Parks and Trails investments spared as Gov. Pawlenty cuts bonding bill by $208 million

State park and trail investments largest in history

April 7, 2008 – Parks & Trails supporters statewide can breathe a sigh of relief as Gov. Tim Pawlenty today signed the bonding bill after cutting $208 million in capital investment projects. While three regional projects that the Parks & Trails Council supports did fall victim to the governor's veto pen, the final bonding bill included record investments in Minnesota's state parks and trails. In addition to the $21.686 million in capital investments for state parks and $15.32 million for state trails, the bonding bill also included nearly $14 million for local and regional parks and trails.

The three projects that Gov. Pawlenty cut include:

• $2 million for National Great River Park (City of St. Paul)
• $2 million for Old Cedar Avenue Bridge Trail (funding for this project was restored in supplemental bonding bill HF 4072 passed by both the House and Senate on May 18)
• $2.183 million for the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Trail

"The governor joined legislators in demonstrating his concern for maintaining Minnesota's existing state park and trail infrastructure," said Parks & Trails Council Government Relations Director Judy Erickson. "In addition, he showed he has the foresight to make new investments in an outdoor recreation system that contributes so much to our health, our economy and our outdoor way of life."

The governor appeared to leave the door open for reconsidering some of the vetoed projects as part of end of session negotiations. Prior to receiving the $925 million bonding bill from the House and Senate, the governor indicated he supported a $825 million bonding bill. The bonding bill he signed today totaled approximately $717 million. It remains to be seen whether funding for the proposed new Lake Vermilion State Park will materialize. The two most likely ways this funding would come through is in a second bonding bill or through the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

The Parks & Trails projects that will be funded now that the governor has signed the bonding bill, include:

State Trails
Blufflands State Trail - Chester Woods segment .... $970,000
Casey Jones State Trail .... $700,000
Gateway State Trail Bridge .... $750,000
Gitchi-Gami State Trail .... $1,600,000
Great River Ridge Trail .... $1,500,000
Heartland State Trail .... $1,500,000
Mill Towns Trail - Lake Byllseby Park to Cannon Falls .... $500,000
Mill Towns Trail - Faribault .... $150,000
Minnesota River State Trail (Appleton to Milan) .... $1,500,000
Paul Bunyan State Trail .... $2,000,000
Root River State Trail (Preston to Forestville State Park) .... $250,000
Root River State Trail - Wagon Wheel .... $250,000
Root River State Trail (eastern extension) .... $100,000
Stage Coach Trail .... $550,000
State Trail Rehabilitation .... $3,000,000
State Trails total ... $15.32 million

State Park and Recreation Area Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Development .... $19,041,000
This figure includes Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area Acquisition .... $2,400,000; North Shore projects and the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) Trail Center and trail at Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area. There is a separate spreadsheet that goes along with the majority of the state park numbers that is available by request.

Big Bog State Recreation Area .... $1,600,000
State Park prairie and forest restoration .... $545,000
Fort Snelling Upper Bluff ... $500,000
State Parks Total ... $21.686 million

Regional Trails
Dakota County North Urban Regional Trail (South St. Paul) .... $1,400,000
Cambridge-Isanti Trail .... $156,000
Clara City Trail .... $225,000

Metropolitan Regional Parks Capital Improvements .... $10,500,000
Central Regional Parks .... $992,000
Ojiketa Regional Park .... $500,000
Regional Parks and Trails Total .... $13.781 million