1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to water; authorizing a state general permit 
  1.3             for water appropriation; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.4             1996, section 103G.271, subdivision 1.  
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 103G.271, 
  1.7   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [PERMIT REQUIRED.] (a) Except as provided 
  1.9   in paragraph (b), the state, a person, partnership, or 
  1.10  association, private or public corporation, county, 
  1.11  municipality, or other political subdivision of the state may 
  1.12  not appropriate or use waters of the state without a water use 
  1.13  permit from the commissioner.  
  1.14     (b) This section does not apply to use for a water supply 
  1.15  by less than 25 persons for domestic purposes.  
  1.16     (c) The commissioner may issue a state general permit for 
  1.17  temporary appropriation of water to a governmental subdivision 
  1.18  or to the general public for classes of activities that have 
  1.19  minimal impact upon waters of the state.  The general permit may 
  1.20  authorize more than one project and the appropriation or use of 
  1.21  more than one source of water.  Water use permit processing fees 
  1.22  and reports required under subdivision 6 and section 103G.281, 
  1.23  subdivision 3, are required for each project or water source 
  1.24  that is included under a general permit, except that no fee or 
  1.25  report is required for uses totaling less than 15,000,000 
  2.1   gallons annually. 
  2.2      Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.3      Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.