1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to waters; modifying appropriation for certain watershed restoration;
1.3 	amending Laws 2016, chapter 189, article 3, section 4.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. Laws 2016, chapter 189, article 3, section 4, is amended to read:

1.6
1.7	Sec. 4. BOARD OF WATER AND SOIL 
RESOURCES
 	$
	-0-
	$
	479,000
	
1.8 	$479,000 the second year is for the 
1.9 	development of a detailed plan to implement 
1.10 	a working lands watershed restoration program 
1.11 	to incentivize the establishment and 
1.12 	maintenance of perennial crops that includes 
1.13 	the following:
1.14 	(1) a process for selecting pilot watersheds 
1.15 	that are expected to result in the greatest water 
1.16 	quality improvements and exhibit readiness 
1.17 	to participate in the program;
1.18 	(2) an assessment of the quantity of 
1.19 	agricultural land that is expected to be eligible 
1.20 	for the program in each watershed;
1.21 	(3) an assessment of landowner interest in 
1.22 	participating in the program;
2.1 	(4) an assessment of the contract terms and 
2.2 	any recommendations for changes to the terms, 
2.3 	including consideration of variable payment 
2.4 	rates for lands of different priority or type;
2.5 	(5) an assessment of the opportunity to 
2.6 	leverage federal funds through the program 
2.7 	and recommendations on how to maximize 
2.8 	the use of federal funds for assistance to 
2.9 	establish perennial crops;
2.10 	(6) an assessment of how other state programs 
2.11 	could complement the program;
2.12 	(7) an estimate of water quality improvements 
2.13 	expected to result from implementation in pilot 
2.14 	watersheds;
2.15 	(8) an assessment of how to best integrate 
2.16 	program implementation with existing 
2.17 	conservation requirements and develop 
2.18 	recommendations on harvest practices and 
2.19 	timing to benefit wildlife production;
2.20 	(9) an assessment of the potential viability and 
2.21 	water quality benefit of cover crops used in 
2.22 	biomass processing facilities;
2.23 	(10) a timeline for implementation, 
2.24 	coordinated to the extent possible with 
2.25 	proposed biomass processing facilities; and
2.26 	(11) a projection of funding sources needed 
2.27 	to complete implementation.;
2.28 	(12) outreach to local governments, interest 
2.29 	groups, and individual farmers on the 
2.30 	economic and environmental benefits of 
2.31 	perennial and cover crops;
2.32 	(13) establishment of detailed criteria to target 
2.33 	the location of perennial and cover crops on 
3.1 	a watershed basis to maximize the 
3.2 	environmental benefit at the lowest cost; and
3.3 	(14) development of model contracts to 
3.4 	include payment rates, duration, type of crops, 
3.5 	harvest standards, and monitoring procedures 
3.6 	for use in future program implementation.
3.7 	This is a onetime appropriation and is 
3.8 	available until June 30, 2018 2019.
3.9 	The board shall coordinate development of 
3.10 	the working lands watershed restoration plan 
3.11 	with stakeholders and the commissioners of 
3.12 	natural resources, agriculture, and the 
3.13 	Pollution Control Agency. The board must 
3.14 	submit an interim report by October 15, 2017
3.15 	2018, and the feasibility study and program 
3.16 	plan by February 1, 2018 2019, to the chairs 
3.17 	and ranking minority members of the 
3.18 	legislative committees and divisions with 
3.19 	jurisdiction over agriculture, natural resources, 
3.20 	and environment policy and finance and to the 
3.21 	Clean Water Council.