1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to waters; temporarily prohibiting enforcement of certain water 
1.3 	appropriation permit conditions.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. TEMPORARY ENFORCEMENT OF GROUNDWATER 
1.6 	APPROPRIATION PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.
 1.7 	(a) Until July 1, 2019, the commissioner of natural resources must not expend funds to 
1.8 	suspend or revoke a water appropriation permit, issue an order requiring a violation to be 
1.9 	corrected, assess monetary penalties, or otherwise take enforcement action against a water 
1.10 	appropriation permit holder if the suspension, revocation, order, penalty, or other enforcement 
1.11 	action is based solely on a violation of a permit requirement added to a groundwater 
1.12 	appropriation permit within the north and east metro groundwater management area as a 
1.13 	result of a court order issued in 2017.
1.14 	(b) The commissioner of natural resources may continue to use all the authorities granted 
1.15 	to the commissioner under Minnesota Statutes, section 103G.287, to manage groundwater 
1.16 	resources within the north and east groundwater management area.

1.17 	Sec. 2. GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT AREA; PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.
 1.18 	(a) Notwithstanding water appropriation permit requirements added by the commissioner 
1.19 	of natural resources as a result of a court order issued in 2017, a public water supplier located 
1.20 	in the seven-county metropolitan area within a designated groundwater management area:
1.21 	(1) is not required to revise a water supply plan to include contingency plans to fully or 
1.22 	partially convert its water supplies to surface water;
2.1 	(2) may prepare, enact, and enforce commercial or residential irrigation bans or alternative 
2.2 	measures that achieve similar water use reductions when notified by the commissioner of 
2.3 	natural resources that lake levels have fallen below court-ordered levels; and
2.4 	(3) is not required to use per capita residential water use as a measure for purposes of 
2.5 	water use reduction goals, plans, and implementation and may submit water use plans and 
2.6 	reports that use a measure other than per capita residential water use.
2.7 	(b) This section expires July 1, 2019.