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Wafer BiiliBoard <br />crops; growing nursery stocks, and <br />animal feedlots; and <br />2) contiguous land and buildings <br />under the same ownership, including <br />farmyards, associated with the lands <br />listed in clause 1; <br />•exempt type 6 wetlands less than two <br />acres on agricultural land; <br />•exempt type 1, 2 and 6 wetlands that <br />are part of larger wetlands on agricul- <br />tural land to allow for efficient farming <br />operations; and <br />•exempt impacts to wetlands that have <br />existed for less than 25 years as part <br />of a ditch maintenance project. <br />The Reinvest in innesota <br />(Rl )Reserve Program <br />BWSR has proposed a number ofi fairly minor <br />changes to the Riivi Reserve Program. <br />Flowage easements <br />Under the changes, the RIM Reserve Pro- <br />gram would be authorized to acquire flowage <br />easements. This change would help on <br />wetland restoration projects involving adja- <br />cent landowners who may be affected by a <br />restored basin to a minor extent but do not <br />want to enrol! their land in a perpetual ease- <br />ment. <br />Acreage cap <br />Current statute limits the amount of land that <br />can be enrolled by an individual landowner to <br />20 percent of the average farm size in the <br />county. This seemingly arbitrary number is <br />quite low in some counties and presents a <br />problem on certain projects. The proposed <br />change would remove this cap. <br />Gifts and donations <br />inimu easement size <br />The changes would eliminate the current <br />minimum parcel size (five acres or a whole <br />field as defined by USDA) for riparian and <br />wetland restoration conservation easements. <br />This proposed change results from difficulties <br />in large wetland restoration projects in which <br />the land is owned by a number of landown- <br />ers, some of which may only have a few <br />acres that are part of the project. <br />basement and practice payment <br />limits <br />The changes would authorize BWSR to <br />exceed the current conservation easement <br />and payment practice limits with non-state <br />funds. This change is especially important on <br />large wetland restoration projects with high <br />engineering and construction costs. <br />This change would allow BWSR to accept <br />conservation and flowage easements by gift <br />or donation. <br />bonding <br />The governor's bonding budget includes $7.5 <br />million for the fiscal year 1997-98 biennium <br />fior the RiM Reserve Program. These funds <br />would be available beginning July 1, 1997, <br />and remain available until spent. <br />The governor has also recommended <br />$600,000 in bonding for Area 11 for culvert <br />downsizing. <br /> <br />