Parks & Trails bonding priorities receive hearings

By Judy Erickson, government relations director

The Parks & Trails Council’s top bonding priorities, state park land acquisition and the 2010 Trails Initiative, received positive hearings before a Joint Committee of the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division and the Senate Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division on January 21 and January 22.  The Divisions spent nearly 12 hours over the course of the two days hearing nearly 60 bills as well as presentations by the state’s environmental and natural resources agencies.

The 2010 Trails Initiative, authored by Rep. Leon Lillie (DFL- N.St. Paul) and Sen. Gary Kubly (DFL-Granite Falls) is a $39 million effort targeted at building trail connections, rehabilitation of existing trails and expanding the existing state trail system through acquisition and development. See the full fact sheet at: http://www.parksandtrails.org/take_action/legislative_fact_sheets.

Many of the trail groups participated in the hearing through attending and by providing briefing material for the legislative packets. Nearly every corner of the state benefits from this proposal. It reflects the demand regions and communities have for trails for economic development, recreation and opportunities to be physically fit.

The 2010 State Park Land Acquisition bill, authored by Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL- S.St. Paul) and Sen. Dennis Frederickson (R-New Ulm) provides $5 million for high priority lands within existing state park boundaries from willing sellers. The top priority for acquisition is for 100 acres in William O’Brien State Park and 19 acres at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. Details on the other acquisition priorities can be found in the fact sheet: http://www.parksandtrails.org/take_action/legislative_fact_sheets

Both the House and Senate expect to put their bonding bills together during the first two weeks of the session.