1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to the environment; providing for mercury 
  1.3             reduction; appropriating money; proposing coding for 
  1.4             new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [116.915] [MERCURY REDUCTION.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [GOAL.] It is the goal of the state to 
  1.8   reduce mercury contamination by reducing the release of mercury 
  1.9   into the air and water of the state to below 60 percent of 1990 
  1.10  levels by December 31, 2000, and to below 70 percent of 1990 
  1.11  levels by December 31, 2005.  The goal applies to the statewide 
  1.12  total of releases from existing and new sources of mercury.  The 
  1.13  commissioner shall publish updated estimates of 1990 releases in 
  1.14  the State Register. 
  1.15     Subd. 2.  [REDUCTION STRATEGIES.] The commissioner shall 
  1.16  implement the strategies identified in the commissioner's report 
  1.17  dated ......., including soliciting, by July 1, 1999, voluntary 
  1.18  reduction agreements from sources that emit more than 50 pounds 
  1.19  of mercury per year. 
  1.20     Subd. 3.  [PROGRESS REPORTS.] The commissioner, in 
  1.21  cooperation with the director of the office of environmental 
  1.22  assistance, shall submit progress reports to the legislature on 
  1.23  October 15, 2001, and October 15, 2005.  The reports shall 
  1.24  address the state's success in meeting the mercury release 
  1.25  reduction goals of subdivision 1, and discuss whether different 
  2.1   voluntary or mandatory reduction strategies are needed.  The 
  2.2   reports shall also discuss whether the reduction goals are still 
  2.3   appropriate given the most recent information regarding mercury 
  2.4   risks. 
  2.5      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.6      $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.7   pollution control agency for the biennium ending June 30, 2001, 
  2.8   for the purposes of section 1.