HF 3458

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/22/2024 04:22pm

A bill for an act
relating to natural resources; prohibiting certain nonferrous mining activities in
Rainy River headwaters watershed; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 93.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [93.435] NONFERROUS MINING IN RAINY RIVER HEADWATERS
WATERSHED; PROHIBITIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definition. new text end

new text begin For the purposes of this section, "Rainy River headwaters
watershed" means that area of land and waters included in the​ Rainy River headwaters
watershed of the Lake of the Woods basin identified in Minnesota ​Rules, part 7050.0470,
subpart 2, item A, subitem (1), as hydrologic unit code 09030001 and designated on the
map of​ Minnesota's major watersheds under Minnesota Rules, part 7050.0469, as Rainy
Headwaters.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Prohibitions. new text end

new text begin Within the Rainy River headwaters watershed, a person may not:
new text end

new text begin (1) dispose of or store waste tailings from nonferrous metallic mineral mining
aboveground;
new text end

new text begin (2) store reactive waste rock from nonferrous metallic mineral mining aboveground;
new text end

new text begin (3) use a heap leaching mining process when mining nonferrous metallic minerals; or
new text end

new text begin (4) conduct nonferrous metallic mineral smelting.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end