HF 2301

1st Committee Engrossment - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010)

Posted on 03/19/2013 07:29 p.m.

1.1A bill for an act 1.2relating to agriculture; appropriating money for clean water activities;amending 1.3Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 17.117, subdivision 11a. 1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 1.5    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 17.117, subdivision 11a, is amended to 1.6read: 1.7    Subd. 11a. Eligible projects. All projects that remediate or mitigate adverse 1.8environmental impacts are eligible if: 1.9(1) the project is eligible under the allocation agreement and funding sources 1.10designated by the local government unit to finance the project; and 1.11(2) manure management projects remediate or mitigate impacts from facilities with 1.12less than 1,000 animal units as defined in Minnesota Rules, chapter 7020. 1.13 new text begin The purchase of variable rate fertilizer application machinery or equipment is an new text end 1.14 new text begin eligible project if the machinery or equipment is capable of precision-applying three new text end 1.15 new text begin or more products simultaneously and the person commits to using the machinery or new text end 1.16 new text begin equipment in this state for at least five years. The maximum loan amount for this purpose new text end 1.17 new text begin is $100,000. new text end 1.18    Sec. 2. new text begin DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. new text end 1.19 new text begin $3,075,000 in fiscal year 2010 and $5,850,000 in fiscal year 2011 are appropriated new text end 1.20 new text begin from the clean water fund to the commissioner of agriculture to be spent as follows: new text end 1.21 new text begin (1) $325,000 the first year and $350,000 the second year are to increase monitoring new text end 1.22 new text begin for pesticides and pesticide degradates in surface water and groundwater and to use data new text end 1.23 new text begin collected to assess pesticide use practices. new text end 2.1 new text begin (2) $375,000 the first year and $750,000 the second year are to increase drinking new text end 2.2 new text begin water protection from agricultural chemicals, primarily nitrates. new text end 2.3 new text begin (3) $875,000 the first year and $1,750,000 the second year are for research, pilot new text end 2.4 new text begin projects, and technical assistance related to ways agricultural practices can contribute to new text end 2.5 new text begin restoring impaired waters. Of this amount, $330,000 the first year and $330,000 the new text end 2.6 new text begin second year may be used for technical assistance and grants to establish a conservation new text end 2.7 new text begin drainage program in consultation with the Board of Water and Soil Resources and the new text end 2.8 new text begin drainage workgroup that consists of pilot projects to retrofit existing drainage systems new text end 2.9 new text begin with water quality improvement practices, evaluate outcomes, and provide outreach to new text end 2.10 new text begin landowners, public drainage authorities, drainage engineers and contractors, and others. new text end 2.11 new text begin (4) $1,000,000 the first year and $2,500,000 the second year are for the agricultural new text end 2.12 new text begin best management practices loan program. At least $965,000 the first year and at least new text end 2.13 new text begin $2,400,000 the second year are for transfer to the agricultural best management practices new text end 2.14 new text begin loan account created pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 17.117, subdivision 5a, and new text end 2.15 new text begin are available for pass-through to local governments and lenders for low-interest loans. new text end 2.16 new text begin (5) $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the second year are for a transfer to new text end 2.17 new text begin the Board of Water and Soil Resources for feedlot water quality improvement grants new text end 2.18 new text begin to operations with 300 or fewer animal units and prioritized by pollution prevention new text end 2.19 new text begin potential. The board shall give priority consideration to projects that leverage federal or new text end 2.20 new text begin other nonstate funds or contributions and to projects that address high-priority needs new text end 2.21 new text begin identified in local water management plans. These amounts are in addition to any amount new text end 2.22 new text begin recommended by another committee for feedlot water quality improvement grants. new text end