ST. PAUL, Minn.— On Thursday, February 23, 2017, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed House File 434, bipartisan legislation authored by Representative Dan Fabian, R-Roseau, that is critical for local transportation projects statewide. The bill passed unanimously.
“There was an urgency to get this bill moving forward as quickly as possible for Greater Minnesota, or critical county and township road projects would be on hold when construction season begins,” said Rep. Fabian. “This is a commonsense and needed bill that will ensure local transportation projects planned by local officials from Roseau to Rochester are able to be started on time. It’s critical to get this bill to Governor Dayton as soon as possible.”
House File 434 allocates $5 million to the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) to create wetland bank service areas that are given as credits to local road authorities to offset “no net loss” requirements for any road projects that impact wetlands. This emergency funding allows BWSR to cover its obligations by purchasing credits from private wetland banks, so locally planned road construction projects can continue on-time when construction season begins later this spring.
Companion legislation is also being fast-tracked through the Minnesota State Senate.