SF 2720

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 04/03/2018 03:11pm

A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; prohibiting certain rules related to nitrogen fertilizer unless
approved by law; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 103H.275, subdivision
1.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 103H.275, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Areas where groundwater pollution is detected.

(a) If groundwater
pollution is detected, a state agency or political subdivision that regulates an activity causing
or potentially causing a contribution to the pollution identified shall promote implementation
of best management practices to prevent or minimize the source of pollution to the extent
practicable.

(b) The Pollution Control Agency, or for agricultural chemicals and practices, the
commissioner of agriculture may adopt water source protection requirements under
subdivision 2 that are consistent with the goal of section 103H.001 and are commensurate
with the groundwater pollution if the implementation of best management practices has
proven to be ineffective.

(c) The water resources protection requirements must be:

(1) designed to prevent and minimize the pollution to the extent practicable;

(2) designed to prevent the pollution from exceeding the health risk limits; and

(3) submitted to the house of representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction
over the environment, natural resources, and agriculture.

new text begin (d) The commissioner of agriculture shall not adopt water resource protection
requirements under subdivision 2 for nitrogen fertilizer unless the water resource protection
requirements are specifically approved by law.
new text end