HF 4218

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; requiring the Department of Agriculture to perform
studies related to pesticides and report to the legislature.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin WASTE PESTICIDE COLLECTION STUDY.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Study. new text end

new text begin In accordance with statutory obligations under Minnesota
Statutes, section 18B.065, subdivisions 1 and 2a, and the findings of the legislative
auditor??a??a??s 2006 pesticide regulation evaluation report, the commissioner of agriculture
shall complete a study that identifies and evaluates several possible methods to address the
gap identified in the waste pesticide collection program. The commissioner shall consider
multiple options, including but not limited to the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) Expand cooperative agreements and funding arrangements with participating
counties that agree to accept waste pesticides from persons living in adjacent or other
geographically proximate, nonparticipating counties. The funding arrangement should be
modified so that participating counties will not need to charge a fee for waste pesticides
dropped off by persons from other counties. In addition, the resulting network of
participating counties must be geographically distributed throughout the state so that no
person must travel an unreasonable distance to drop off waste pesticides.
new text end

new text begin (2) Achieve full or greater county participation by revising the program funding
formula. Possible formula changes include adding a component that compensates counties
for a portion of related administrative costs incurred, incorporating a weighting mechanism
to provide more funding to heavily agricultural counties, and assuaging concerns in these
agricultural counties by creating a program reserve that could be disbursed to counties as
needed to respond to a surge in waste pesticides above and beyond the amount anticipated
by the funding formula.
new text end

new text begin (3) Allot funding from the pesticide regulatory account above and beyond the
$300,000 minimum specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 18B.26, subdivision 3, and
use the additional funds to satisfy completely the commissioner??a??a??s obligations under
Minnesota Statutes, section 18B.065.
new text end

new text begin For each option, the commissioner shall identify potential pros and cons and generate
an estimate of additional costs or savings as well as a timeline for implementation. The
commissioner shall conclude the report by identifying the best approach or combination
of approaches that would provide waste pesticide disposal options for the residents of
each county in Minnesota.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin No later than February 1, 2007, the commissioner shall present the
report findings and recommendations to the house and senate committees with jurisdiction
over agriculture policy.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin URBAN PESTICIDE MONITORING.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Study. new text end

new text begin In accordance with the statutory obligation under Minnesota
Statutes, section 18B.064, to monitor both urban and rural pesticide use on a biennial basis
and the findings of the legislative auditor??a??a??s 2006 pesticide regulation evaluation report, the
commissioner of agriculture shall complete a study that identifies and evaluates several
methods for monitoring urban pesticide use. The commissioner shall consider multiple
options, including but not limited to the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) Utilize the existing, annual pesticide registration process to capture the amount
and type of urban pesticides sold, offered for sale, or otherwise distributed in the state
during the previous year and modify the registrant reporting requirements as needed to
group sales data by geographic designations such as zip codes in urban areas or watershed
districts in rural areas.
new text end

new text begin (2) Sample the application records of such nonagricultural pesticide users as
structural or turf and ornamental applicators and use statistical methods to estimate the
amount and types of nonagricultural pesticides used statewide.
new text end

new text begin (3) Gain a more complete picture of pesticide use at schools by supplementing
existing survey data on pest management practices in state school districts with additional
survey data on the amount and types of pesticides currently used.
new text end

new text begin (4) Develop a method to periodically capture and analyze point-of-sale data from all
persons who sell nonagricultural pesticides in the state.
new text end

new text begin For each option, the commissioner shall identify potential pros and cons and generate
an estimate of additional costs or savings as well as a timeline for implementation. The
commissioner shall conclude the report by identifying the best approach or combination
of approaches to monitor urban pesticide use biennially.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin No later than February 1, 2007, the commissioner shall present the
report findings and recommendations to the house and senate committees with jurisdiction
over agriculture policy.
new text end