SF2345

Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to update and modify various statutes related to natural resources in Minnesota. It seeks to refine reporting requirements, adjust regulations for offroad vehicle trail passes, manage invasive species, and enable commercial fishing for burbot on Lake Superior. Additionally, it seeks to update the public waters inventory to reflect current conditions and classifications.

Main Provisions

• State Trail Pass for Offroad Vehicles: Modifies conditions under which a pass is required to operate offroad vehicles on state trails. Nonresidents must pay $20 for a yearly pass and $30 for a three-year pass. Residents have a separate 30-day pass costing $20. Exceptions are made for vehicles owned by government entities, operated on private property, or registered under related statutes.

• Invasive Species Management: Provides a definition for "eviscerated" and allows for certain activities involving prohibited species, like dead and eviscerated transport, under specific conditions including permits and conservation practices. This regulation targets the control of invasive species like certain carp, facilitating safe disposal and management.

• Burbot Commercial Fishing: Permits licensed commercial fishing operators to catch burbot and other specified fish in Lake Superior under regulated circumstances, broadening the scope of commercial fishing activities allowed.

• Public Waters Inventory Update: Establishes a process for revising public waters maps that includes correcting errors, reclassifying wetlands, adjusting for permits and quarries, and updating based on state and federal ownership changes. Allocates $1 million annually until 2032 for updating these water inventories.

Significant Changes

• Introduces new definitions and conditions related to the handling and transportation of invasive species.
• Allows commercial fishing of additional fish species on Lake Superior.
• Updates and reclassifies public waters and wetlands, requiring notice to local governmental bodies with provisions for objection processes.
• Allocates funding for systematic updating of public water inventories, ensuring they reflect current environmental and regulatory conditions.

Relevant Terms

• Offroad Vehicle
• State Trail Pass
• Invasive Species
• Eviscerated
• Burbot Commercial Fishing
• Public Waters Inventory
• Reclassification of Wetlands
• Lake Superior