1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to the environment; encouraging citizen water 
  1.3             quality monitoring; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, 
  1.4             section 115.06, by adding a subdivision. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 115.06, is 
  1.7   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 4.  [CITIZEN MONITORING OF WATER QUALITY.] (a) The 
  1.9   agency shall encourage citizen monitoring of ambient water 
  1.10  quality for waters of the state by: 
  1.11     (1) providing technical assistance, when available, to 
  1.12  citizen and local group water quality monitoring efforts; 
  1.13     (2) integrating citizen monitoring data into water quality 
  1.14  assessments and agency programs, provided that the data adheres 
  1.15  to agency quality assurance and quality control protocols; and 
  1.16     (3) seeking public and private funds to: 
  1.17     (i) collaboratively develop clear guidelines for water 
  1.18  quality monitoring procedures and data management practices for 
  1.19  specific data and information uses; 
  1.20     (ii) distribute the guidelines to citizens, local 
  1.21  governments, and other interested parties; 
  1.22     (iii) improve and expand water quality monitoring 
  1.23  activities carried out by the agency; and 
  1.24     (iv) continue to improve electronic and Web access to water 
  1.25  quality data and information about waters of the state that have 
  2.1   been either fully or partially assessed. 
  2.2      (b) By January 15 of each odd-numbered year, the 
  2.3   commissioner shall report to the senate and house of 
  2.4   representatives committees with jurisdiction over environmental 
  2.5   policy and finance on activities under this section.