Subdivision 1. Establishment. The natural resources damages account is established as an account in the remediation fund.

Subd. 2. Revenues. The account consists of money from the following sources:

(1) revenue from actions taken to recover natural resources damages under section 115B.17, subdivision 7, or any other law, unless otherwise specified in the settlement agreement;

(2) appropriations and transfers to the account as provided by law;

(3) interest earned on the account; and

(4) money received by the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency or the commissioner of natural resources for deposit in the account in the form of a gift or grant.

Subd. 3. Expenditures. (a) Money in the account is appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources for the purposes authorized in section 115B.20, subdivision 2, clause (4).

(b) The commissioner of management and budget must allocate the amounts available in any biennium to the commissioner of natural resources for the purposes of this section based upon work plans submitted by the commissioner of natural resources and may adjust those allocations if revised work plans are submitted. Copies of the work plans must be submitted to the chairs of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources finance.

Subd. 4. Report. By November 1 each year, the commissioner of natural resources must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural resources policy and finance on expenditures from the natural resources damages account during the previous fiscal year.

History: 1Sp2019 c 4 art 3 s 99