1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to the environment; clarifying time for 
  1.3             filing an action under MERLA; requiring public notice 
  1.4             of proposed response actions; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 1996, sections 115B.02, by adding a 
  1.6             subdivision; 115B.11; and 115B.17, by adding a 
  1.7             subdivision. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 115B.02, is 
  1.10  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.11     Subd. 4a.  [CONSTRUCTION.] "Construction" means actions 
  1.12  taken after the selection of remedial actions such as 
  1.13  excavation, building of structures, installation of equipment or 
  1.14  fixtures, and other physical actions to respond to a release or 
  1.15  threatened release, but does not include operation, maintenance, 
  1.16  and monitoring actions taken after the response action is fully 
  1.17  constructed and operational. 
  1.18     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 115B.11, is 
  1.19  amended to read: 
  1.20     115B.11 [STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.] 
  1.21     Subdivision 1.  [ACTION FOR RECOVERY OF COSTS.] (a) An 
  1.22  action for recovery of response costs under section 115B.04, 
  1.23  including recovery of costs and expenses under section 115B.17, 
  1.24  subdivision 6, may be commenced any time after costs and 
  1.25  expenses have been incurred but must be commenced no later than 
  1.26  six years after commencement of construction of a response 
  2.1   action. 
  2.2      (b) If an action to recover response costs is commenced 
  2.3   within the time required under paragraph (a), and additional 
  2.4   response costs are incurred after the commencement of that 
  2.5   action, nothing in paragraph (a) precludes further actions or 
  2.6   proceedings to recover the additional response costs; however, 
  2.7   the further action or proceeding must be commenced no later than 
  2.8   three years after the completion of all response actions 
  2.9   including operation, maintenance, and monitoring actions. 
  2.10     Subd. 2.  [ACTION FOR DAMAGES.] No person may 
  2.11  recover damages pursuant to sections 115B.01 to 115B.15 unless 
  2.12  the action is commenced within six years from the date when the 
  2.13  cause of action accrues.  In determining when the cause of 
  2.14  action accrues for an action to recover damages for death, 
  2.15  personal injury or disease, the court shall consider factors 
  2.16  including the following:  
  2.17     (a) When the plaintiff discovered the injury or loss; 
  2.18     (b) Whether a personal injury or disease had sufficiently 
  2.19  manifested itself; and 
  2.20     (c) When the plaintiff discovered, or using due diligence 
  2.21  should have discovered, a causal connection between the injury, 
  2.22  disease, or loss and the release of a hazardous substance.  
  2.23     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 115B.17, is 
  2.24  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.25     Subd. 2b.  [PUBLIC NOTICE OF PROPOSED RESPONSE 
  2.26  ACTIONS.] Before selecting a remedial action to respond to a 
  2.27  release or threatened release listed pursuant to subdivision 13, 
  2.28  the commissioner shall make reasonable efforts to provide 
  2.29  written notice of the proposed remedial action to the public, 
  2.30  and provide an opportunity for submission of comments on the 
  2.31  proposed remedial action.  The notice shall also be given to all 
  2.32  persons known to the commissioner at the time of the notice who 
  2.33  the commissioner has reason to believe are responsible for the 
  2.34  release or threatened release, including all persons who have 
  2.35  previously received a request for response action under 
  2.36  subdivision 1 with respect to the release or threatened release. 
  3.1      Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.2      Sections 1 to 3 are effective the day following final 
  3.3   enactment.  Section 2 applies to actions for recovery of costs 
  3.4   commenced on or after that date.