with regulations that were in place south of a certain highway.

Main Provisions

• Designated trails and land use

  • OHV use is generally prohibited on state land administered by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and on county-administered forest land within state forests, unless the Roads or Trails are specifically designated and posted by the DNR for OHV use.
  • County or township land within a state forest may allow OHV use if the local county or township board adopts a resolution that modifies the restrictions.
  • Any OHV trail on state forest roads/trails, county roads/trails, tribal lands, or ceded territories must obtain appropriate approvals (e.g., tribal government consent) and must not run through:
  • Tribal Lands or Ceded Territory without approval,
  • Unpaved trails crossing certain protected waters (outstanding resource value waters or exceptional habitat waters),
  • Land designated for prohibited/restricted noxious weeds when infestations are present,
  • Unpaved trails within 200 feet of public waters that support aquatic life, or within 150 feet of public waters that do not support aquatic life.
  • Existing roads/trails that were constructed before the effective date of these restrictions are not affected.

• Seasonal restrictions

  • Except for designated forest roads, no OHV or snowmobile use is allowed on state forest lands during firearms deer hunting season where rifle deer hunting is allowed.
  • There are exceptions for people with valid deer hunting licenses if they operate OHVs during legal shooting hours or outside certain times.
  • The DNR can designate and post winter trails on state forest lands for OHV use.

• Mapping and access

  • After official OHV maps for a given area are completed, users must not operate OHVs on state land that is not mapped for that OHV type.
  • Forest land north of a major highway (U.S. 2) has a phased exception related to mapping.
  • Some forest access routes will not be signed or maintained and won’t appear on published maps; OHV operation on these routes must comply with existing erosion and environmental protection rules, and damaged routes may be closed to OHV use.

• Rulemaking process

  • DNR determinations under these provisions can be issued by written order and are exempt from the normal rulemaking process.
  • A specific state rulemaking provision cited (14.386) does not apply to these determinations.

• Decommissioning of trails

  • The DNR must consider decommissioning an OHV-designated road or trail if there is material evidence that it causes significant environmental effects, provided there is a petition with a minimum number of signatories from residents/property owners in the county or nearby counties, or a local government petition.
  • Petitions thresholds vary (50, 100, or 150 signatories, or a local government petition).
  • The DNR must review a petition within 90 days and issue a final order; extensions can be granted (another 90 days) with agreement from the petitioners or local government; further extensions require agreement from the relevant parties.

• Legislative findings

  • The bill states that OHV use should be managed statewide in a manner consistent with regulations that were in place south of U.S. Highway 2 as of January 15, 2025, and that these regulations should be implemented statewide.

• Funding and statutory changes

  • The measure includes appropriations to implement its provisions and makes amendments to Minnesota statutes and related administrative rules as part of codifying these changes.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expands the prohibition framework so OHV use is largely limited to designated roads/trails on state and certain local lands, with limited exceptions.
• Establishes a formal process for decommissioning OHV-designated routes upon demonstrated environmental impact and community petitions.
• Introduces or tightens restrictions near sensitive waters, weed management areas, and tribal or ceded lands, with conditions for tribal approvals.
• Adds a requirement for mapping-based restrictions, meaning OHV activity is tied to official maps and designated routes.
• Provides a rulemaking exemption for certain DNR determinations, streamlining decisions but reducing standard rulemaking oversight.
• Creates a statewide alignment of OHV management rules with existing policies that were already in effect south of a major corridor, effectively extending those policies statewide.

Impacts and who is affected

• OHV riders and snowmobile users will face tighter access limits and may need to use only designated and posted trails.
• Local governments may influence OHV access through resolutions and petitions, particularly when counties modify restrictions within state forests.
• Tribes and tribal governments have a role in approvals when OHV trails intersect Tribal Lands.
• Landowners and residents near designated trails could be affected by decommissioning decisions and environmental protection measures.
• Conservation and natural resources agencies (notably the DNR) gain authority to designate, map, and decommission trails, with a formal petition process and potential funding to implement the changes.

Process and Administration

• Designation and rulemaking for OHV trails are primarily handled by the DNR, with potential petition-driven decommissioning.
• The plan relies on environmental review and compliance with water quality and wildlife protection standards, including restrictions near water bodies and weed management areas.
• Mapping and designated routes are central to compliance, with penalties or closures for off-map use and for damaging trails.

Relevant Terms - offhighway vehicles (OHVs) - snowmobiles - state land - state forest lands - Department of Natural Resources (DNR) - designated roads and trails - posting for OHV use - county-administered forest land - Tribal Lands - Ceded Territory - unpaved trails - outstanding resource value waters - exceptional habitat waters - Minnesota Rules chapter 7050 - noxious weeds (restricted/prohibited; county noxious weeds) - public waters - aquatic life - wildlife - decommissioning - petition (signatures thresholds: 50, 100, 150) - local unit of government - environmental protection - environmental assessment worksheet (EAW) - rulemaking exemption - statewide OHV management - regulations south of U.S. Highway 2 (as of Jan 15, 2025) statewide - maps / official OHV maps - winter trails - firearms deer hunting season - forest access routes - erosion and rutting prohibitions - approvals by tribal governments