1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to state government; appropriating money for environment and natural 
1.3 	resources; appropriating money from environment and natural resources trust fund; 
1.4 	modifying prior appropriations; modifying fees and surcharges; modifying 
1.5 	disposition of certain funds; modifying permitting and environmental review 
1.6 	provisions; establishing a stewardship program for circuit boards, batteries, and 
1.7 	electrical products; modifying and establishing duties, authorities, and prohibitions 
1.8 	regarding environment and natural resources; modifying and creating environment 
1.9 	and natural resources programs; modifying and creating grant programs; providing 
1.10 	civil and criminal penalties; authorizing rulemaking; modifying requirements for 
1.11 	recreational vehicles; modifying state trail, state forest, and state park provisions; 
1.12 	authorizing sales, conveyances, and leases of certain state lands; modifying forestry 
1.13 	provisions; modifying game and fish provisions; making technical changes; 
1.14 	requiring reports; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 84.027, by adding 
1.15 	a subdivision; 84.03; 84.8035, subdivision 1; 84D.01, by adding a subdivision; 
1.16 	84D.05, subdivision 1; 86B.415, subdivision 7; 97A.223, subdivision 1; 97A.421, 
1.17 	by adding a subdivision; 97A.465, by adding a subdivision; 97A.475, subdivisions 
1.18 	2, 6; 97B.001, subdivision 4; 97B.037; 97B.318, subdivision 1; 97B.405; 97B.667, 
1.19 	subdivision 3; 97B.945; 97C.395; 97C.835, subdivision 2; 103G.005, subdivision 
1.20 	15; 103G.201; 103G.271, subdivision 6; 103G.301, subdivision 2; 115.01, by 
1.21 	adding a subdivision; 115.071, subdivision 1; 115.542; 115A.121; 115A.554; 
1.22 	115B.421; 116.03, subdivision 2b; 116.07, subdivisions 4a, 4d, by adding a 
1.23 	subdivision; 116.073, subdivisions 1, 2; 116.182, subdivision 5; 116.92, subdivision 
1.24 	6, by adding a subdivision; 116.943, subdivisions 1, 5; 116D.04, subdivisions 2a, 
1.25 	2b, 5a; 116D.045, subdivision 1; 325E.3892, subdivisions 1, 2; 325F.072, 
1.26 	subdivision 3; 446A.07, subdivision 8; 473.355, subdivision 2; 473.859, subdivision 
1.27 	2; Laws 2023, chapter 60, article 1, sections 2, subdivisions 2, 7, 10; 3, subdivision 
1.28 	6; Laws 2024, chapter 83, section 2, subdivisions 3, 8; proposing coding for new 
1.29 	law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 84; 86B; 97B; 115; 115A; 325F; repealing 
1.30 	Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 103E.067; 115A.1310, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 
1.31 	5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20; 115A.1312; 
1.32 	115A.1314; 115A.1316; 115A.1318; 115A.1320; 115A.1322; 115A.1323; 
1.33 	115A.1324; 115A.1326; 115A.1328; 115A.1330; 115A.9155; 115A.9157, 
1.34 	subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; 115A.961, subdivisions 1, 2, 3; 116C.04, 
1.35 	subdivision 11; 116C.991; 116D.04, subdivision 5b; 325E.125; 325E.1251.
2.1 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

2.2 	ARTICLE 1
2.3 	ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES APPROPRIATIONS

2.4	Section 1. ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES APPROPRIATIONS.
 	
2.5 	The sums shown in the columns marked "Appropriations" are appropriated to the agencies 
2.6 	and for the purposes specified in this article. The appropriations are from the general fund, 
2.7 	or another named fund, and are available for the fiscal years indicated for each purpose. 
2.8 	The figures "2026" and "2027" used in this article mean that the appropriations listed under 
2.9 	them are available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, or June 30, 2027, respectively. 
2.10 	"The first year" is fiscal year 2026. "The second year" is fiscal year 2027. "The biennium" 
2.11 	is fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

2.12				APPROPRIATIONS
	
2.13				Available for the Year
	
2.14				Ending June 30
	
2.15					2026
		2027

2.16	Sec. 2. POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY

2.17	Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation
 	$
	157,580,000
	$
	163,566,000

2.18	Appropriations by Fund
	
2.19		2026
	2027
	
2.20	General
	9,122,000
	9,072,000
	
2.21
2.22	State Government 
Special Revenue
	90,000
	90,000
	
2.23	Environmental
	119,906,000
	125,675,000
	
2.24	Remediation
	21,962,000
	22,229,000
	
2.25
2.26	Closed Landfill 
Investment
	6,500,000
	6,500,000
	
2.27 	The amounts that may be spent for each 
2.28 	purpose are specified in the following 
2.29 	subdivisions.
2.30 	The commissioner must present the agency's 
2.31 	biennial budget for fiscal years 2028 and 2029 
2.32 	to the legislature in a transparent way by 
2.33 	agency division, including the proposed 
2.34 	budget bill and presentations of the budget to 
3.1 	committees and divisions with jurisdiction 
3.2 	over the agency's budget.

3.3	Subd. 2.Environmental Analysis and Outcomes
 		23,077,000
		25,027,000

3.4	Appropriations by Fund
	
3.5		2026
	2027
	
3.6	General
	283,000
	296,000
	
3.7	Environmental
	22,575,000
	24,511,000
	
3.8	Remediation
	219,000
	220,000
	
3.9 	(a) $128,000 the first year and $131,000 the 
3.10 	second year are from the environmental fund 
3.11 	for a municipal liaison to assist municipalities 
3.12 	with water quality standards and NPDES/SDS 
3.13 	permitting processes, including enhanced 
3.14 	economic analysis in the water quality 
3.15 	standards rulemaking processes, identification 
3.16 	of cost-effective permitting opportunities, 
3.17 	simplifying the variance process, and 
3.18 	coordinating with the Public Facilities 
3.19 	Authority to identify and advocate for needed 
3.20 	resources for municipalities to achieve permit 
3.21 	requirements.
3.22 	(b) $1,182,000 the first year and $1,191,000 
3.23 	the second year are from the environmental 
3.24 	fund for an air-monitoring program under 
3.25 	Minnesota Statutes, section 116.454, including 
3.26 	ambient air for hazardous pollutants, and for 
3.27 	operating a mobile emissions regulatory 
3.28 	monitoring trailer.
3.29 	(c) $144,000 the first year and $148,000 the 
3.30 	second year are from the environmental fund 
3.31 	for monitoring water quality and operating 
3.32 	assistance programs.
3.33 	(d) $109,000 the first year and $109,000 the 
3.34 	second year are from the environmental fund 
4.1 	for duties related to harmful chemicals in 
4.2 	children's products under Minnesota Statutes, 
4.3 	sections 116.9401 to 116.9407. Of this 
4.4 	amount, $70,000 the first year and $70,000 
4.5 	the second year are transferred to the 
4.6 	commissioner of health.
4.7 	(e) $137,000 the first year and $139,000 the 
4.8 	second year are from the environmental fund 
4.9 	for registering wastewater laboratories.
4.10 	(f) $1,527,000 the first year and $1,529,000 
4.11 	the second year are from the environmental 
4.12 	fund to continue perfluorochemical 
4.13 	biomonitoring in eastern metropolitan 
4.14 	communities, as recommended by the 
4.15 	Environmental Health Tracking and 
4.16 	Biomonitoring Advisory Panel, and to address 
4.17 	other environmental health risks, including air 
4.18 	quality. The communities must include Hmong 
4.19 	and other immigrant farming communities. 
4.20 	Of this amount, up to $1,248,000 the first year 
4.21 	and $1,248,000 the second year are for transfer 
4.22 	to the commissioner of health.
4.23 	(g) $64,000 the first year and $65,000 the 
4.24 	second year are from the environmental fund 
4.25 	for the listing procedures for impaired waters 
4.26 	required under this act.
4.27 	(h) $79,000 the first year and $80,000 the 
4.28 	second year are from the remediation fund for 
4.29 	the leaking underground storage tank program 
4.30 	to investigate, clean up, and prevent future 
4.31 	releases from underground petroleum storage 
4.32 	tanks and for the petroleum remediation 
4.33 	program for vapor assessment and 
4.34 	remediation. These same annual amounts are 
5.1 	transferred from the petroleum tank fund to 
5.2 	the remediation fund.
5.3 	(i) $283,000 the first year and $296,000 the 
5.4 	second year are from the general fund to 
5.5 	support communities in planning to implement 
5.6 	projects that will allow for adaptation for a 
5.7 	changing climate.
5.8 	(j) $2,139,000 the first year and $2,160,000 
5.9 	the second year are from the environmental 
5.10 	fund to develop and implement a program 
5.11 	related to emerging issues, including 
5.12 	Minnesota's PFAS Blueprint.
5.13 	(k) $1,893,000 the first year and $1,915,000 
5.14 	the second year are from the environmental 
5.15 	fund to support improved management of data 
5.16 	collected by the agency and its partners and 
5.17 	regulated parties to facilitate decision-making 
5.18 	and public access.
5.19 	(l) $1,448,000 the second year is from the 
5.20 	environmental fund to adopt rules and 
5.21 	implement air toxics emissions requirements 
5.22 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 116.062.
5.23 	(m) $904,000 the first year and $911,000 the 
5.24 	second year are from the environmental fund 
5.25 	for monitoring ambient air for hazardous air 
5.26 	pollutants in Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington, 
5.27 	and Olmsted Counties.
5.28 	(n) $175,000 the first year and $175,000 the 
5.29 	second year are from the environmental fund 
5.30 	to address wastewater effluent limits and 
5.31 	variances for backlogged permits.

5.32	Subd. 3.Industrial
 		24,144,000
		27,443,000

5.33	Appropriations by Fund
	
5.34		2026
	2027
	
6.1	General
	782,000
	789,000
	
6.2	Environmental
	21,376,000
	24,641,000
	
6.3	Remediation
	1,986,000
	2,013,000
	
6.4 	(a) $1,876,000 the first year and $1,902,000 
6.5 	the second year are from the remediation fund 
6.6 	for the leaking underground storage tank 
6.7 	program to investigate, clean up, and prevent 
6.8 	future releases from underground petroleum 
6.9 	storage tanks and for the petroleum 
6.10 	remediation program for vapor assessment 
6.11 	and remediation. These same annual amounts 
6.12 	are transferred from the petroleum tank fund 
6.13 	to the remediation fund.
6.14 	(b) $457,000 the first year and $457,000 the 
6.15 	second year are from the environmental fund 
6.16 	to further evaluate the use and reduction of 
6.17 	trichloroethylene around Minnesota and 
6.18 	identify its potential health effects on 
6.19 	communities. Of this amount, $149,000 the 
6.20 	first year and $149,000 the second year are 
6.21 	for transfer to the commissioner of health.
6.22 	(c) $257,000 the first year and $264,000 the 
6.23 	second year are from the general fund for 
6.24 	implementation of the odor management 
6.25 	requirements under Minnesota Statutes, 
6.26 	section 116.064.
6.27 	(d) $148,000 the second year is from the 
6.28 	environmental fund for the purposes of the 
6.29 	public informational meeting requirements 
6.30 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 116.07, 
6.31 	subdivision 4m.
6.32 	(e) $2,698,000 the first year and $2,718,000 
6.33 	the second year are from the environmental 
6.34 	fund for prioritizing air regulatory program 
6.35 	work in environmental justice areas.
7.1 	(f) $2,539,000 the second year is from the 
7.2 	environmental fund for implementing the 
7.3 	environmental justice cumulative impact 
7.4 	analysis and other requirements under 
7.5 	Minnesota Statutes, section 116.065.
7.6 	(g) $730,000 the first year and $740,000 the 
7.7 	second year are from the environmental fund 
7.8 	to improve the coordination, effectiveness, 
7.9 	transparency, and accountability of the 
7.10 	environmental review and permitting process.
7.11 	(h) $700,00 the first year and $700,000 the 
7.12 	second year are to address backlogged permits. 
7.13 	Of this amount, $525,000 the first year and 
7.14 	$525,000 the second year are from the general 
7.15 	fund and $175,000 the first year and $175,000 
7.16 	the second year are from the environmental 
7.17 	fund.

7.18	Subd. 4.Municipal
 		11,271,000
		11,410,000

7.19	Appropriations by Fund
	
7.20		2026
	2027
	
7.21
7.22	State Government 
Special Revenue
	90,000
	90,000
	
7.23	Environmental
	11,181,000
	11,320,000
	
7.24 	(a) $228,000 the first year and $233,000 the 
7.25 	second year are from the environmental fund 
7.26 	for a municipal liaison to assist municipalities 
7.27 	with water quality standards and NPDES/SDS 
7.28 	permitting processes, including enhanced 
7.29 	economic analysis in the water quality 
7.30 	standards rulemaking processes, identification 
7.31 	of cost-effective permitting opportunities, 
7.32 	simplifying the variance process, and 
7.33 	coordinating with the Public Facilities 
7.34 	Authority to identify and advocate for needed 
8.1 	resources for municipalities to achieve permit 
8.2 	requirements.
8.3 	(b) $50,000 the first year and $50,000 the 
8.4 	second year are from the environmental fund 
8.5 	for transfer to the Office of Administrative 
8.6 	Hearings to establish sanitary districts.
8.7 	(c) $2,511,000 the first year and $2,535,000 
8.8 	the second year are from the environmental 
8.9 	fund for subsurface sewage treatment system 
8.10 	(SSTS) program administration; for 
8.11 	community technical assistance and education, 
8.12 	including grants and technical assistance to 
8.13 	communities for water-quality protection, new 
8.14 	technology review, and enforcement under 
8.15 	Minnesota Statutes, sections 115.55 to 115.58; 
8.16 	and to complete the requirements of Laws 
8.17 	2003, chapter 128, article 1, section 165. Of 
8.18 	this amount, $350,000 each year is for 
8.19 	assistance to counties through grants for SSTS 
8.20 	program administration. A county receiving 
8.21 	a grant from this appropriation must submit 
8.22 	the results achieved with the grant to the 
8.23 	commissioner as part of its annual SSTS 
8.24 	report. Any unexpended balance in the first 
8.25 	year does not cancel but is available in the 
8.26 	second year.
8.27 	(d) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, 
8.28 	section 16A.28, the appropriations 
8.29 	encumbered on or before June 30, 2027, as 
8.30 	grants or contracts for subsurface sewage 
8.31 	treatment systems, surface water and 
8.32 	groundwater assessments, storm water, and 
8.33 	water-quality protection in this subdivision 
8.34 	are available until June 30, 2030.

8.35	Subd. 5.Operations
 		15,584,000
		15,650,000

9.1	Appropriations by Fund
	
9.2		2026
	2027
	
9.3	General
	4,219,000
	4,115,000
	
9.4	Environmental
	8,733,000
	8,870,000
	
9.5	Remediation
	2,632,000
	2,665,000
	
9.6 	(a) $1,187,000 the first year and $1,201,000 
9.7 	the second year are from the remediation fund 
9.8 	for the leaking underground storage tank 
9.9 	program to investigate, clean up, and prevent 
9.10 	future releases from underground petroleum 
9.11 	storage tanks and for the petroleum 
9.12 	remediation program for vapor assessment 
9.13 	and remediation. These same annual amounts 
9.14 	are transferred from the petroleum tank fund 
9.15 	to the remediation fund.
9.16 	(b) $3,204,000 the first year and $3,300,000 
9.17 	the second year are from the general fund to 
9.18 	support agency information technology 
9.19 	services provided at the enterprise and agency 
9.20 	level.
9.21 	(c) $955,000 the first year and $965,000 the 
9.22 	second year are from the environmental fund 
9.23 	to develop and maintain systems to support 
9.24 	permitting and regulatory business processes 
9.25 	and agency data.
9.26 	(d) $278,000 the first year and $280,000 the 
9.27 	second year are from the environmental fund 
9.28 	to support current and future career pathways 
9.29 	for underrepresented students.
9.30 	(e) $375,000 the first year and $380,000 the 
9.31 	second year are from the environmental fund 
9.32 	to support financial planning and analysis to 
9.33 	assist with risk and compliance management 
9.34 	across agency programs and financial systems.
10.1 	(f) $538,000 the first year and $542,000 the 
10.2 	second year are from the environmental fund 
10.3 	for Operations Division legal services that 
10.4 	support compliance programs.
10.5 	(g) $815,000 the first year and $815,000 the 
10.6 	second year are from the general fund for 
10.7 	developing tools to improve permitting 
10.8 	issuance processes. This appropriation is 
10.9 	available until June 30, 2029. This is a onetime 
10.10 	appropriation.
10.11 	(h) $200,000 the first year is from the general 
10.12 	fund to expand outreach under Minnesota 
10.13 	Statutes, section 116.07, subdivision 13. This 
10.14 	is a onetime appropriation.
10.15 	(i) The total general fund base for the 
10.16 	Operations Division for fiscal year 2028 and 
10.17 	later is $3,300,000.

10.18	Subd. 6.Remediation
 		23,861,000
		24,068,000

10.19	Appropriations by Fund
	
10.20		2026
	2027
	
10.21	Environmental
	642,000
	646,000
	
10.22	Remediation
	16,719,000
	16,922,000
	
10.23
10.24	Closed Landfill 
Investment
	6,500,000
	6,500,000
	
10.25 	(a) All money for environmental response, 
10.26 	compensation, and compliance in the 
10.27 	remediation fund not otherwise appropriated 
10.28 	is appropriated to the commissioners of the 
10.29 	Pollution Control Agency and agriculture for 
10.30 	purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section 
10.31 	115B.20, subdivision 2, clauses (1), (2), (3), 
10.32 	(6), and (7). At the beginning of each fiscal 
10.33 	year, the two commissioners must jointly 
10.34 	submit to the commissioner of management 
10.35 	and budget an annual spending plan that 
11.1 	maximizes resource use and appropriately 
11.2 	allocates the money between the two 
11.3 	departments.
11.4 	(b) $4,965,000 the first year and $5,036,000 
11.5 	the second year are from the remediation fund 
11.6 	for the leaking underground storage tank 
11.7 	program to investigate, clean up, and prevent 
11.8 	future releases from underground petroleum 
11.9 	storage tanks and for the petroleum 
11.10 	remediation program for vapor assessment 
11.11 	and remediation. These same annual amounts 
11.12 	are transferred from the petroleum tank fund 
11.13 	to the remediation fund.
11.14 	(c) $316,000 the first year and $316,000 the 
11.15 	second year are from the remediation fund for 
11.16 	transfer to the commissioner of health for 
11.17 	private water-supply monitoring and health 
11.18 	assessment costs in areas contaminated by 
11.19 	unpermitted mixed municipal solid waste 
11.20 	disposal facilities and drinking water 
11.21 	advisories and public information activities 
11.22 	for areas contaminated by hazardous releases.
11.23 	(d) $350,000 the first year and $350,000 the 
11.24 	second year are from the remediation fund to 
11.25 	review and mitigate the impacts from the 
11.26 	backlog of high-priority sites in the Superfund 
11.27 	site assessment program.
11.28 	(e) $6,500,000 the first year and $6,500,000 
11.29 	the second year are from the closed landfill 
11.30 	investment fund for costs not otherwise 
11.31 	covered with other resources under the landfill 
11.32 	cleanup program in Minnesota Statutes, 
11.33 	sections 115B.39 to 115B.444. This is a 
11.34 	onetime appropriation and is available until 
11.35 	June 30, 2029. The commissioner must report 
12.1 	on all work plans and expenditures from this 
12.2 	appropriation to the chairs and ranking 
12.3 	minority members of the legislative 
12.4 	committees having jurisdiction over 
12.5 	environment policy and finance by February 
12.6 	15, 2027.

12.7	Subd. 7.Resource Management and Assistance
 		46,830,000
		46,985,000

12.8	Appropriations by Fund
	
12.9		2026
	2027
	
12.10	General
	70,000
	70,000
	
12.11	Environmental
	46,760,000
	46,915,000
	
12.12 	(a) Up to $150,000 the first year and $150,000 
12.13 	the second year may be transferred from the 
12.14 	environmental fund to the small business 
12.15 	environmental improvement loan account 
12.16 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 116.993.
12.17 	(b) $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 
12.18 	the second year are from the environmental 
12.19 	fund for competitive recycling grants under 
12.20 	Minnesota Statutes, section 115A.565. This 
12.21 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2029.
12.22 	(c) $694,000 the first year and $694,000 the 
12.23 	second year are from the environmental fund 
12.24 	for emission-reduction activities and grants to 
12.25 	small businesses and other 
12.26 	nonpoint-emission-reduction efforts. Of this 
12.27 	amount, $100,000 the first year and $100,000 
12.28 	the second year are to continue work with 
12.29 	Clean Air Minnesota, and the commissioner 
12.30 	may enter into an agreement with 
12.31 	Environmental Initiative to support this effort.
12.32 	(d) $18,450,000 the first year and $18,450,000 
12.33 	the second year are from the environmental 
12.34 	fund for SCORE block grants to counties.
13.1 	(e) $119,000 the first year and $119,000 the 
13.2 	second year are from the environmental fund 
13.3 	for environmental assistance grants or loans 
13.4 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 115A.0716.
13.5 	(f) $400,000 the first year and $400,000 the 
13.6 	second year are from the environmental fund 
13.7 	for grants to develop and expand recycling 
13.8 	markets for Minnesota businesses. This 
13.9 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2029.
13.10 	(g) $770,000 the first year and $770,000 the 
13.11 	second year are from the environmental fund 
13.12 	for reducing and diverting food waste, 
13.13 	redirecting edible food for consumption, and 
13.14 	removing barriers to collecting and recovering 
13.15 	organic waste. Of this amount, $500,000 each 
13.16 	year is for grants to increase food rescue and 
13.17 	waste prevention. This appropriation is 
13.18 	available until June 30, 2029.
13.19 	(h) $2,829,000 the first year and $2,835,000 
13.20 	the second year are from the environmental 
13.21 	fund for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes, 
13.22 	section 473.844.
13.23 	(i) $479,000 the first year and $481,000 the 
13.24 	second year are from the environmental fund 
13.25 	to address chemicals in products, including to 
13.26 	implement and enforce flame retardant 
13.27 	provisions under Minnesota Statutes, section 
13.28 	325F.071, and perfluoroalkyl and 
13.29 	polyfluoroalkyl substances in food packaging 
13.30 	provisions under Minnesota Statutes, section 
13.31 	325F.075. Of this amount, $80,000 the first 
13.32 	year and $80,000 the second year are 
13.33 	transferred to the commissioner of health.
14.1 	(j) $650,000 the first year and $650,000 the 
14.2 	second year are from the environmental fund 
14.3 	for Minnesota GreenCorps investment.
14.4 	(k) $1,143,000 the first year and $1,152,000 
14.5 	the second year are from the environmental 
14.6 	fund for implementation of the PFAS 
14.7 	requirements under Minnesota Statutes, 
14.8 	section 116.943. Of this amount, $468,000 the 
14.9 	first year and $468,000 the second year are 
14.10 	for transfer to the commissioner of health.
14.11 	(l) $175,000 the first year and $175,000 the 
14.12 	second year are from the environmental fund 
14.13 	to address land permitting activities.
14.14 	(m) $215,000 the first year and $215,000 the 
14.15 	second year are from the environmental fund 
14.16 	to enhance existing work to reduce or 
14.17 	eliminate mercury-containing skin-lightening 
14.18 	products. The base is $195,000 in fiscal year 
14.19 	2028 and thereafter.
14.20 	(n) Any unencumbered grant and loan 
14.21 	balances in the first year do not cancel but are 
14.22 	available for grants and loans in the second 
14.23 	year. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, 
14.24 	section 16A.28, the appropriations 
14.25 	encumbered on or before June 30, 2027, as 
14.26 	contracts or grants for environmental 
14.27 	assistance awarded under Minnesota Statutes, 
14.28 	section 115A.0716; technical and research 
14.29 	assistance under Minnesota Statutes, section 
14.30 	115A.152; technical assistance under 
14.31 	Minnesota Statutes, section 115A.52; and 
14.32 	pollution prevention assistance under 
14.33 	Minnesota Statutes, section 115D.04, are 
14.34 	available until June 30, 2029.

15.1	Subd. 8.Watershed
 		11,268,000
		11,401,000

15.2	Appropriations by Fund
	
15.3		2026
	2027
	
15.4	General
	2,459,000
	2,459,000
	
15.5	Environmental
	8,403,000
	8,533,000
	
15.6	Remediation
	406,000
	409,000
	
15.7 	(a) $2,459,000 the first year and $2,459,000 
15.8 	the second year are from the general fund for 
15.9 	grants to delegated counties to administer the 
15.10 	county feedlot program under Minnesota 
15.11 	Statutes, section 116.0711, subdivisions 2 and 
15.12 	3. Money remaining after the first year is 
15.13 	available for the second year.
15.14 	(b) $137,000 the first year and $138,000 the 
15.15 	second year are from the remediation fund for 
15.16 	the leaking underground storage tank program 
15.17 	to investigate, clean up, and prevent future 
15.18 	releases from underground petroleum storage 
15.19 	tanks and for the petroleum remediation 
15.20 	program for vapor assessment and 
15.21 	remediation. These same annual amounts are 
15.22 	transferred from the petroleum tank fund to 
15.23 	the remediation fund.
15.24 	(c) Any unencumbered grant and loan balances 
15.25 	in the first year do not cancel but are available 
15.26 	for grants and loans in the second year.

15.27	Subd. 9.Environmental Quality Board
 		1,545,000
		1,582,000

15.28	Appropriations by Fund
	
15.29		2026
	2027
	
15.30	General
	1,309,000
	1,343,000
	
15.31	Environmental
	236,000
	239,000

15.32	Subd. 10.Transfers
 					
15.33 	The commissioner must transfer up to 
15.34 	$24,000,000 the first year and $24,000,000 
16.1 	the second year from the environmental fund 
16.2 	to the remediation fund for purposes of the 
16.3 	remediation fund under Minnesota Statutes, 
16.4 	section 116.155, subdivision 2. For fiscal years 
16.5 	2028 through 2031, the commissioner of 
16.6 	management and budget must include a 
16.7 	transfer of $24,000,000 each year from the 
16.8 	environmental fund to the remediation fund 
16.9 	when preparing each forecast from the 
16.10 	effective date of this section through the 
16.11 	February 2027 forecast under Minnesota 
16.12 	Statutes, section 16A.103.

16.13	Sec. 3. NATURAL RESOURCES

16.14	Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation
 	$
	396,596,000
	$
	397,706,000

16.15	Appropriations by Fund
	
16.16		2026
	2027
	
16.17	General
	130,981,000
	131,435,000
	
16.18	Natural Resources
	133,926,000
	134,324,000
	
16.19	Game and Fish
	130,852,000
	131,098,000
	
16.20	Remediation
	117,000
	117,000
	
16.21	Permanent School
	720,000
	732,000
	
16.22 	The amounts that may be spent for each 
16.23 	purpose are specified in the following 
16.24 	subdivisions.

16.25
16.26	Subd. 2.Land and Mineral Resources 
Management
 		10,569,000
		10,615,000

16.27	Appropriations by Fund
	
16.28		2026
	2027
	
16.29	General
	5,069,000
	5,099,000
	
16.30	Natural Resources
	4,929,000
	4,940,000
	
16.31	Game and Fish
	344,000
	344,000
	
16.32	Permanent School
	227,000
	232,000
	
16.33 	(a) $319,000 the first year and $319,000 the 
16.34 	second year are for environmental research 
16.35 	relating to mine permitting, of which $200,000 
17.1 	each year is from the minerals management 
17.2 	account in the natural resources fund and 
17.3 	$119,000 each year is from the general fund.
17.4 	(b) $3,639,000 the first year and $3,650,000 
17.5 	the second year are from the minerals 
17.6 	management account in the natural resources 
17.7 	fund for use as provided under Minnesota 
17.8 	Statutes, section 93.2236, paragraph (c), for 
17.9 	mineral resource management, projects to 
17.10 	enhance future mineral income, and projects 
17.11 	to promote new mineral-resource 
17.12 	opportunities.
17.13 	(c) $227,000 the first year and $232,000 the 
17.14 	second year are from the permanent school 
17.15 	fund to secure maximum long-term economic 
17.16 	return from the school trust lands consistent 
17.17 	with fiduciary responsibilities and sound 
17.18 	natural resources conservation and 
17.19 	management principles.
17.20 	(d) $573,000 the first year and $573,000 the 
17.21 	second year are from the water management 
17.22 	account in the natural resources fund for only 
17.23 	the purposes specified in Minnesota Statutes, 
17.24 	section 103G.27, subdivision 2.
17.25 	(e) $160,000 the first year is from the general 
17.26 	fund for completing the condemnation of 
17.27 	certain land in Mille Lacs County authorized 
17.28 	under Laws 2024, chapter 116, article 8, 
17.29 	section 13. This is a onetime appropriation 
17.30 	and is available until June 30, 2027.

17.31	Subd. 3.Ecological and Water Resources
 		46,772,000
		48,202,000

17.32	Appropriations by Fund
	
17.33		2026
	2027
	
17.34	General
	22,470,000
	22,732,000
	
18.1	Natural Resources
	18,478,000
	19,646,000
	
18.2	Game and Fish
	5,824,000
	5,824,000
	
18.3 	(a) $6,947,000 the first year and $6,952,000 
18.4 	the second year are from the invasive species 
18.5 	account in the natural resources fund and 
18.6 	$1,631,000 the first year and $1,631,000 the 
18.7 	second year are from the general fund for 
18.8 	management, public awareness, assessment 
18.9 	and monitoring research, and water access 
18.10 	inspection to prevent the spread of invasive 
18.11 	species; management of invasive plants in 
18.12 	public waters; and management of terrestrial 
18.13 	invasive species on state-administered lands.
18.14 	(b) $7,801,000 the first year and $8,791,000 
18.15 	the second year are from the water 
18.16 	management account in the natural resources 
18.17 	fund for only the purposes specified in 
18.18 	Minnesota Statutes, section 103G.27, 
18.19 	subdivision 2.
18.20 	(c) $124,000 the first year and $124,000 the 
18.21 	second year are for a grant to the Mississippi 
18.22 	Headwaters Board for up to 50 percent of the 
18.23 	cost of implementing the comprehensive plan 
18.24 	for the upper Mississippi within areas under 
18.25 	the board's jurisdiction.
18.26 	(d) $264,000 the first year and $264,000 the 
18.27 	second year are for grants for up to 50 percent 
18.28 	of the cost of implementing the Red River 
18.29 	mediation agreement.
18.30 	(e) $2,598,000 the first year and $2,598,000 
18.31 	the second year are from the heritage 
18.32 	enhancement account in the game and fish 
18.33 	fund for only the purposes specified in 
19.1 	Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, 
19.2 	paragraph (h), clause (1).
19.3 	(f) $1,150,000 the first year and $1,150,000 
19.4 	the second year are from the nongame wildlife 
19.5 	management account in the natural resources 
19.6 	fund for nongame wildlife management. 
19.7 	Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 
19.8 	290.431, $100,000 the first year and $100,000 
19.9 	the second year may be used for nongame 
19.10 	wildlife information, education, and 
19.11 	promotion.
19.12 	(g) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, 
19.13 	section 84.943, $48,000 the first year and 
19.14 	$48,000 the second year from the critical 
19.15 	habitat private sector matching account may 
19.16 	be used to publicize the critical habitat license 
19.17 	plate match program.
19.18 	(h) $4,555,000 the first year and $4,555,000 
19.19 	the second year are for the following activities:
19.20 	(1) financial reimbursement and technical 
19.21 	support to soil and water conservation districts 
19.22 	or other local units of government for 
19.23 	groundwater-level monitoring;
19.24 	(2) surface water monitoring and analysis, 
19.25 	including installing monitoring gauges;
19.26 	(3) groundwater analysis to assist with 
19.27 	water-appropriation permitting decisions;
19.28 	(4) permit application review incorporating 
19.29 	surface water and groundwater technical 
19.30 	analysis;
19.31 	(5) precipitation data and analysis to improve 
19.32 	irrigation use;
20.1 	(6) information technology, including 
20.2 	electronic permitting and integrated data 
20.3 	systems; and
20.4 	(7) compliance and monitoring.
20.5 	(i) $410,000 the first year and $410,000 the 
20.6 	second year are from the heritage enhancement 
20.7 	account in the game and fish fund, and 
20.8 	$500,000 the first year and $500,000 the 
20.9 	second year are from the general fund are for 
20.10 	the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species 
20.11 	Research Center at the University of 
20.12 	Minnesota to prioritize, support, and develop 
20.13 	research-based solutions that can reduce the 
20.14 	effects of aquatic invasive species in 
20.15 	Minnesota by preventing spread, controlling 
20.16 	populations, and managing ecosystems and to 
20.17 	advance knowledge to inspire action by others.
20.18 	(j) $129,000 the first year is from the general 
20.19 	fund for providing research, policy review, 
20.20 	and assisting the Sustainable Foraging Task 
20.21 	Force. This is a onetime appropriation.

20.22	Subd. 4.Forest Management
 		60,623,000
		61,293,000

20.23	Appropriations by Fund
	
20.24		2026
	2027
	
20.25	General
	42,800,000
	43,383,000
	
20.26	Natural Resources
	16,206,000
	16,293,000
	
20.27	Game and Fish
	1,617,000
	1,617,000
	
20.28 	(a) $7,521,000 the first year and $7,521,000 
20.29 	the second year are for prevention, 
20.30 	presuppression, and suppression costs of 
20.31 	emergency firefighting and other costs 
20.32 	incurred under Minnesota Statutes, section 
20.33 	88.12. The amount necessary to pay for 
20.34 	presuppression and suppression costs during 
21.1 	the biennium is appropriated from the general 
21.2 	fund. By January 15 each year, the 
21.3 	commissioner of natural resources must submit 
21.4 	a report to the chairs and ranking minority 
21.5 	members of the house and senate committees 
21.6 	and divisions having jurisdiction over 
21.7 	environment and natural resources finance that 
21.8 	identifies all firefighting costs incurred and 
21.9 	reimbursements received in the prior fiscal 
21.10 	year. These appropriations may not be 
21.11 	transferred. Any reimbursement of firefighting 
21.12 	expenditures made to the commissioner from 
21.13 	any source other than federal mobilizations 
21.14 	must be deposited into the general fund.
21.15 	(b) $15,706,000 the first year and $15,793,000 
21.16 	the second year are from the forest 
21.17 	management investment account in the natural 
21.18 	resources fund for only the purposes specified 
21.19 	in Minnesota Statutes, section 89.039, 
21.20 	subdivision 2.
21.21 	(c) $1,617,000 the first year and $1,617,000 
21.22 	the second year are from the heritage 
21.23 	enhancement account in the game and fish 
21.24 	fund to advance ecological classification 
21.25 	systems (ECS), forest habitat, and invasive 
21.26 	species management.
21.27 	(d) $940,000 the first year and $947,000 the 
21.28 	second year are for the Forest Resources 
21.29 	Council to implement the Sustainable Forest 
21.30 	Resources Act.
21.31 	(e) $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the 
21.32 	second year are from the forest management 
21.33 	investment account in the natural resources 
21.34 	fund for forest road maintenance on state 
21.35 	forest roads.
22.1 	(f) $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the 
22.2 	second year are for forest road maintenance 
22.3 	on county forest roads.
22.4 	(g) $400,000 the first year and $400,000 the 
22.5 	second year are for grants to local and Tribal 
22.6 	governments and nonprofit organizations to 
22.7 	enhance community forest ecosystem health 
22.8 	and sustainability under Minnesota Statutes, 
22.9 	section 88.82. The commissioner may use a 
22.10 	reasonable amount of this appropriation for 
22.11 	administering ReLeaf grants.

22.12	Subd. 5.Parks and Trails Management
 		115,352,000
		113,212,000

22.13	Appropriations by Fund
	
22.14		2026
	2027
	
22.15	General
	37,076,000
	36,474,000
	
22.16	Natural Resources
	75,976,000
	74,438,000
	
22.17	Game and Fish
	2,300,000
	2,300,000
	
22.18 	(a) $8,925,000 the first year and $9,238,000 
22.19 	the second year are from the natural resources 
22.20 	fund for state trail, park, and recreation area 
22.21 	operations. This appropriation is from revenue 
22.22 	deposited in the natural resources fund under 
22.23 	Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, 
22.24 	paragraph (h), clause (2).
22.25 	(b) $23,859,000 the first year and $23,615,000 
22.26 	the second year are from the state parks 
22.27 	account in the natural resources fund to 
22.28 	operate and maintain state parks and state 
22.29 	recreation areas.
22.30 	(c) $1,300,000 the first year and $1,300,000 
22.31 	the second year are from the natural resources 
22.32 	fund for park and trail grants to local units of 
22.33 	government on land to be maintained for at 
22.34 	least 20 years for parks or trails. Priority must 
23.1 	be given for projects that are in underserved 
23.2 	communities or that increase access to persons 
23.3 	with disabilities. This appropriation is from 
23.4 	revenue deposited in the natural resources fund 
23.5 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, 
23.6 	paragraph (h), clause (4). Any unencumbered 
23.7 	balance does not cancel at the end of the first 
23.8 	year and is available for the second year.
23.9 	(d) $9,624,000 the first year and $9,624,000 
23.10 	the second year are from the snowmobile trails 
23.11 	and enforcement account in the natural 
23.12 	resources fund for the snowmobile 
23.13 	grants-in-aid program. Any unencumbered 
23.14 	balance does not cancel at the end of the first 
23.15 	year and is available for the second year.
23.16 	(e) $2,610,000 the first year and $2,510,000 
23.17 	the second year are from the natural resources 
23.18 	fund for the off-highway vehicle grants-in-aid 
23.19 	program. Of this amount, $2,060,000 the first 
23.20 	year and $1,960,000 the second year are from 
23.21 	the all-terrain vehicle account, $225,000 each 
23.22 	year is from the off-highway motorcycle 
23.23 	account, and $325,000 each year is from the 
23.24 	off-road vehicle account. Any unencumbered 
23.25 	balance does not cancel at the end of the first 
23.26 	year and is available for the second year.
23.27 	(f) $2,750,000 the first year and $2,750,000 
23.28 	the second year are from the state land and 
23.29 	water conservation account in the natural 
23.30 	resources fund for priorities established by the 
23.31 	commissioner for eligible state projects and 
23.32 	administrative and planning activities 
23.33 	consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section 
23.34 	84.0264, and the federal Land and Water 
23.35 	Conservation Fund Act. Any unencumbered 
24.1 	balance does not cancel at the end of the first 
24.2 	year and is available for the second year.
24.3 	(g) $250,000 the first year and $250,000 the 
24.4 	second year are from the general fund for 
24.5 	matching grants for local parks and outdoor 
24.6 	recreation areas under Minnesota Statutes, 
24.7 	section 85.019, subdivision 2.
24.8 	(h) $250,000 the first year and $250,000 the 
24.9 	second year are from the general fund for 
24.10 	matching grants for local trail connections 
24.11 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.019, 
24.12 	subdivision 4c.
24.13 	(i) $600,000 the first year and $600,000 the 
24.14 	second year are from the natural resources 
24.15 	fund for projects and activities that connect 
24.16 	diverse and underserved Minnesotans through 
24.17 	expanding cultural environmental experiences, 
24.18 	exploration of their environment, and outdoor 
24.19 	recreational activities. This appropriation is 
24.20 	from revenue deposited in the natural 
24.21 	resources fund under Minnesota Statutes, 
24.22 	section 297A.94, paragraph (j).
24.23 	(j) $400,000 the first year is from the general 
24.24 	fund for a grant to the city of Silver Bay for 
24.25 	construction of the Silver Bay Trailhead. This 
24.26 	is a onetime appropriation and is available 
24.27 	until June 30, 2028.
24.28 	(k) $500,000 the first year is from the general 
24.29 	fund for a grant to the city of Chisholm for 
24.30 	trail development, maintenance, and related 
24.31 	amenities at Redhead Mountain Bike Park. 
24.32 	This is a onetime appropriation and is 
24.33 	available until June 30, 2028.
25.1 	(l) $752,000 the first year is from the 
25.2 	all-terrain vehicle account in the natural 
25.3 	resources fund for a grant to St. Louis County 
25.4 	for all-terrain vehicle trail projects. This is a 
25.5 	onetime appropriation and is available until 
25.6 	June 30, 2028. The grant is for the following 
25.7 	projects:
25.8 	(1) $75,000 for the Alborn Dirt Devils Club 
25.9 	to engineer, permit, and acquire right-of-way 
25.10 	for the County Road 166 to Ostman Road 
25.11 	ATV trail project;
25.12 	(2) $480,000 for the Ranger Snowmobile/ATV 
25.13 	Club to engineer and construct the Seven 
25.14 	Beavers ATV trail project;
25.15 	(3) $100,000 for the Twig Area Trail Riders 
25.16 	ATV Club to permit, design, engineer, and 
25.17 	acquire right-of-way for the Lumberjack to 
25.18 	Brookston ATV trail; and
25.19 	(4) $97,000 for the Quad Cities ATV Club to 
25.20 	engineer, survey, test, design, and construct 
25.21 	the club trailhead project.
25.22 	(m) $200,000 the first year is from the 
25.23 	all-terrain vehicle account in the natural 
25.24 	resources fund for a grant to the city of Duluth 
25.25 	and Head of the Lakes ATV Riders for a 
25.26 	Duluth area all-terrain vehicle route study to 
25.27 	establish connectivity to and through the 
25.28 	western part of the city of Duluth. This is a 
25.29 	onetime appropriation and is available until 
25.30 	June 30, 2028.
25.31 	(n) $380,000 the first year is from the 
25.32 	all-terrain vehicle account in the natural 
25.33 	resources fund for a grant to St. Louis County 
25.34 	for design, right-of-way acquisition, 
26.1 	permitting, and construction of trails within 
26.2 	the Voyageur Country ATV trail system. This 
26.3 	is a onetime appropriation and is available 
26.4 	until June 30, 2028.
26.5 	(o) $175,000 the first year is from the 
26.6 	all-terrain vehicle account in the natural 
26.7 	resources fund for a grant to St. Louis County 
26.8 	for design, right-of-way acquisition, 
26.9 	permitting, and construction of trails and a 
26.10 	new trail bridge within the Prospectors Loop 
26.11 	trail system. This is a onetime appropriation 
26.12 	and is available until June 30, 2028.

26.13	Subd. 6.Fish and Wildlife Management
 		97,566,000
		98,019,000

26.14	Appropriations by Fund
	
26.15		2026
	2027
	
26.16	General
	9,120,000
	9,185,000
	
26.17	Natural Resources
	2,182,000
	2,424,000
	
26.18	Game and Fish
	86,264,000
	86,410,000
	
26.19 	(a) $12,125,000 the first year and $12,097,000 
26.20 	the second year are from the heritage 
26.21 	enhancement account in the game and fish 
26.22 	fund only for activities specified under 
26.23 	Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, 
26.24 	paragraph (h), clause (1). Notwithstanding 
26.25 	Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, five 
26.26 	percent of this appropriation may be used for 
26.27 	expanding hunter and angler recruitment and 
26.28 	retention.
26.29 	(b) $8,546,000 the first year and $8,546,000 
26.30 	the second year are from the deer management 
26.31 	account in the game and fish fund for the 
26.32 	purposes identified in Minnesota Statutes, 
26.33 	section 97A.075, subdivision 1.
27.1 	(c) $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the 
27.2 	second year are from the heritage enhancement 
27.3 	account in the game and fish fund for grants 
27.4 	for natural-resource-based education and 
27.5 	recreation programs serving youth under 
27.6 	Minnesota Statutes, section 84.976. The 
27.7 	commissioner may use a reasonable amount 
27.8 	of this appropriation for administering grants 
27.9 	authorized under Minnesota Statutes, section 
27.10 	84.976. Priority must be given to projects 
27.11 	benefiting underserved communities.
27.12 	(d) Up to $2,225,000 the first year and up to 
27.13 	$2,225,000 the second year are available for 
27.14 	transfer from the critical habitat private sector 
27.15 	matching account to the reinvest in Minnesota 
27.16 	fund for wildlife management areas 
27.17 	acquisition, restoration, and enhancement 
27.18 	according to Minnesota Statutes, section 
27.19 	84.943, subdivision 5, paragraph (b).
27.20 	(e) $3,032,000 the first year and $3,032,000 
27.21 	the second year are from the general fund and 
27.22 	$1,675,000 the first year and $1,675,000 the 
27.23 	second year are from the game and fish fund 
27.24 	for statewide response and management of 
27.25 	chronic wasting disease. Of this amount, up 
27.26 	to $2,750,000 each year from the general fund 
27.27 	is for inspections, investigations, and 
27.28 	enforcement activities taken for the 
27.29 	white-tailed deer farm program.
27.30 	(f) $500,000 the first year and $348,000 the 
27.31 	second year are from the general fund for the 
27.32 	Outdoor School for All program under 
27.33 	Minnesota Statutes, section 84.9766.
27.34 	(g) $225,000 the first year is from the general 
27.35 	fund to expand outreach under Minnesota 
28.1 	Statutes, section 84.027, subdivision 21. This 
28.2 	is a onetime appropriation.
28.3 	(h) $177,000 the first year is from the game 
28.4 	and fish fund for a study of muskellunge 
28.5 	movement and survival in Leech Lake. The 
28.6 	study must be conducted in collaboration with 
28.7 	Bemidji State University. By October 1, 2028, 
28.8 	the commissioner of natural resources must 
28.9 	submit a report on the results of the study to 
28.10 	the chairs and ranking minority members of 
28.11 	the house and senate committees and divisions 
28.12 	having jurisdiction over environment and 
28.13 	natural resources. This appropriation is 
28.14 	available until June 30, 2028.

28.15	Subd. 7.Enforcement
 		63,890,000
		64,534,000

28.16	Appropriations by Fund
	
28.17		2026
	2027
	
28.18	General
	14,225,000
	14,341,000
	
28.19	Natural Resources
	15,045,000
	15,473,000
	
28.20	Game and Fish
	34,503,000
	34,603,000
	
28.21	Remediation
	117,000
	117,000
	
28.22 	(a) $1,718,000 the first year and $1,718,000 
28.23 	the second year are from the general fund for 
28.24 	enforcement efforts to prevent the spread of 
28.25 	aquatic invasive species.
28.26 	(b) $2,980,000 the first year and $2,980,000 
28.27 	the second year are from the heritage 
28.28 	enhancement account in the game and fish 
28.29 	fund for only the purposes specified under 
28.30 	Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, 
28.31 	paragraph (h), clause (1).
28.32 	(c) $1,442,000 the first year and $1,442,000 
28.33 	the second year are from the water recreation 
28.34 	account in the natural resources fund for grants 
29.1 	to counties for boat and water safety. Any 
29.2 	unencumbered balance does not cancel at the 
29.3 	end of the first year and is available for the 
29.4 	second year.
29.5 	(d) $315,000 the first year and $315,000 the 
29.6 	second year are from the snowmobile trails 
29.7 	and enforcement account in the natural 
29.8 	resources fund for grants to local law 
29.9 	enforcement agencies for snowmobile 
29.10 	enforcement activities. Any unencumbered 
29.11 	balance does not cancel at the end of the first 
29.12 	year and is available for the second year.
29.13 	(e) $250,000 the first year and $250,000 the 
29.14 	second year are from the all-terrain vehicle 
29.15 	account in the natural resources fund for grants 
29.16 	to qualifying organizations to assist in safety 
29.17 	and environmental education and monitoring 
29.18 	trails on public lands under Minnesota 
29.19 	Statutes, section 84.9011. Grants issued under 
29.20 	this paragraph must be issued through a formal 
29.21 	agreement with the organization. By 
29.22 	December 15 each year, an organization 
29.23 	receiving a grant under this paragraph must 
29.24 	report to the commissioner with details on 
29.25 	expenditures and outcomes from the grant. Of 
29.26 	this appropriation, $25,000 each year is for 
29.27 	administering these grants. Any unencumbered 
29.28 	balance does not cancel at the end of the first 
29.29 	year and is available for the second year.
29.30 	(f) $510,000 the first year and $510,000 the 
29.31 	second year are from the natural resources 
29.32 	fund for grants to county law enforcement 
29.33 	agencies for off-highway vehicle enforcement 
29.34 	and public education activities based on 
29.35 	off-highway vehicle use in the county. Of this 
30.1 	amount, $498,000 each year is from the 
30.2 	all-terrain vehicle account, $11,000 each year 
30.3 	is from the off-highway motorcycle account, 
30.4 	and $1,000 each year is from the off-road 
30.5 	vehicle account. The county enforcement 
30.6 	agencies may use money received under this 
30.7 	appropriation to make grants to other local 
30.8 	enforcement agencies within the county that 
30.9 	have a high concentration of off-highway 
30.10 	vehicle use. Of this appropriation, $25,000 
30.11 	each year is for administering the grants. Any 
30.12 	unencumbered balance does not cancel at the 
30.13 	end of the first year and is available for the 
30.14 	second year.
30.15 	(g) $262,000 the first year and $262,000 the 
30.16 	second year are from the water recreation 
30.17 	account in the natural resources fund for 
30.18 	investigating, notification, and removal of 
30.19 	abandoned watercraft on or adjacent to public 
30.20 	waters and public land.
30.21 	(h) $20,000 the first year and ....... the second 
30.22 	year are from the off-highway motorcycle 
30.23 	account in the natural resources fund for grants 
30.24 	to qualifying off-highway motorcycle 
30.25 	organizations to assist in providing safety and 
30.26 	environmental education and monitoring trails 
30.27 	on public lands according to Minnesota 
30.28 	Statutes, section 84.9011. Grants awarded 
30.29 	under this paragraph must be issued through 
30.30 	a formal agreement with the organization. By 
30.31 	December 15 each year, an organization 
30.32 	receiving a grant under this paragraph must 
30.33 	report to the commissioner with details on how 
30.34 	the money was expended and what outcomes 
30.35 	were achieved.

31.1	Subd. 8.Pass Through Funds
 		1,824,000
		1,831,000

31.2	Appropriations by Fund
	
31.3		2026
	2027
	
31.4	General
	221,000
	221,000
	
31.5	Natural Resources
	1,110,000
	1,110,000
	
31.6	Permanent School
	493,000
	500,000
	
31.7 	(a) $510,000 the first year and $510,000 the 
31.8 	second year are from the natural resources 
31.9 	fund for grants to be divided equally between 
31.10 	the city of St. Paul for the Como Park Zoo and 
31.11 	Conservatory and the city of Duluth for the 
31.12 	Lake Superior Zoo. This appropriation is from 
31.13 	revenue deposited to the natural resources fund 
31.14 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, 
31.15 	paragraph (h), clause (5).
31.16 	(b) $221,000 the first year and $221,000 the 
31.17 	second year are from the general fund for the 
31.18 	Office of School Trust Lands.
31.19 	(c) $150,000 the first year and $150,000 the 
31.20 	second year are from the permanent school 
31.21 	fund for transaction and project management 
31.22 	costs for divesting of school trust lands within 
31.23 	Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
31.24 	(d) $343,000 the first year and $350,000 the 
31.25 	second year are from the permanent school 
31.26 	fund for the Office of School Trust Lands.
31.27 	(e) $600,000 the first year and $600,000 the 
31.28 	second year are from the natural resources 
31.29 	fund for parks and trails of regional 
31.30 	significance outside the seven-county 
31.31 	metropolitan area under Minnesota Statutes, 
31.32 	section 85.535, based on the recommendations 
31.33 	from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks 
31.34 	and Trails Commission. This appropriation is 
32.1 	from revenue deposited in the natural 
32.2 	resources fund under Minnesota Statutes, 
32.3 	section 297A.94, paragraph (i).

32.4	Subd. 9.Transfers
 					
32.5 	$720,000 the first year and $732,000 the 
32.6 	second year are transferred from the forest 
32.7 	suspense account to the permanent school 
32.8 	fund. For fiscal years 2028 through 2031, the 
32.9 	commissioner of management and budget must 
32.10 	include a transfer of $732,000 each year from 
32.11 	the forest suspense account to the permanent 
32.12 	school fund when preparing each forecast from 
32.13 	the effective date of this section through the 
32.14 	February 2027 forecast under Minnesota 
32.15 	Statutes, section 16A.103.

32.16	Subd. 10.Extensions
 					
32.17 	The appropriation in Laws 2023, chapter 60, 
32.18 	article 1, section 3, subdivision 5, paragraph 
32.19 	(p), for a boat launch on the Mississippi River 
32.20 	is extended to June 30, 2026.

32.21
32.22	Sec. 4. BOARD OF WATER AND SOIL 
RESOURCES
 	$
	15,945,000
	$
	16,102,000
	
32.23 	(a) $3,116,000 the first year and $3,116,000 
32.24 	the second year are for grants and payments 
32.25 	to soil and water conservation districts for 
32.26 	accomplishing the purposes of Minnesota 
32.27 	Statutes, chapter 103C, and for other general 
32.28 	purposes, nonpoint engineering, and 
32.29 	implementation and stewardship of the 
32.30 	reinvest in Minnesota reserve program. 
32.31 	Expenditures may be made from this 
32.32 	appropriation for supplies and services 
32.33 	benefiting soil and water conservation 
32.34 	districts. Any district receiving a payment 
32.35 	under this paragraph must maintain a website 
33.1 	that publishes, at a minimum, the district's 
33.2 	annual report, annual audit, annual budget, 
33.3 	and meeting notices.
33.4 	(b) $1,560,000 the first year and $1,560,000 
33.5 	the second year are for the following:
33.6 	(1) $1,460,000 the first year and $1,460,000 
33.7 	the second year are for cost-sharing programs 
33.8 	of soil and water conservation districts for 
33.9 	accomplishing projects and practices 
33.10 	consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section 
33.11 	103C.501, including perennially vegetated 
33.12 	riparian buffers, erosion control, water 
33.13 	retention and treatment, water quality 
33.14 	cost-sharing for feedlots and nutrient and 
33.15 	manure management projects in watersheds 
33.16 	where there are impaired waters, and other 
33.17 	high-priority conservation practices; and
33.18 	(2) $100,000 the first year and $100,000 the 
33.19 	second year are for invasive species and weed 
33.20 	management programs and to restore native 
33.21 	plants at selected invasive species management 
33.22 	sites.
33.23 	(c) $166,000 the first year and $166,000 the 
33.24 	second year are to provide technical assistance 
33.25 	to local drainage management officials and 
33.26 	for the costs of the Drainage Work Group. The 
33.27 	board must coordinate the activities of the 
33.28 	Drainage Work Group according to Minnesota 
33.29 	Statutes, section 103B.101, subdivision 13.
33.30 	(d) $100,000 the first year and $100,000 the 
33.31 	second year are for a grant to the Red River 
33.32 	Basin Commission for water quality and 
33.33 	floodplain management, including program 
34.1 	administration. This appropriation must be 
34.2 	matched by nonstate funds.
34.3 	(e) $140,000 the first year and $140,000 the 
34.4 	second year are for grants to Area II 
34.5 	Minnesota River Basin Projects for floodplain 
34.6 	management.
34.7 	(f) $240,000 the first year and $240,000 the 
34.8 	second year are for a grant to the Lower 
34.9 	Minnesota River Watershed District to defray 
34.10 	the annual cost of sustaining the state, national, 
34.11 	and international commercial and recreational 
34.12 	navigation on the lower Minnesota River.
34.13 	(g) $203,000 the first year and $203,000 the 
34.14 	second year are for soil health programming 
34.15 	consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section 
34.16 	103F.06, and for coordination with the 
34.17 	University of Minnesota Office for Soil 
34.18 	Health.
34.19 	(h) $3,423,000 the first year and $3,423,000 
34.20 	the second year are for natural resources block 
34.21 	grants to local governments to implement the 
34.22 	Wetland Conservation Act and shoreland 
34.23 	management program under Minnesota 
34.24 	Statutes, chapter 103F, and local water 
34.25 	management responsibilities under Minnesota 
34.26 	Statutes, chapter 103B. The board may reduce 
34.27 	the amount of the natural resources block grant 
34.28 	to a county by an amount equal to any 
34.29 	reduction in the county's general services 
34.30 	allocation to a soil and water conservation 
34.31 	district from the county's previous year 
34.32 	allocation when the board determines that the 
34.33 	reduction was disproportionate.
35.1 	(i) $6,997,000 the first year and $7,154,000 
35.2 	the second year are for agency administration 
35.3 	and operation of the Board of Water and Soil 
35.4 	Resources.
35.5 	(j) The board may shift funds in this section 
35.6 	and may adjust the technical and 
35.7 	administrative assistance portion of the funds 
35.8 	to leverage federal or other nonstate funds or 
35.9 	to address accountability, oversight, local 
35.10 	government performance, or high-priority 
35.11 	needs.
35.12 	(k) The appropriations for grants and payments 
35.13 	in this section are available until June 30, 
35.14 	2029, except returned grants and payments 
35.15 	are available for two years after they are 
35.16 	returned or regranted, whichever is later. 
35.17 	Funds must be used consistent with the 
35.18 	purposes of this section. If an appropriation 
35.19 	for grants in either year is insufficient, the 
35.20 	appropriation in the other year is available for 
35.21 	it.
35.22 	(l) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, 
35.23 	section 16B.97, grants awarded from 
35.24 	appropriations in this section are exempt from 
35.25 	the Department of Administration, Office of 
35.26 	Grants Management Policy 08-08 Grant 
35.27 	Payments and 08-10 Grant Monitoring.

35.28	Sec. 5. METROPOLITAN COUNCIL
 	$
	11,740,000
	$
	11,740,000

35.29	Appropriations by Fund
	
35.30		2026
	2027
	
35.31	General
	2,540,000
	2,540,000
	
35.32	Natural Resources
	9,200,000
	9,200,000
	
35.33 	(a) $2,540,000 the first year and $2,540,000 
35.34 	the second year are for metropolitan-area 
36.1 	regional parks operation and maintenance 
36.2 	according to Minnesota Statutes, section 
36.3 	473.351.
36.4 	(b) $9,200,000 the first year and $9,200,000 
36.5 	the second year are from the natural resources 
36.6 	fund for metropolitan-area regional parks and 
36.7 	trails maintenance and operations. This 
36.8 	appropriation is from revenue deposited in the 
36.9 	natural resources fund under Minnesota 
36.10 	Statutes, section 297A.94, paragraph (h), 
36.11 	clause (3).

36.12
36.13	Sec. 6. CONSERVATION CORPS 
MINNESOTA AND IOWA
 	$
	1,070,000
	$
	1,070,000

36.14	Appropriations by Fund
	
36.15		2026
	2027
	
36.16	General
	580,000
	580,000
	
36.17	Natural Resources
	490,000
	490,000
	
36.18 	Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa may 
36.19 	receive money appropriated from the natural 
36.20 	resources fund under this section only as 
36.21 	provided in an agreement with the 
36.22 	commissioner of natural resources.

36.23	Sec. 7. ZOOLOGICAL BOARD
 	$
	14,180,000
	$
	14,532,000

36.24	Appropriations by Fund
	
36.25		2026
	2027
	
36.26	General
	13,925,000
	14,277,000
	
36.27	Natural Resources
	255,000
	255,000
	
36.28 	$255,000 the first year and $255,000 the 
36.29 	second year are from the natural resources 
36.30 	fund from revenue deposited under Minnesota 
36.31 	Statutes, section 297A.94, paragraph (h), 
36.32 	clause (5).

36.33	Sec. 8. SCIENCE MUSEUM
 	$
	1,260,000
	$
	1,260,000

37.1
37.2	Sec. 9. LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING 
COMMISSION
 	$
	198,000
	$
	0
	
37.3 	$198,000 the first year is for the administrative 
37.4 	costs of the Sustainable Foraging Task Force. 
37.5 	This is a onetime appropriation

37.6 	Sec. 10. Laws 2023, chapter 60, article 1, section 2, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

37.7	Subd. 10.Transfers
 					
37.8 	(a) The commissioner must transfer up to 
37.9 	$24,000,000 the first year and $24,000,000 
37.10 	the second year from the environmental fund 
37.11 	to the remediation fund for purposes of the 
37.12 	remediation fund under Minnesota Statutes, 
37.13 	section 116.155, subdivision 2. The base for 
37.14 	this transfer is $24,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 
37.15 	and beyond.
37.16 	(b) By June 30, 2024, the commissioner of 
37.17 	management and budget must transfer 
37.18 	$27,397,000 from the general fund to the 
37.19 	metropolitan landfill contingency action trust 
37.20 	account in the remediation fund to restore the 
37.21 	money transferred from the account as 
37.22 	intended under Laws 2003, chapter 128, article 
37.23 	1, section 10, paragraph (e), and Laws 2005, 
37.24 	First Special Session chapter 1, article 3, 
37.25 	section 17, and to compensate the account for 
37.26 	the estimated lost investment income.
37.27 	(c) Beginning in fiscal year 2024, the 
37.28 	commissioner of management and budget must 
37.29 	transfer $100,000 each year from the general 
37.30 	fund to the metropolitan landfill contingency 
37.31 	action trust account in the remediation fund 
37.32 	to restore the money transferred from the 
37.33 	account as intended under Laws 2003, chapter 
37.34 	128, article 1, section 10, paragraph (e), and 
38.1 	Laws 2005, First Special Session chapter 1, 
38.2 	article 3, section 17.

38.3 	Sec. 11. CANCELLATION.
 38.4 	$3,915,000 of the unencumbered balance of the general fund appropriation from Laws 
38.5 	2022, chapter 95, article 3, section 6, paragraph (b), cancels no later than June 30, 2025.

38.6 	ARTICLE 2
38.7 	ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TRUST FUND APPROPRIATIONS

38.8	Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS.
 	
38.9 	The sums shown in the columns marked "Appropriations" are appropriated to the agencies 
38.10 	and for the purposes specified in this article. The appropriations are from the environment 
38.11 	and natural resources trust fund, or another named fund, and are available for the fiscal 
38.12 	years indicated for each purpose. The figures "2026" and "2027" used in this article mean 
38.13 	that the appropriations listed under them are available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 
38.14 	2026, or June 30, 2027, respectively. "The first year" is fiscal year 2026. "The second year" 
38.15 	is fiscal year 2027. "The biennium" is fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Any unencumbered 
38.16 	balance remaining in the first year does not cancel and is available for the second year or 
38.17 	until the end of the appropriation. These are onetime appropriations.

38.18				APPROPRIATIONS
	
38.19				Available for the Year
	
38.20				Ending June 30
	
38.21					2026
		2027

38.22	Sec. 2. MINNESOTA RESOURCES

38.23	Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation
 	$
	103,326,000
	$
	0
	
38.24 	This appropriation is from the environment 
38.25 	and natural resources trust fund. The amounts 
38.26 	that may be spent for each purpose are 
38.27 	specified in the following subdivisions.

38.28	Subd. 2.Definition
 					
38.29 	"Trust fund" means the Minnesota 
38.30 	environment and natural resources trust fund 
38.31 	established under the Minnesota Constitution, 
38.32 	article XI, section 14.

39.1
39.2	Subd. 3.Foundational Natural Resource Data 
and Information
 		22,084,000
		-0-

39.3	(a) Fond du Lac Deer Study - Phase 1
					
39.4 	$1,441,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
39.5 	to the Minnesota State Colleges and 
39.6 	Universities for Bemidji State University to 
39.7 	collect baseline deer demographic, movement, 
39.8 	and habitat-use data before elk restoration to 
39.9 	better inform management of both elk and deer 
39.10 	populations on the Fond du Lac Reservation 
39.11 	and surrounding areas.

39.12
39.13	(b) Are All Walleye Created Equal? Probably 
Not.
					
39.14 	$298,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
39.15 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
39.16 	Minnesota to investigate Minnesota walleye 
39.17 	strain physiology and disease responses to 
39.18 	warming water and to build a tool to guide 
39.19 	adaptive management of walleye in a warming 
39.20 	climate.

39.21
39.22	(c) Deer Survival Within Minnesota's Densest 
Wolf Population
					
39.23 	$809,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
39.24 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
39.25 	Minnesota to evaluate how wolves, winter 
39.26 	severity, and habitat affect deer mortality and 
39.27 	survival across space and time within the 
39.28 	Voyageurs region.

39.29
39.30	(d) Evaluating Anticoagulant Rodenticide 
Exposure in Minnesota's Carnivores
					
39.31 	$247,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
39.32 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
39.33 	Minnesota for the Natural Resources Research 
39.34 	Institute in Duluth to determine anticoagulant 
39.35 	rodenticide exposure rates and concentrations 
40.1 	in Minnesota bobcats and fishers, factors 
40.2 	influencing exposure risk, and negative effects 
40.3 	of rodenticide exposure on carnivore health.

40.4
40.5	(e) Digitizing the Science Museum of 
Minnesota's Mollusk Specimens
					
40.6 	$386,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
40.7 	to the Science Museum of Minnesota to make 
40.8 	the museum's Minnesota mollusk specimen 
40.9 	collection available for research and education 
40.10 	by identifying and organizing all relevant 
40.11 	specimens and digitizing the museum's data.

40.12
40.13	(f) Integrating Wildlife Objectives in Long-Term 
Forest Management Planning
					
40.14 	$316,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
40.15 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
40.16 	Minnesota to develop a harvest-scheduling 
40.17 	model that integrates wildlife habitat metrics 
40.18 	with timber production objectives in the 
40.19 	forest-planning process for more sustainable 
40.20 	forest landscape-level outcomes.

40.21
40.22	(g) Surveying Minnesota's Secretive Marsh 
Birds
					
40.23 	$413,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
40.24 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
40.25 	an agreement with the National Audubon 
40.26 	Society, Upper Mississippi River office, to 
40.27 	conduct a breeding marsh bird survey and 
40.28 	provide state and federal agencies with an 
40.29 	assessment of marsh bird population status 
40.30 	and wetland habitat. This appropriation is 
40.31 	available until June 30, 2029, by which time 
40.32 	the project must be completed and final 
40.33 	products delivered.

40.34
40.35	(h) Improving Conservation Outcomes for 
Imperiled Wood Turtles
					
41.1 	$242,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
41.2 	to the Minnesota Zoological Society to restore 
41.3 	imperiled wood turtles by increasing remnant 
41.4 	populations, quantifying effectiveness of 
41.5 	habitat management strategies, establishing 
41.6 	baseline information on disease prevalence, 
41.7 	and creating a new decision-support tool for 
41.8 	prioritizing future conservation actions.

41.941.10
	(i) Maximizing the Impact of Wildlife Movement 
Data
					
41.11 	$216,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
41.12 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
41.13 	Minnesota to create a centralized and 
41.14 	accessible database of wildlife movement data 
41.15 	from prior trust fund-supported studies and 
41.16 	demonstrate tools biologists can use to analyze 
41.17 	these data to benefit Minnesota wildlife.

41.18
41.19	(j) Expanding the Statewide Motus Wildlife 
Tracking Network
					
41.20 	$234,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
41.21 	to the Minnesota Zoological Society to expand 
41.22 	the statewide Motus Wildlife Tracking System 
41.23 	network into southwestern Minnesota and the 
41.24 	North Shore to guide the conservation of 
41.25 	imperiled grassland and boreal migratory birds 
41.26 	and other wildlife. This appropriation may 
41.27 	also be used to develop outreach and 
41.28 	interpretive materials for Motus sites.

41.29
41.30	(k) Updating and Sharing Information on 
Minnesota's Tick Biodiversity
					
41.31 	$186,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
41.32 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
41.33 	Minnesota to collaborate with wildlife 
41.34 	organizations and community scientists to 
41.35 	survey the biodiversity and distribution of 
42.1 	ticks in Minnesota and create a publicly 
42.2 	accessible GIS dashboard to share results and 
42.3 	potential disease implications with the public 
42.4 	and wildlife managers.

42.5
42.6	(l) Small Mammals and Hunter Participation: 
Expanded Offal Wildlife Watching
					
42.7 	$563,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
42.8 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
42.9 	Minnesota to expand and assess hunter 
42.10 	participation in monitoring scavenger use of 
42.11 	deer gut piles, assess small mammal 
42.12 	occurrence and contaminant and disease 
42.13 	exposure risk at offal sites, and study how 
42.14 	messaging impacts hunters' use of lead 
42.15 	ammunition.

42.16
42.17	(m) Green Heron as an Indicator of 
Wetland-Dependent Species
					
42.18 	$424,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
42.19 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
42.20 	Minnesota to collect data on the year-round 
42.21 	habitat use and migratory movements of green 
42.22 	herons, assess potential factors leading to 
42.23 	population decline, and identify conservation 
42.24 	strategies to benefit the green heron and other 
42.25 	wetland-dependent bird species.

42.26
42.27	(n) Visualizing Minnesota's Natural Resources 
with CT Scanning
					
42.28 	$955,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
42.29 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
42.30 	Minnesota, Bell Museum of Natural History, 
42.31 	to acquire a CT scanner, scan Bell Museum 
42.32 	organismal specimens, create 3D prints from 
42.33 	the scans, and share the data and prints through 
42.34 	environmental education and research 
42.35 	programs. The CT scanner purchased with this 
43.1 	appropriation must prioritize use by and be 
43.2 	made available cost-free to other 
43.3 	Minnesota-focused researchers for the duration 
43.4 	of this appropriation. This appropriation may 
43.5 	also be used for equipment, tools, and supplies 
43.6 	needed to acquire, install, and use the scanner 
43.7 	and print 3D models of scanned organisms. 
43.8 	Net income generated as part of this 
43.9 	appropriation may be reinvested in the project 
43.10 	if a plan for reinvestment is approved in the 
43.11 	work plan as provided under Minnesota 
43.12 	Statutes, section 116P.10.

43.13
43.14	(o) Mapping Human-Carnivore Conflicts in 
Human-Dominated Landscapes
					
43.15 	$563,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
43.16 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
43.17 	Minnesota for the Natural Resources Research 
43.18 	Institute in Duluth to evaluate bear, bobcat, 
43.19 	and coyote habitat use, activity, and diet in 
43.20 	Duluth and surrounding areas to map hotspots 
43.21 	for human-carnivore conflicts and fill 
43.22 	knowledge gaps to reduce conflicts. This 
43.23 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2029, 
43.24 	by which time the project must be completed 
43.25 	and final products delivered.

43.26
43.27	(p) Geologic Atlases for Water Resource 
Management
					
43.28 	$1,260,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
43.29 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
43.30 	Minnesota, Minnesota Geological Survey, to 
43.31 	continue to produce geologic atlas maps and 
43.32 	databases to inform management of 
43.33 	groundwater and surface water. This 
43.34 	appropriation is to complete Part A, which 
43.35 	focuses on the properties and distribution of 
43.36 	earth materials to define aquifer boundaries 
44.1 	and the connection of aquifers to the land 
44.2 	surface and surface water resources.

44.3
44.4	(q) Leveraging Statewide Datasets for Native 
Rough Fish
					
44.5 	$250,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
44.6 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
44.7 	Minnesota to construct species distribution 
44.8 	models that predict presence and abundance 
44.9 	of native rough fish species and identify 
44.10 	potential areas for protection, additional 
44.11 	monitoring, or restoration across the state. This 
44.12 	appropriation may also be used to build an 
44.13 	interactive mapping tool and share results.

44.14
44.15	(r) The Impacts of Climate Change on 
Northeastern Minnesota
					
44.16 	$772,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
44.17 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
44.18 	an agreement with Friends of the Boundary 
44.19 	Waters Wilderness to work with collaborators 
44.20 	to aggregate research, data, and other 
44.21 	information about the impacts of climate 
44.22 	change on the habitat and wildlife of 
44.23 	northeastern Minnesota into a publicly 
44.24 	available, web-based database. This 
44.25 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2029, 
44.26 	by which time the project must be completed 
44.27 	and final products delivered.

44.28
44.29	(s) Health and Disease Monitoring in Minnesota 
Wildlife
					
44.30 	$750,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
44.31 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
44.32 	Minnesota, Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic 
44.33 	Laboratory, to collaborate with wildlife 
44.34 	rehabilitation organizations and other wildlife 
44.35 	health professionals throughout Minnesota to 
45.1 	enhance the state's health and disease 
45.2 	surveillance, preparedness, and response 
45.3 	efforts.

45.4
45.5	(t) Affordable Statewide Tracking of Forestry 
Fragmentation and Degradation
					
45.6 	$331,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
45.7 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
45.8 	Minnesota to merge aircraft and satellite 
45.9 	LiDAR data to build a model and an 
45.10 	interactive real-time web dashboard of forest 
45.11 	boundaries that provides business-ready 
45.12 	information about statewide forest 
45.13 	fragmentation and degradation due to human 
45.14 	activities and natural disasters.

45.15
45.16	(u) Safeguarding Bees While Monitoring 
Pollinators and Nesting Habitats
					
45.17 	$590,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
45.18 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
45.19 	Minnesota to pioneer low-mortality methods 
45.20 	for monitoring bee populations and to 
45.21 	investigate nest habitat materials and 
45.22 	antimicrobial properties in cooperation with 
45.23 	community scientists and management 
45.24 	agencies. This appropriation is available until 
45.25 	June 30, 2029, by which time the project must 
45.26 	be completed and final products delivered.

45.27
45.28	(v) Expanding the Application of Minnesota's 
Wetland Monitoring Data
					
45.29 	$312,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
45.30 	to the commissioner of natural resources to 
45.31 	use existing LiDAR and recurring aerial 
45.32 	photographs to determine state grassland 
45.33 	acreage and change over the last twenty years, 
45.34 	evaluate key drivers of wetland change, and 
46.1 	use technology to improve Minnesota's 
46.2 	wetland monitoring.

46.3
46.4	(w) Enhancing the Value of Minnesota Public 
Grasslands
					
46.5 	$390,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
46.6 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
46.7 	Minnesota to evaluate a combination of 
46.8 	prescribed fire, brush mowing, and targeted 
46.9 	conservation grazing to develop ready-to-use 
46.10 	management strategies for public land 
46.11 	managers to mitigate woody species 
46.12 	encroachment and increase biodiversity and 
46.13 	carbon sequestration in public grasslands.

46.14
46.15	(x) Foundational Precision Agriculture Data to 
Reduce Environmental Impacts
					
46.16 	$1,255,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
46.17 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
46.18 	Minnesota for the West Central Research and 
46.19 	Outreach Center at Morris to establish data 
46.20 	collection systems and methods at sentinel 
46.21 	farm sites, develop and evaluate best 
46.22 	management practices, and provide outreach 
46.23 	and training to farmers to encourage adoption 
46.24 	of precision agriculture technologies that 
46.25 	reduce fertilizer and chemical use and improve 
46.26 	water and air quality.

46.27	(y) Continued Aggregate Resource Mapping
					
46.28 	$621,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
46.29 	to the commissioner of natural resources to 
46.30 	map the aggregate resource potential in the 
46.31 	state of Minnesota and to make the 
46.32 	information available in print and electronic 
46.33 	format to local units of government to support 
46.34 	informed land-use decisions and resource 
46.35 	conservation.

47.1
47.2	(z) Advancing Collaborative Wild Rice 
Monitoring Program Technologies
					
47.3 	$900,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
47.4 	to the commissioner of natural resources to 
47.5 	continue efforts to create a framework for 
47.6 	long-term wild rice monitoring for 
47.7 	conservation and collaborate with Tribal and 
47.8 	nongovernmental organizations to collect 
47.9 	additional data, improve collection and 
47.10 	analysis methods, and develop a statewide 
47.11 	estimate of wild rice abundance and coverage.

47.12
47.13	(aa) Conserving Natural Resources by 
Advancing Forever Green Agriculture
					
47.14 	$2,146,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
47.15 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
47.16 	Minnesota for the Forever Green Initiative to 
47.17 	fund research projects to develop new 
47.18 	perennial and winter-annual crops to protect 
47.19 	water, wildlife, soil, other natural resources, 
47.20 	and the climate. This appropriation is available 
47.21 	until June 30, 2030, by which time the project 
47.22 	must be completed and final products 
47.23 	delivered.

47.24
47.25	(bb) Minnesota's Priority Native Rough Fish: 
Gars and Bowfin
					
47.26 	$568,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
47.27 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
47.28 	Minnesota to develop population dynamics, 
47.29 	habitat use, and food web models for 
47.30 	Minnesota gars and bowfins and conduct 
47.31 	outreach to inform conservation and 
47.32 	management and serve as a template for study 
47.33 	of Minnesota's other native rough fish species.

47.34
47.35	(cc) Understanding to Improve Minnesota's 
Future Lake Water Quality
					
48.1 	$595,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
48.2 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
48.3 	Minnesota to use decade-long comprehensive 
48.4 	lake, watershed, and weather data and 
48.5 	high-resolution climate models to understand 
48.6 	lake-specific drivers of water quality and 
48.7 	predict the effects of future warming on 
48.8 	harmful algal blooms across Minnesota.

48.948.10
	(dd) Operationalizing State Zooplankton Data 
to Support Lake Health
					
48.11 	$423,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
48.12 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
48.13 	Minnesota to use long-term monitoring data 
48.14 	to determine the relationship between 
48.15 	zooplankton communities and ecosystem 
48.16 	services, like fisheries health and water 
48.17 	quality, and develop biotic indices for lake 
48.18 	health.

48.19
48.20	(ee) Trialing Climate-Ready Woodland Trees 
in Urban Areas
					
48.21 	$255,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
48.22 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
48.23 	Minnesota to demonstrate performance of 
48.24 	climate-adaptive tree species and study land 
48.25 	manager and public perceptions of these 
48.26 	species to identify the best species and risk 
48.27 	tolerance for future plantings in metropolitan 
48.28 	areas of Minnesota.

48.29
48.30	(ff) Superior Shores: Protecting Our Great 
Lakes Coastal Habitats
					
48.31 	$675,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
48.32 	to the Science Museum of Minnesota for the 
48.33 	St. Croix Watershed Research Station to map 
48.34 	the locations and survey the biological 
48.35 	diversity and water quality of Lake Superior 
49.1 	coastal rock pools. This appropriation may 
49.2 	also be used to develop outreach materials and 
49.3 	host programs on rock pool understanding and 
49.4 	conservation.

49.5
49.6	(gg) Recruitment and Fecundity of Minnesota 
Moose
					
49.7 	$2,007,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
49.8 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
49.9 	state and Tribal biologists to work 
49.10 	collaboratively to estimate survival and 
49.11 	fecundity of yearling and 2-year-old moose in 
49.12 	northeast Minnesota to inform future 
49.13 	management efforts. Of this amount, $841,000 
49.14 	is for an agreement with the 1854 Treaty 
49.15 	Authority. This appropriation is available until 
49.16 	June 30, 2031, by which time the project must 
49.17 	be completed and final products delivered.

49.18
49.19	(hh) Fighting Insect Decline: Minnesota 
Bumblebees to the Rescue
					
49.20 	$249,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
49.21 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
49.22 	Minnesota to map historical and current 
49.23 	bumblebee distribution and develop an 
49.24 	identification tool using molecular barcodes 
49.25 	and an online resource hub to improve 
49.26 	conservation of Minnesota's native 
49.27 	bumblebees.

49.28
49.29	(ii) Trace Metals in Municipal Yard Waste and 
Compost
					
49.30 	$120,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
49.31 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
49.32 	Minnesota to assess trace metal contamination 
49.33 	from collected residential yard waste, finished 
49.34 	compost, and compost leachate in municipal 
49.35 	yard waste recycling programs.

50.1
50.2	(jj) Chronic Wasting Disease Prions in 
Minnesota Waters
					
50.3 	$322,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
50.4 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
50.5 	Minnesota to evaluate the movement of 
50.6 	chronic wasting disease in Minnesota waters, 
50.7 	assess the risk of spread, and share results with 
50.8 	wildlife and watershed managers.

50.9	Subd. 4.Water Resources
 		11,812,000
		-0-

50.10
50.11	(a) Enhancing Our Resources - Rural Health 
and Drinking Water
					
50.12 	$994,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
50.13 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
50.14 	an agreement with Freshwater Society to 
50.15 	partner with the Mayo Clinic to educate well 
50.16 	owners and family health providers about the 
50.17 	geologic occurrence and risk of arsenic in 
50.18 	drinking water. This appropriation is also to 
50.19 	provide free arsenic testing to well owners in 
50.20 	southeast Minnesota.

50.21
50.22	(b) Restoration and Outreach for Minnesota's 
Native Mussels
					
50.23 	$1,258,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
50.24 	to the commissioner of natural resources to 
50.25 	propagate, rear, and restore native freshwater 
50.26 	mussel populations and the ecosystem services 
50.27 	they provide to Minnesota waters; to evaluate 
50.28 	reintroduction success; and to inform the 
50.29 	public on mussels and mussel conservation.

50.30
50.31	(c) Pristine to Green: Toxic Blooms Threaten 
Northern Lakes
					
50.32 	$1,362,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
50.33 	to the Science Museum of Minnesota for the 
50.34 	St. Croix Watershed Research Station to 
50.35 	evaluate drivers that contribute to the 
51.1 	formation of nuisance and toxic algal blooms 
51.2 	in relatively pristine and protected lakes across 
51.3 	Minnesota.

51.4
51.5	(d) Training Lake Communities to Track 
Chloride and Algae
					
51.6 	$274,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
51.7 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
51.8 	Minnesota for the Minnesota Sea Grant 
51.9 	college program in Duluth to develop and train 
51.10 	a network of community-based volunteers to 
51.11 	track chloride and harmful algal blooms in 
51.12 	rural Minnesota lakes.

51.13
51.14	(e) Clean Sweep Solution to Nonpoint Source 
Pollution
					
51.15 	$386,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
51.16 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
51.17 	Minnesota for the Water Resources Center to 
51.18 	enhance Clean Sweep programs, identify the 
51.19 	pollutants present in street-sweeping materials, 
51.20 	explore material reuse options, and quantify 
51.21 	benefits of enhanced street sweeping. This 
51.22 	appropriation may also be used to coordinate 
51.23 	county and regional collaborations, develop 
51.24 	resources, and provide training to increase 
51.25 	targeted street-sweeping practices to reduce 
51.26 	nonpoint source pollution to Minnesota's water 
51.27 	resources.

51.28
51.29	(f) Cyanotoxins in Minnesota Lakes: The Role 
of Sunlight
					
51.30 	$220,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
51.31 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
51.32 	Minnesota to quantify degradation of 
51.33 	cyanobacterial toxins by sunlight to understand 
51.34 	how increasing frequency of harmful algal 
51.35 	blooms and changing environmental 
52.1 	conditions influence toxin persistence in 
52.2 	natural waters.

52.3
52.4	(g) Enhancing Degradation of Emerging 
Contaminants via Microbial Starvation
					
52.5 	$390,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
52.6 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
52.7 	Minnesota to study how wastewater treatment 
52.8 	systems can be improved to more effectively 
52.9 	biodegrade mixtures of pharmaceuticals, 
52.10 	pesticides, and other contaminants of emerging 
52.11 	concern and protect Minnesota's water 
52.12 	resources.

52.13	(h) Soil Health Management for Water Storage
					
52.14 	$454,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
52.15 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
52.16 	Minnesota for the Water Resources Center to 
52.17 	conduct on-farm and model-based research 
52.18 	and develop guidance for watershed planners 
52.19 	and land managers to effectively use soil 
52.20 	health management to achieve water storage 
52.21 	and water quality goals.

52.22
52.23	(i) Predicting Contaminant Movement in 
Minnesota's Fractured Aquifers
					
52.24 	$650,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
52.25 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
52.26 	Minnesota, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, to 
52.27 	develop a software program that predicts the 
52.28 	fate and movement of contaminants, such as 
52.29 	PFAS, chloride, nitrate, and pathogens, in 
52.30 	Minnesota's fractured aquifers.

52.31
52.32	(j) Documentation and Toxicity of Microplastics 
in Urban Ecosystems
					
52.33 	$300,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
52.34 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
52.35 	Minnesota to research how land use and 
53.1 	toxicity affect the accumulation of 
53.2 	microplastics and associated contaminants of 
53.3 	concern in stormwater ponds and the wildlife 
53.4 	that use stormwater ponds.

53.5
53.6	(k) Terminating PFAS-Type Pesticides via 
Enzyme Cocktails
					
53.7 	$297,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
53.8 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
53.9 	Minnesota to evaluate the ability of selected 
53.10 	enzymes and combinations of enzymes to 
53.11 	biodegrade per- and polyfluoroalkyl 
53.12 	substances (PFAS) found in pesticides and to 
53.13 	design a pilot-scale biofilter for effective 
53.14 	elimination of PFAS from water.

53.15
53.16	(l) Addressing 21st Century Challenges for the 
St. Croix
					
53.17 	$243,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
53.18 	to the Science Museum of Minnesota for the 
53.19 	St. Croix Watershed Research Station to 
53.20 	develop a watershed model to identify 
53.21 	potential hydrologic and water quality impacts 
53.22 	to the lower St. Croix River over the next 75 
53.23 	years and inform future planning and 
53.24 	management in the watershed.

53.25
53.26	(m) Impact of Statewide Conservation Practices 
on Stream Biodiversity
					
53.27 	$300,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
53.28 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
53.29 	Minnesota to use existing monitoring data to 
53.30 	evaluate the effects of wetlands and riparian 
53.31 	buffers on stream and river biodiversity and 
53.32 	biological condition and develop tools and 
53.33 	materials to inform the public and natural 
53.34 	resource managers.

53.35	(n) Modeling the Future Mississippi River Gorge
					
54.1 	$427,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
54.2 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
54.3 	Minnesota, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, to 
54.4 	construct a reduced-scale physical model of 
54.5 	Mississippi River Pool 1, Lock & Dam 1, and 
54.6 	adjacent upstream and downstream reaches; 
54.7 	analyze water flow and sediment movement 
54.8 	under various pool management strategies; 
54.9 	and share results with the public to inform 
54.10 	decisions on the future management of the 
54.11 	lock and dam.

54.12
54.13	(o) Highly Efficient Nutrient Removal 
Technology for Agricultural Drainage
					
54.14 	$453,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
54.15 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
54.16 	Minnesota to conduct lab- and field-scale tests 
54.17 	of a novel bioreactor technology for removing 
54.18 	nutrients from agricultural drainage and 
54.19 	disseminate results to farmers and the public.

54.20
54.21	(p) Citizen Scientists Capture Microplastic 
Pollution Around State
					
54.22 	$419,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
54.23 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
54.24 	Minnesota to develop adaptable microplastic 
54.25 	sampling and detection methods, develop a 
54.26 	public-access database, and leverage citizen 
54.27 	scientists to survey microplastic pollution 
54.28 	throughout the state to allow for data-driven 
54.29 	risk management decisions and solutions.

54.30
54.31	(q) Healthy Native Prairie Microbiomes for 
Cleaner Water
					
54.32 	$468,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
54.33 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
54.34 	Minnesota to identify and characterize prairie 
54.35 	plant microbiomes and study the potential of 
55.1 	native prairie microbes to provide nitrogen for 
55.2 	agricultural crops and reduce industrial 
55.3 	fertilizer use and nitrate contamination of 
55.4 	water.

55.5
55.6	(r) Wastewater Chloride Reduction through 
Industrial Source Reduction Assistance
					
55.7 	$247,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
55.8 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
55.9 	Minnesota for the Minnesota Technical 
55.10 	Assistance Program to provide technical 
55.11 	assistance to businesses to cost-effectively 
55.12 	reduce industrial and commercial chloride use 
55.13 	in communities with high chloride effluent 
55.14 	concentrations.

55.15
55.16	(s) Pilot Water Budget Framework for 
Managing Water Withdrawals
					
55.17 	$198,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
55.18 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
55.19 	Minnesota to develop a pilot water budget 
55.20 	framework to identify sensitive areas in 
55.21 	Minnesota where net water withdrawals have 
55.22 	a significant impact on surface water and 
55.23 	groundwater.

55.24
55.25	(t) Biofilm Mediated Destruction of PFAS in 
Groundwater
					
55.26 	$1,336,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
55.27 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
55.28 	an agreement with Freshwater Society to 
55.29 	develop biofilm treatment technology and 
55.30 	demonstrate field-scale removal of per- and 
55.31 	polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from 
55.32 	contaminated groundwater. A fiscal 
55.33 	management plan must be approved in the 
55.34 	work plan before any trust fund money is 
55.35 	spent.

56.1
56.2	(u) Impact of Microplastics on Wastewater 
Treatment in Minnesota
					
56.3 	$506,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
56.4 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
56.5 	Minnesota to quantify the abundance of 
56.6 	microplastics in wastewater treatment plants 
56.7 	in Minnesota, determine how microplastics 
56.8 	affect wastewater treatment plant performance, 
56.9 	and evaluate how different wastewater 
56.10 	treatment processes alter microplastics.

56.11
56.12	(v) Portable Arsenic and Nitrate Detector for 
Well Water
					
56.13 	$358,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
56.14 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
56.15 	Minnesota to develop a small, cheap, and 
56.16 	easy-to-use system to detect arsenic and nitrate 
56.17 	in well water and determine whether well 
56.18 	water is safe to drink.

56.19
56.20	(w) Recovering Salts from Highly Saline 
Wastewater
					
56.21 	$272,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
56.22 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
56.23 	Minnesota to develop a method to recover 
56.24 	useful salts from concentrated saline 
56.25 	wastewater to increase the economic 
56.26 	sustainability of high water-recovery 
56.27 	softening, sulfate removal, and industrial 
56.28 	wastewater treatment.

56.29	Subd. 5.Environmental Education
 		11,965,000
		-0-

56.30
56.31	(a) Eagle's Nest: Where the World Becomes 
Your Classroom
					
56.32 	$130,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
56.33 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
56.34 	an agreement with Glacial Hills Elementary 
56.35 	School to create interactive natural playground 
57.1 	and landscaping features for children and 
57.2 	provide environmental education programming 
57.3 	outside of regular school hours.

57.4
57.5	(b) Advancing Equity in Environmental 
Education
					
57.6 	$700,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
57.7 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
57.8 	an agreement with Camp Fire Minnesota to 
57.9 	provide needs-based scholarships for 
57.10 	Minnesota youth to attend 
57.11 	state-standards-aligned environmental and 
57.12 	outdoor education programs.

57.13
57.14	(c) Teacher Field School - Phase 2: Increasing 
Impact
					
57.15 	$712,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
57.16 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
57.17 	an agreement with Hamline University to 
57.18 	continue the teacher field school program that 
57.19 	trains teachers how to connect academic 
57.20 	content with environmental stewardship, 
57.21 	natural resource conservation, and outdoor 
57.22 	recreation. This appropriation is also to pilot 
57.23 	a train-the-trainer model for nature-based 
57.24 	education practices.

57.25
57.26	(d) Creating Future Leaders in Outdoor and 
Environmental Leadership
					
57.27 	$330,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
57.28 	to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota 
57.29 	State Colleges and Universities for North 
57.30 	Hennepin Community College to collaborate 
57.31 	with K-12 education, higher education, and 
57.32 	outdoor organizations to increase 
57.33 	environmental education, leadership, 
57.34 	internship, and career opportunities for 
58.1 	underrepresented college and high school 
58.2 	students.

58.3
58.4	(e) Engaging our Diverse Public in 
Environmental Stewardship - Phase 2
					
58.5 	$249,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
58.6 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
58.7 	an agreement with Great River Greening to 
58.8 	increase participation in natural resources 
58.9 	conservation and restoration efforts and 
58.10 	careers through volunteer, internship, and 
58.11 	youth engagement activities, with a focus on 
58.12 	diverse audiences that more accurately reflect 
58.13 	local demographic and socioeconomic 
58.14 	conditions in Minnesota.

58.15	(f) Outdoor School for Minnesota K-12 Students
					
58.16 	$3,992,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
58.17 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
58.18 	an agreement with Osprey Wilds 
58.19 	Environmental Learning Center to partner with 
58.20 	four other accredited residential environmental 
58.21 	learning centers in Minnesota to provide 
58.22 	needs-based scholarships to K-12 students 
58.23 	statewide for immersive multiday 
58.24 	environmental learning experiences.

58.25
58.26	(g) Statewide Environmental Education via PBS 
Outdoor Series
					
58.27 	$415,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
58.28 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
58.29 	an agreement with Pioneer Public 
58.30 	Broadcasting Service to produce, distribute, 
58.31 	and promote new episodes of a statewide 
58.32 	public television series that inspires 
58.33 	Minnesotans to connect with the outdoors and 
58.34 	to restore and protect the state's natural 
58.35 	resources.

59.1
59.2	(h) Maajii-akii-gikenjigewin Conservation Crew 
Program
					
59.3 	$678,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
59.4 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
59.5 	an agreement with Conservation Corps 
59.6 	Minnesota & Iowa to expand a conservation 
59.7 	corps program developed to provide natural 
59.8 	resources career development opportunities 
59.9 	for indigenous young adults and cultivate an 
59.10 	enduring action-based conservation ethic 
59.11 	through the integration of traditional 
59.12 	knowledge, nature immersion, and the 
59.13 	implementation of conservation and 
59.14 	restoration practices in the field.

59.15
59.16	(i) Reuse for the Future: Youth Education and 
Engagement
					
59.17 	$225,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
59.18 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
59.19 	an agreement with Reuse Minnesota to provide 
59.20 	curriculum-based opportunities for students 
59.21 	to learn about the reuse economy, reuse skills, 
59.22 	and other opportunities to reduce waste. This 
59.23 	appropriation may also be used to align 
59.24 	materials to state standards and translate 
59.25 	materials to additional languages.

59.26
59.27	(j) River Bend Nature Center Outdoor Diversity 
Initiative
					
59.28 	$247,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
59.29 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
59.30 	an agreement with River Bend Nature Center 
59.31 	to lead a coalition of educational partners and 
59.32 	culturally specific organizations to expand 
59.33 	recognized environmental education 
59.34 	curriculum and provide conservation-based 
59.35 	career exploration and job placement 
60.1 	opportunities for diverse communities in 
60.2 	southern Minnesota.

60.3	(k) Camp Parsons Mississippi Summer
					
60.4 	$225,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
60.5 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
60.6 	an agreement with the Phyllis Wheatley 
60.7 	Community Center to provide environmental 
60.8 	education to Minneapolis urban youth through 
60.9 	the Camp Parsons Mississippi Summer 
60.10 	program that fosters connections to nature and 
60.11 	encourages responsible stewardship of our 
60.12 	natural resources.

60.13
60.14	(l) Adult Outdoor Education for Minnesota's 
Underrepresented Communities
					
60.15 	$247,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
60.16 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
60.17 	an agreement with Baztec Fishing & Outdoors 
60.18 	to create fishing and hunting education, 
60.19 	training, and opportunities for underserved 
60.20 	and underrepresented communities in 
60.21 	Minnesota. All fishing tackle purchased with 
60.22 	this appropriation must be lead-free. A fiscal 
60.23 	management plan must be approved in the 
60.24 	work plan before any trust fund money is 
60.25 	spent.

60.26
60.27	(m) Minnesota's Road Map for Sustainability 
and Climate Education
					
60.28 	$491,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
60.29 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
60.30 	an agreement with Climate Generation to 
60.31 	convene community gatherings and partner 
60.32 	with institutions and organizations across the 
60.33 	education sector to develop a road map on 
60.34 	how to build capacity for equitable and 
60.35 	accessible sustainability and climate education 
61.1 	programs that align with the Minnesota 
61.2 	Climate Action Framework.

61.3
61.4	(n) ESTEP 2.0: Earth Science Teacher 
Education Project
					
61.5 	$643,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
61.6 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
61.7 	an agreement with Minnesota Science 
61.8 	Teachers Association to provide professional 
61.9 	development for Minnesota science teachers 
61.10 	statewide in environmental and earth science 
61.11 	content to strengthen environmental education 
61.12 	in schools.

61.13
61.14	(o) Engaging Latine Communities in 
Conservation and Preservation
					
61.15 	$400,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
61.16 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
61.17 	an agreement with Comunidades Organizando 
61.18 	el Poder y la Accion Latina to use 
61.19 	community-based partnerships and 
61.20 	communications platforms to host outdoor 
61.21 	events and conduct educational outreach 
61.22 	focused on Latine and BIPOC communities 
61.23 	about the need to protect Minnesota's 
61.24 	environment and natural resources.

61.25
61.26	(p) Inclusive Wildlife Engagement in Classrooms 
and Communities
					
61.27 	$712,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
61.28 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
61.29 	the nongame wildlife program to provide three 
61.30 	wildlife conservation, action-based outdoor 
61.31 	educational opportunities to engage 
61.32 	needs-based schools, young adults, and 
61.33 	communities underrepresented in natural 
61.34 	resources through the Bird by Bird, 
62.1 	Empowering Pathways into Conservation, and 
62.2 	Community Science programs.

62.3
62.4	(q) Activating Youth and Family Environmental 
Stewardship through Raptors
					
62.5 	$228,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
62.6 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
62.7 	Minnesota for the Raptor Center to deliver 
62.8 	standards-based environmental education 
62.9 	featuring live raptors through school programs 
62.10 	and community events across Minnesota.

62.11
62.12	(r) Moving Minnesota toward a Lead-Free 
Sporting Future
					
62.13 	$250,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
62.14 	to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota 
62.15 	State Colleges and Universities for Bemidji 
62.16 	State University to conduct educational 
62.17 	outreach directed at hunters and anglers to 
62.18 	increase awareness of lead-free options for 
62.19 	big-game hunting, small-game hunting, and 
62.20 	fishing as a means of reducing wildlife 
62.21 	exposure to lead.

62.22
62.23	(s) Science Centers Supporting Northern Boys 
and Girls Clubs
					
62.24 	$1,091,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
62.25 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
62.26 	an agreement with the Headwaters Science 
62.27 	Center to expand access to environmental 
62.28 	science education in northern Minnesota and 
62.29 	leverage partnerships between rural and urban 
62.30 	organizations to deliver culturally relevant, 
62.31 	hands-on learning experiences to underserved 
62.32 	students.

63.1
63.2	Subd. 6.Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive 
Species
 		6,713,000
		-0-

63.3
63.4	(a) Aquatic Invasive Species: From Problems to 
Real-World Solutions
					
63.5 	$5,771,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
63.6 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
63.7 	Minnesota for the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive 
63.8 	Species Research Center to conduct 
63.9 	high-priority projects aimed at solving 
63.10 	Minnesota's aquatic invasive species problems 
63.11 	using rigorous science and a collaborative 
63.12 	process. This appropriation may also be used 
63.13 	to deliver research findings to end users 
63.14 	through strategic communication and outreach. 
63.15 	This appropriation is available until June 30, 
63.16 	2029, by which time the project must be 
63.17 	completed and final products delivered.

63.18
63.19	(b) Optimizing Nonnative Cattail Treatment 
Effectiveness in Prairie Wetlands
					
63.20 	$942,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
63.21 	to the commissioner of natural resources to 
63.22 	compare the effectiveness of invasive cattail 
63.23 	treatment methods and provide 
63.24 	recommendations for managers to maximize 
63.25 	benefits of conservation money for native 
63.26 	wetland plants and wildlife. This appropriation 
63.27 	is available until June 30, 2031, by which time 
63.28 	the project must be completed and final 
63.29 	products delivered.

63.30
63.31	Subd. 7.Air Quality, Climate Change, and 
Renewable Energy
 		11,744,000
		-0-

63.32
63.33	(a) Protecting Coldwater Fish Habitat in 
Minnesota Lakes
					
63.34 	$561,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
63.35 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
63.36 	Minnesota to identify lake-specific watershed 
64.1 	protection targets and management practices 
64.2 	needed to maintain coldwater fish habitat 
64.3 	threatened by warming temperatures and 
64.4 	increasing extreme rain events and to integrate 
64.5 	this information into conservation planning 
64.6 	tools.

64.7	(b) Agrivoltaics 2.0 Building a Resilient E-Farm
					
64.8 	$535,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
64.9 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
64.10 	Minnesota for the West Central Research and 
64.11 	Outreach Center at Morris to evaluate 
64.12 	emerging solar system designs and solar 
64.13 	technology integration with vegetable and 
64.14 	livestock production systems to maximize 
64.15 	energy production and benefits to farmers.

64.16
64.17	(c) Pine Needles Reveal Past and Present 
Airborne PFAS
					
64.18 	$550,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
64.19 	to the commissioner of the Pollution Control 
64.20 	Agency to use current and historic pine 
64.21 	needles as a low-cost method to assess 
64.22 	statewide per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances 
64.23 	(PFAS) levels in ambient air.

64.24
64.25	(d) Facilitated Transport Hybrid Membranes 
for CO2 Separation
					
64.26 	$1,050,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
64.27 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
64.28 	Minnesota to develop and test advanced 
64.29 	polymeric membranes for capture and reuse 
64.30 	of carbon dioxide at industrial sources.

64.31
64.32	(e) Renewable Energy Conversion for Farm 
Diesel and Ammonia
					
64.33 	$726,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
64.34 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
64.35 	Minnesota to develop a novel charge-swing 
65.1 	catalytic condenser that will enable the 
65.2 	low-cost production of hydrogen from water 
65.3 	using rural electricity for on-the-farm energy 
65.4 	storage or renewable diesel and ammonia 
65.5 	fertilizer.

65.6
65.7	(f) Innovative Solution to Renewable Energy 
from Food Waste
					
65.8 	$5,167,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
65.9 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
65.10 	an agreement with the Ramsey/Washington 
65.11 	Recycling and Energy Board to provide 
65.12 	reimbursements to offset the processing fees 
65.13 	for the public to divert organic materials from 
65.14 	landfills and produce renewable natural gas 
65.15 	through anaerobic digestion and sequestration 
65.16 	of carbon into biochar. Net income generated 
65.17 	as part of this appropriation may be reinvested 
65.18 	in the project if a plan for reinvestment is 
65.19 	approved in the work plan as provided under 
65.20 	Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10. This 
65.21 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2029, 
65.22 	by which time the project must be completed 
65.23 	and final products delivered.

65.24
65.25	(g) Fueling the Future: Decarbonizing Regional 
Transportation Project
					
65.26 	$3,155,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
65.27 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
65.28 	an agreement with the city of St. Cloud to 
65.29 	install a green hydrogen production, storage, 
65.30 	and fueling station that provides a renewable, 
65.31 	carbon-free, alternate fuel source to 
65.32 	decarbonize community transportation and 
65.33 	manufacturing sectors. This appropriation may 
65.34 	also be used to convert city fleet and public 
65.35 	transit vehicles to hydrogen fuel. Net income 
65.36 	generated as part of this appropriation may be 
66.1 	reinvested in the project if a plan for 
66.2 	reinvestment is approved in the work plan as 
66.3 	provided under Minnesota Statutes, section 
66.4 	116P.10. This appropriation is available until 
66.5 	June 30, 2029, by which time the project must 
66.6 	be completed and final products delivered.

66.7
66.8	Subd. 8.Methods to Protect or Restore Land, 
Water, and Habitat
 		12,188,000
		-0-

66.966.10
	(a) Minnesota PlantWatch: Community 
Scientists Conserving Rare Plants
					
66.11 	$1,086,000 the first year is from the trust fund. 
66.12 	Of this amount, $518,000 is to the Board of 
66.13 	Regents of the University of Minnesota for 
66.14 	the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and 
66.15 	$568,000 is to the commissioner of natural 
66.16 	resources to enhance the Minnesota 
66.17 	PlantWatch program to improve the 
66.18 	conservation of Minnesota's natural resources 
66.19 	and support community scientist-driven rare 
66.20 	plant surveys and seed banking and 
66.21 	preservation.

66.22
66.23	(b) Grassland Restoration for Pollinator 
Conservation and Demonstration
					
66.24 	$250,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
66.25 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
66.26 	Minnesota for the Minnesota Landscape 
66.27 	Arboretum to restore a degraded pasture to 
66.28 	grassland as a model for climate-resilient 
66.29 	pollinator habitat; provide interpretive signage, 
66.30 	education, and community engagement; and 
66.31 	conduct species monitoring. This appropriation 
66.32 	is available until June 30, 2031, by which time 
66.33 	the project must be completed and final 
66.34 	products delivered.

66.35
66.36	(c) Planning for Long-Term Natural Resources 
Protection in Hennepin County
					
67.1 	$250,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
67.2 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
67.3 	an agreement with Hennepin County to 
67.4 	develop a publicly available interactive map 
67.5 	of natural systems, create a centralized 
67.6 	clearinghouse of data and best practices 
67.7 	toolkit, and provide ongoing technical 
67.8 	assistance for local communities with limited 
67.9 	resources to manage complex natural resources 
67.10 	challenges. Net income generated as part of 
67.11 	this appropriation may be reinvested in the 
67.12 	project if a plan for reinvestment is approved 
67.13 	in the work plan as provided under Minnesota 
67.14 	Statutes, section 116P.10.

67.15
67.16	(d) Native Forages: Growing Drought and 
Climate Resiliency
					
67.17 	$2,254,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
67.18 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
67.19 	an agreement with Ducks Unlimited to 
67.20 	collaborate with livestock farmers to establish 
67.21 	native grassland wildlife habitat and enhance 
67.22 	native forages on working lands to improve 
67.23 	ecological, economic, and climate resiliency. 
67.24 	Notwithstanding subdivision 13, paragraph 
67.25 	(e), restoration efforts may be undertaken on 
67.26 	private lands but must occur on properties 
67.27 	enrolled in long-term agreements to protect 
67.28 	and maintain the restored areas in 
67.29 	conformance with approved restoration and 
67.30 	grazing plans as approved in the work plan. 
67.31 	This appropriation is available until June 30, 
67.32 	2031, by which time the project must be 
67.33 	completed and final products delivered.

67.34
67.35	(e) Accelerated Genetic Migration of Bur Oak 
- Ten-Year Data
					
68.1 	$223,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
68.2 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
68.3 	an agreement with Great River Greening to 
68.4 	assess the growth and survival of previously 
68.5 	restored bur oak ecotypes to inform techniques 
68.6 	for improved climate resiliency. This 
68.7 	appropriation may also be used to enhance the 
68.8 	previous plantings and disseminate results of 
68.9 	the study to practitioners, students, 
68.10 	landowners, and others. This appropriation is 
68.11 	available until June 30, 2029, by which time 
68.12 	the project must be completed and final 
68.13 	products delivered.

68.14
68.15	(f) Superior Hiking Trail Bridge, Boardwalk, 
and Trailhead Renewal
					
68.16 	$532,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
68.17 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
68.18 	an agreement with the Superior Hiking Trail 
68.19 	Association to renew Superior Hiking Trail 
68.20 	bridges, boardwalks, and trailheads to increase 
68.21 	user safety, improve the user experience, and 
68.22 	protect adjacent land and water.

68.23
68.24	(g) Mississippi Gateway Shoreline Stabilization 
and Fishing Improvements
					
68.25 	$735,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
68.26 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
68.27 	an agreement with Three Rivers Park District 
68.28 	to improve water quality and shoreline fishing 
68.29 	access through shoreline stabilization and 
68.30 	construction of accessible trails and fishing 
68.31 	platforms within Mississippi Gateway 
68.32 	Regional Park.

68.33	(h) Phytoremediation of PFAS from Soil
					
68.34 	$1,066,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
68.35 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
69.1 	Minnesota to use interdisciplinary research in 
69.2 	biology, nanotechnology, chemistry, and 
69.3 	genetic engineering to develop technology to 
69.4 	remediate soils contaminated with per- and 
69.5 	polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This 
69.6 	appropriation may also be used to convene 
69.7 	stakeholders to coordinate and advance PFAS 
69.8 	remediation research in Minnesota. This 
69.9 	appropriation is subject to Minnesota Statutes, 
69.10 	section 116P.10.

69.11	(i) Removing Mercury from Minnesota Waters
					
69.12 	$247,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
69.13 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
69.14 	Minnesota to test and refine a biotechnology 
69.15 	approach to remove mercury from the food 
69.16 	chain in Minnesota's lakes and rivers and 
69.17 	potentially make fish consumption in 
69.18 	Minnesota safer. This appropriation is subject 
69.19 	to Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10.

69.20	(j) Evaluating Native Seed Mixes for Grazing
					
69.21 	$208,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
69.22 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
69.23 	an agreement with Restoravore to assess the 
69.24 	use of native hay and pasture mixes to benefit 
69.25 	biodiversity, soil health, and Minnesota 
69.26 	farmers. A fiscal management plan must be 
69.27 	approved in the work plan before any trust 
69.28 	fund money is spent.

69.29
69.30	(k) Improving Minnesota Forest Health via 
Post-Duff-Burning Soil Analysis
					
69.31 	$646,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
69.32 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
69.33 	Minnesota to thoroughly investigate the impact 
69.34 	of forest floor duff fires on soil dynamics, 
69.35 	nutrient cycles, invasive shrubs, earthworms, 
70.1 	and root systems to improve fire management 
70.2 	for Minnesota's forest preservation. This 
70.3 	appropriation may also be used to develop an 
70.4 	outdoor lab-scale duff-burning device.

70.5
70.6	(l) Minnesota Riverbank Protection and Parks 
Improvements
					
70.7 	$1,400,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
70.8 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
70.9 	an agreement with the city of Shakopee to 
70.10 	restore Minnesota River shoreline at Huber 
70.11 	Park by regrading and establishing native 
70.12 	vegetation to protect fish and wildlife habitat, 
70.13 	reduce erosion, and provide public access to 
70.14 	the river. This appropriation is available until 
70.15 	June 30, 2029, by which time the project must 
70.16 	be completed and final products delivered.

70.17
70.18	(m) Restoration at Wakan Tipi and Bruce Vento 
Nature Sanctuary
					
70.19 	$669,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
70.20 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
70.21 	an agreement with the Lower Phalen Creek 
70.22 	Project to conduct citizen-science natural 
70.23 	resource data collection events, recruit and 
70.24 	train volunteer site stewards, and enhance 
70.25 	habitat at Wakan Tipi and the Bruce Vento 
70.26 	Nature Sanctuary.

70.27
70.28	(n) Promoting Pollinators on Corporate 
Campuses
					
70.29 	$547,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
70.30 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
70.31 	an agreement with the University of St. 
70.32 	Thomas to use experimental bee lawn 
70.33 	installations on corporate campuses, combined 
70.34 	with landscape modeling and employee 
70.35 	surveys, to determine potential ecological, 
71.1 	economic, and societal benefits of widespread 
71.2 	commercial lawn habitat transformation. This 
71.3 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2029, 
71.4 	by which time the project must be completed 
71.5 	and final products delivered.

71.6
71.7	(o) Riparian Area Adaptation Strategy for 
Southeast Minnesota
					
71.8 	$243,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
71.9 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
71.10 	an agreement with The Nature Conservancy, 
71.11 	in partnership with the University of 
71.12 	Minnesota, to assess an alternative adaptation 
71.13 	strategy to restore riparian areas by excavating 
71.14 	and planting riparian shrubs to reconnect the 
71.15 	floodplains. This appropriation may also be 
71.16 	used for outreach materials and educational 
71.17 	activities.

71.18
71.19	(p) Minnehaha Park South Plateau Oak Savanna 
Restoration
					
71.20 	$242,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
71.21 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
71.22 	an agreement with the Minneapolis Park and 
71.23 	Recreation Board to improve wildlife habitat, 
71.24 	enhance recreational experiences, and restore 
71.25 	an area of urban parkland in Minnehaha Park 
71.26 	to an oak savanna ecosystem. This 
71.27 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2029, 
71.28 	by which time the project must be completed 
71.29 	and final products delivered.

71.30
71.31	(q) Tree Protection for Minnesota's Tamarack 
Against Larch Beetle
					
71.32 	$321,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
71.33 	to the Board of Regents of the University of 
71.34 	Minnesota to evaluate new insect management 
71.35 	techniques and key factors for predicting 
72.1 	future infestations to protect and preserve trees 
72.2 	from native eastern larch beetle infestations.

72.3
72.4	(r) Shoreline Restoration and Enhancement at 
Minneapolis Lakes
					
72.5 	$819,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
72.6 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
72.7 	an agreement with the Minneapolis Park and 
72.8 	Recreation Board to restore and enhance areas 
72.9 	of turf-dominated, eroding, and low habitat 
72.10 	value lakeshore that impacts the water quality 
72.11 	of the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes.

72.12	(s) Developing Markets for CLC Crops
					
72.13 	$450,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
72.14 	to the commissioner of agriculture to provide 
72.15 	grants to organizations in Minnesota to 
72.16 	develop enterprises, supply chains, and 
72.17 	markets for continuous living cover crops and 
72.18 	cropping systems in the early stage of 
72.19 	commercial development. This appropriation 
72.20 	is exempt from the income repayment 
72.21 	requirements in Minnesota Statutes, section 
72.22 	116P.10, paragraph (c).

72.23
72.24	Subd. 9.Land Acquisition, Habitat, and 
Recreation
 		19,553,000
		-0-

72.25	(a) Cannon River Preservation and Access
					
72.26 	$2,717,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
72.27 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
72.28 	an agreement with Dakota County to 
72.29 	rehabilitate the historic Waterford Bridge for 
72.30 	the Mill Towns State Trail; restore and 
72.31 	enhance upland shoreline, forest, and prairie 
72.32 	habitats; and develop a trailhead and 
72.33 	recreational access to the Cannon River.

72.34	(b) Mesabi Trail: Aurora to Hoyt Lakes
					
73.1 	$1,325,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
73.2 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
73.3 	an agreement with St. Louis and Lake 
73.4 	Counties Regional Railroad Authority for 
73.5 	environmental review and permitting and to 
73.6 	engineer, design, and construct a segment of 
73.7 	the Mesabi Trail beginning at the intersection 
73.8 	of Main Street and Forestry Road in Aurora 
73.9 	toward Hoyt Lakes.

73.10	(c) RTA Maintenance Trail Stabilization Project
					
73.11 	$500,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
73.12 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
73.13 	an agreement with the city of Eden Prairie to 
73.14 	construct a retaining wall and restore adjacent 
73.15 	remnant prairie along the maintenance trail at 
73.16 	Richard T. Anderson (RTA) Conservation 
73.17 	Area to mitigate ongoing erosion and protect 
73.18 	native habitat and plant communities.

73.19
73.20	(d) Local Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas Grant 
Programs
					
73.21 	$4,769,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
73.22 	to the commissioner of natural resources to 
73.23 	solicit, rank, and fund competitive matching 
73.24 	grants for local parks, trail connections, and 
73.25 	natural and scenic areas under Minnesota 
73.26 	Statutes, section 85.019. This appropriation is 
73.27 	for local nature-based recreation, connections 
73.28 	to regional and state natural areas, and 
73.29 	recreation facilities and may not be used for 
73.30 	athletic facilities such as sport fields, courts, 
73.31 	and playgrounds. This appropriation is exempt 
73.32 	from subdivision 13, paragraph (k).

73.33
73.34	(e) Boardwalk Over Boggy Land for 
Recreational Purposes
					
74.1 	$148,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
74.2 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
74.3 	an agreement with the city of Battle Lake to 
74.4 	design and construct a boardwalk over city 
74.5 	land to protect wetlands and to increase 
74.6 	community access to natural areas and wildlife 
74.7 	habitat.

74.8
74.9	(f) Lake Zumbro Park Water Access and Site 
Improvements
					
74.10 	$1,978,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
74.11 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
74.12 	an agreement with Olmsted County to enhance 
74.13 	the Lake Zumbro Park water access and the 
74.14 	federal Americans with Disabilities Act 
74.15 	(ADA) accessibility for boating, fishing, and 
74.16 	viewing, while creating new user-friendly and 
74.17 	accessible amenities for individuals and 
74.18 	families. This may include new fishing docks 
74.19 	or piers, restored shoreline, improved parking, 
74.20 	and ADA accessible access to an existing 
74.21 	kayak and canoe launch.

74.22
74.23	(g) Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) 
Biodiversity Protection
					
74.24 	$1,104,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
74.25 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
74.26 	the scientific and natural area program to 
74.27 	conserve Minnesota's most unique places and 
74.28 	rare species and strategically acquire lands 
74.29 	that meet criteria for SNAs under Minnesota 
74.30 	Statutes, section 86A.05. This appropriation 
74.31 	is available until June 30, 2029, by which time 
74.32 	the project must be completed and final 
74.33 	products delivered.

74.34
74.35
74.36	(h) Scandia Gateway Trail Connection: 
Recreation, Wetlands, and Environmental 
Education
					
75.1 	$907,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
75.2 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
75.3 	an agreement with the city of Scandia to 
75.4 	engineer, design, and construct a bike and 
75.5 	pedestrian trail to connect recreational, 
75.6 	cultural, and environmental resources in 
75.7 	Scandia to the state Gateway Trail. This 
75.8 	appropriation is also to create and install 
75.9 	educational interpretive signage about 
75.10 	wetlands and rain gardens near the trail.

75.11
75.12	(i) Lake Byllesby Regional Park Restoration and 
Recreation
					
75.13 	$1,120,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
75.14 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
75.15 	an agreement with Dakota County to restore 
75.16 	prairie, woodland, and shoreline habitat and 
75.17 	design and install trails, birding and picnic 
75.18 	areas, and other recreational amenities to 
75.19 	enhance the visitor experience and stewardship 
75.20 	at Lake Byllesby Regional Park. This 
75.21 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2029, 
75.22 	by which time the project must be completed 
75.23 	and final products delivered.

75.24
75.25	(j) Thompson County Park Restoration and 
Accessibility Improvements
					
75.26 	$867,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
75.27 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
75.28 	an agreement with Dakota County to develop 
75.29 	a pollinator promenade with accessible natural 
75.30 	surface paths, native plantings, and interpretive 
75.31 	signage at Thompson County Park. This 
75.32 	appropriation may also be used to conduct 
75.33 	stream restoration to enhance visitor 
75.34 	experience and provide stormwater storage, 
75.35 	sediment and nutrient reduction, and increased 
75.36 	habitat and species diversity within the park. 
76.1 	This appropriation is available until June 30, 
76.2 	2029, by which time the project must be 
76.3 	completed and final products delivered.

76.4
76.5	(k) Thom Storm Chalet and Outdoor Recreation 
Center
					
76.6 	$2,312,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
76.7 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
76.8 	an agreement with the city of Duluth to 
76.9 	construct a new building and accessible 
76.10 	parking for the Thom Storm Chalet and 
76.11 	Outdoor Recreation Center at Chester Park to 
76.12 	expand high-quality outdoor recreation and 
76.13 	environmental education opportunities that 
76.14 	enhance youth and family understanding of 
76.15 	the importance of natural resource protection, 
76.16 	conservation, and preservation. Net income 
76.17 	generated as part of this appropriation may be 
76.18 	reinvested in the project if a plan for 
76.19 	reinvestment is approved in the work plan as 
76.20 	provided under Minnesota Statutes, section 
76.21 	116P.10.

76.22
76.23	(l) Enhancing Preservation and Accessibility at 
Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve
					
76.24 	$155,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
76.25 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
76.26 	an agreement with the city of Duluth to 
76.27 	develop accessible trails and remove invasive 
76.28 	species to enhance outdoor recreation and 
76.29 	education opportunities that promote 
76.30 	conservation of raptors and preservation of 
76.31 	natural resources at Hawk Ridge Nature 
76.32 	Reserve.

76.33
76.34	(m) Echo Bay County Park - Phase 1 
Construction
					
77.1 	$1,122,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
77.2 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
77.3 	an agreement with Otter Tail County to 
77.4 	construct, in accordance with the Echo Bay 
77.5 	County Park Master Plan, access roads, trails, 
77.6 	parking, and bathroom facilities that create 
77.7 	designated public access and use corridors for 
77.8 	outdoor recreation and limit natural resource 
77.9 	impacts in Echo Bay County Park.

77.10	(n) Chaska Big Woods Property Acquisition
					
77.11 	$529,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
77.12 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
77.13 	an agreement with the city of Chaska to 
77.14 	acquire property that contains remnant Big 
77.15 	Woods to protect Minnesota forests and 
77.16 	wetlands and to increase community access 
77.17 	to natural areas.

77.18
77.19	Subd. 10.Administration, Emerging Issues, and 
Contract Agreement Reimbursement
 		7,267,000
		-0-

77.20	(a) Emerging Issues Account
					
77.21 	$2,984,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
77.22 	to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on 
77.23 	Minnesota Resources to an emerging issues 
77.24 	account authorized in Minnesota Statutes, 
77.25 	section 116P.08, subdivision 4, paragraph (d).

77.26	(b) 2025 Contract Agreement Reimbursement
					
77.27 	$280,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
77.28 	to the commissioner of natural resources, at 
77.29 	the direction of the Legislative-Citizen 
77.30 	Commission on Minnesota Resources, for 
77.31 	expenses incurred in preparing and 
77.32 	administering contracts, including for the 
77.33 	agreements specified in this section.

77.34	(c) LCCMR Administrative Budget
					
78.1 	$4,000,000 the first year is from the trust fund 
78.2 	to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on 
78.3 	Minnesota Resources for administration in 
78.4 	fiscal years 2026 and 2027 as provided in 
78.5 	Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.09, 
78.6 	subdivision 5. This appropriation is available 
78.7 	until June 30, 2027. Notwithstanding 
78.8 	Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.11, 
78.9 	paragraph (b), Minnesota Statutes, section 
78.10 	16A.281, applies to this appropriation.

78.11
78.12	(d) Legislative Coordinating Commission Legacy 
Website
					
78.13 	$3,000 the first year is from the trust fund to 
78.14 	the Legislative Coordinating Commission for 
78.15 	the website required in Minnesota Statutes, 
78.16 	section 3.303, subdivision 10.

78.17	Subd. 11.Availability of appropriations
 					
78.18 	Money appropriated in this section may not 
78.19 	be spent on activities unless they are directly 
78.20 	related to and necessary for a specific 
78.21 	appropriation and are specified in the work 
78.22 	plan approved by the Legislative-Citizen 
78.23 	Commission on Minnesota Resources. Money 
78.24 	appropriated in this section must not be spent 
78.25 	on indirect costs or other institutional overhead 
78.26 	charges that are not directly related to and 
78.27 	necessary for a specific appropriation. Costs 
78.28 	that are directly related to and necessary for 
78.29 	an appropriation, including financial services, 
78.30 	human resources, information services, rent, 
78.31 	and utilities, are eligible only if the costs can 
78.32 	be clearly justified and individually 
78.33 	documented specific to the appropriation's 
78.34 	purpose and would not be generated by the 
78.35 	recipient but for receipt of the appropriation. 
79.1 	No broad allocations for costs in either dollars 
79.2 	or percentages are allowed. Unless otherwise 
79.3 	provided, the amounts in this section are 
79.4 	available for three years beginning July 1, 
79.5 	2025, and ending June 30, 2028, when projects 
79.6 	must be completed and final products 
79.7 	delivered. For acquisition of real property, the 
79.8 	appropriations in this section are available for 
79.9 	an additional fiscal year if a binding contract 
79.10 	for acquisition of the real property is entered 
79.11 	into before the expiration date of the 
79.12 	appropriation. If a project receives a federal 
79.13 	award, the period of the appropriation is 
79.14 	extended to equal the federal award period to 
79.15 	a maximum trust fund appropriation length of 
79.16 	six years.

79.17	Subd. 12.Data availability requirements
 					
79.18 	Data collected by the projects funded under 
79.19 	this section must conform to guidelines and 
79.20 	standards adopted by Minnesota IT Services. 
79.21 	Spatial data must also conform to additional 
79.22 	guidelines and standards designed to support 
79.23 	data coordination and distribution that have 
79.24 	been published by the Minnesota Geospatial 
79.25 	Information Office. Descriptions of spatial 
79.26 	data must be prepared as specified in the state's 
79.27 	geographic metadata guidelines and final data 
79.28 	must be uploaded to the Minnesota Geospatial 
79.29 	Commons upon project completion. All data 
79.30 	must be accessible and free to the public 
79.31 	unless made private under the Data Practices 
79.32 	Act, Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13. To the 
79.33 	extent practicable, summary data and results 
79.34 	of projects funded under this section should 
79.35 	be readily accessible on the Internet and 
80.1 	identified as having received funding from the 
80.2 	environment and natural resources trust fund.

80.3	Subd. 13.Project requirements
 					
80.4 	(a) As a condition of accepting an 
80.5 	appropriation under this section, an agency or 
80.6 	entity receiving an appropriation or a party to 
80.7 	an agreement from an appropriation must 
80.8 	comply with paragraphs (b) to (m) and 
80.9 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116P, and must 
80.10 	submit a work plan and annual or semiannual 
80.11 	progress reports in the form determined by the 
80.12 	Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota 
80.13 	Resources for any project funded in whole or 
80.14 	in part with money from the appropriation. 
80.15 	Modifications to the approved work plan and 
80.16 	budget expenditures must be made through 
80.17 	the amendment process established by the 
80.18 	Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota 
80.19 	Resources.
80.20 	(b) A recipient of money appropriated in this 
80.21 	section that conducts a restoration using 
80.22 	money appropriated in this section must use 
80.23 	native plant species according to the Board of 
80.24 	Water and Soil Resources' native vegetation 
80.25 	establishment and enhancement guidelines 
80.26 	and include an appropriate diversity of native 
80.27 	species selected to provide habitat for 
80.28 	pollinators throughout the growing season as 
80.29 	required under Minnesota Statutes, section 
80.30 	84.973.
80.31 	(c) For all restorations conducted with money 
80.32 	appropriated under this section, a recipient 
80.33 	must prepare an ecological restoration and 
80.34 	management plan that, to the degree 
80.35 	practicable, is consistent with the 
81.1 	highest-quality conservation and ecological 
81.2 	goals for the restoration site. Consideration 
81.3 	should be given to soil, geology, topography, 
81.4 	and other relevant factors that would provide 
81.5 	the best chance for long-term success and 
81.6 	durability of the restoration project. The plan 
81.7 	must include the proposed timetable for 
81.8 	implementing the restoration, including site 
81.9 	preparation, establishment of diverse plant 
81.10 	species, maintenance, and additional 
81.11 	enhancement to establish the restoration; 
81.12 	identify long-term maintenance and 
81.13 	management needs of the restoration and how 
81.14 	the maintenance, management, and 
81.15 	enhancement will be financed; and take 
81.16 	advantage of the best-available science and 
81.17 	include innovative techniques to achieve the 
81.18 	best restoration.
81.19 	(d) An entity receiving an appropriation in this 
81.20 	section for restoration activities must provide 
81.21 	an initial restoration evaluation at the 
81.22 	completion of the appropriation and an 
81.23 	evaluation three years after the completion of 
81.24 	the expenditure. Restorations must be 
81.25 	evaluated relative to the stated goals and 
81.26 	standards in the restoration plan, current 
81.27 	science, and, when applicable, the Board of 
81.28 	Water and Soil Resources' native vegetation 
81.29 	establishment and enhancement guidelines. 
81.30 	The evaluation must determine whether the 
81.31 	restorations are meeting planned goals, 
81.32 	identify any problems with implementing the 
81.33 	restorations, and, if necessary, give 
81.34 	recommendations on improving restorations. 
81.35 	The evaluation must be focused on improving 
81.36 	future restorations.
82.1 	(e) All restoration and enhancement projects 
82.2 	funded with money appropriated in this section 
82.3 	must be on land permanently protected by a 
82.4 	conservation easement or public ownership.
82.5 	(f) A recipient of money from an appropriation 
82.6 	under this section must give consideration to 
82.7 	contracting with Conservation Corps 
82.8 	Minnesota for contract restoration and 
82.9 	enhancement services.
82.10 	(g) All conservation easements acquired with 
82.11 	money appropriated under this section must:
82.12 	(1) be permanent;
82.13 	(2) specify the parties to the easement in the 
82.14 	easement document;
82.15 	(3) specify all provisions of an agreement that 
82.16 	are permanent;
82.17 	(4) be sent to the Legislative-Citizen 
82.18 	Commission on Minnesota Resources in an 
82.19 	electronic format at least 20 business days 
82.20 	before closing;
82.21 	(5) include a long-term monitoring and 
82.22 	enforcement plan and funding for monitoring 
82.23 	and enforcing the easement agreement; and
82.24 	(6) include requirements in the easement 
82.25 	document to protect the quantity and quality 
82.26 	of groundwater and surface water through 
82.27 	specific activities, such as keeping water on 
82.28 	the landscape, reducing nutrient and 
82.29 	contaminant loading, and not permitting 
82.30 	artificial hydrological modifications.
82.31 	(h) For any acquisition of lands or interest in 
82.32 	lands, a recipient of money appropriated under 
82.33 	this section must not agree to pay more than 
83.1 	100 percent of the appraised value for a parcel 
83.2 	of land using this money to complete the 
83.3 	purchase, in part or in whole, except that up 
83.4 	to ten percent above the appraised value may 
83.5 	be allowed to complete the purchase, in part 
83.6 	or in whole, using this money if permission is 
83.7 	received in advance of the purchase from the 
83.8 	Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota 
83.9 	Resources.
83.10 	(i) For any acquisition of land or interest in 
83.11 	land, a recipient of money appropriated under 
83.12 	this section must give priority to high-quality 
83.13 	natural resources or conservation lands that 
83.14 	provide natural buffers to water resources.
83.15 	(j) For new lands acquired with money 
83.16 	appropriated under this section, a recipient 
83.17 	must prepare an ecological restoration and 
83.18 	management plan in compliance with 
83.19 	paragraph (c), including sufficient funding for 
83.20 	implementation unless the work plan addresses 
83.21 	why a portion of the money is not necessary 
83.22 	to achieve a high-quality restoration.
83.23 	(k) To ensure public accountability for using 
83.24 	public money, a recipient of money 
83.25 	appropriated under this section must, within 
83.26 	60 days of a land acquisition, provide to the 
83.27 	Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota 
83.28 	Resources documentation of the selection 
83.29 	process used to identify parcels acquired and 
83.30 	provide documentation of all related 
83.31 	transaction costs, including but not limited to 
83.32 	appraisals, legal fees, recording fees, 
83.33 	commissions, other similar costs, and 
83.34 	donations. This information must be provided 
83.35 	for all parties involved in the transaction. The 
84.1 	recipient must also report to the 
84.2 	Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota 
84.3 	Resources any difference between the 
84.4 	acquisition amount paid to the seller and the 
84.5 	state-certified or state-reviewed appraisal, if 
84.6 	a state-certified or state-reviewed appraisal 
84.7 	was conducted.
84.8 	(l) A recipient of an appropriation from the 
84.9 	trust fund under this section must acknowledge 
84.10 	financial support from the environment and 
84.11 	natural resources trust fund in project 
84.12 	publications, signage, and other public 
84.13 	communications and outreach related to work 
84.14 	completed using the appropriation. 
84.15 	Acknowledgment may occur, as appropriate, 
84.16 	through use of the trust fund logo or inclusion 
84.17 	of language attributing support from the trust 
84.18 	fund. Each direct recipient of money 
84.19 	appropriated in this section, as well as each 
84.20 	recipient of a grant awarded pursuant to this 
84.21 	section, must satisfy all reporting and other 
84.22 	requirements incumbent upon constitutionally 
84.23 	dedicated funding recipients as provided in 
84.24 	Minnesota Statutes, section 3.303, subdivision 
84.25 	10, and chapter 116P.
84.26 	(m) A recipient of an appropriation from the 
84.27 	trust fund under this section that is receiving 
84.28 	funding to conduct children's services, as 
84.29 	defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 
84.30 	299C.61, subdivision 7, must certify to the 
84.31 	Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota 
84.32 	Resources, as part of the required work plan, 
84.33 	that criminal background checks for 
84.34 	background check crimes, as defined in 
84.35 	Minnesota Statutes, section 299C.61, 
85.1 	subdivision 2, are performed on all employees, 
85.2 	contractors, and volunteers that have or may 
85.3 	have access to a child to whom the recipient 
85.4 	provides children's services using the 
85.5 	appropriation.

85.6
85.7	Subd. 14.Payment conditions and capital 
equipment expenditures
 					
85.8 	(a) All agreements, grants, or contracts 
85.9 	referred to in this section must be administered 
85.10 	on a reimbursement basis unless otherwise 
85.11 	provided in this section. Notwithstanding 
85.12 	Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.41, 
85.13 	expenditures made on or after July 1, 2025, 
85.14 	or the date the work plan is approved, 
85.15 	whichever is later, are eligible for 
85.16 	reimbursement unless otherwise provided in 
85.17 	this section. Periodic payments must be made 
85.18 	upon receiving documentation that the 
85.19 	deliverable items articulated in the approved 
85.20 	work plan have been achieved, including 
85.21 	partial achievements as evidenced by approved 
85.22 	progress reports. Reasonable amounts may be 
85.23 	advanced to projects to accommodate 
85.24 	cash-flow needs or match federal money. The 
85.25 	advances must be approved as part of the work 
85.26 	plan. No expenditures for capital equipment 
85.27 	are allowed unless expressly authorized in the 
85.28 	project work plan.
85.29 	(b) Single-source contracts as specified in the 
85.30 	approved work plan are allowed.

85.31
85.32	Subd. 15.Purchasing recycled and recyclable 
materials
 					
85.33 	A political subdivision, public or private 
85.34 	corporation, or other entity that receives an 
85.35 	appropriation under this section must use the 
86.1 	appropriation in compliance with Minnesota 
86.2 	Statutes, section 16C.0725, regarding 
86.3 	purchasing recycled, repairable, and durable 
86.4 	materials, and Minnesota Statutes, section 
86.5 	16C.073, regarding purchasing and using 
86.6 	paper stock and printing.

86.7	Subd. 16.Accessibility
 					
86.8 	Structural and nonstructural facilities must 
86.9 	meet the design standards in the Americans 
86.10 	with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility 
86.11 	guidelines.

86.12	Subd. 17.Carryforward; extensions
 					
86.13 	(a) The availability of the appropriations for 
86.14 	the following projects is extended to June 30, 
86.15 	2026:
86.16 	(1) Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 
86.17 	6, article 5, section 2, subdivision 3, paragraph 
86.18 	(d), Foundational Hydrology Data for Wetland 
86.19 	Protection and Restoration;
86.20 	(2) Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 
86.21 	6, article 5, section 2, subdivision 6, paragraph 
86.22 	(b), Protect Community Forests by Managing 
86.23 	Ash for Emerald Ash Borer;
86.24 	(3) Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 
86.25 	6, article 5, section 2, subdivision 9, paragraph 
86.26 	(t), Chippewa County Acquisition, Recreation, 
86.27 	and Education;
86.28 	(4) Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 
86.29 	6, article 6, section 2, subdivision 3, paragraph 
86.30 	(g), Geologic Atlases for Water Resource 
86.31 	Management;
86.32 	(5) Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 
86.33 	6, article 6, section 2, subdivision 3, paragraph 
87.1 	(n), Bioacoustics for Broad-Scale Species 
87.2 	Monitoring and Conservation;
87.3 	(6) Laws 2022, chapter 94, section 2, 
87.4 	subdivision 4, paragraph (f), Water and 
87.5 	Climate Information to Enhance Community 
87.6 	Resilience;
87.7 	(7) Laws 2022, chapter 94, section 2, 
87.8 	subdivision 4, paragraph (i), Is the Tire 
87.9 	Chemical 6PPDq Killing Minnesota's Fish?;
87.10 	(8) Laws 2022, chapter 94, section 2, 
87.11 	subdivision 7, paragraph (a), Green Solar Cells 
87.12 	from a Minnesota Natural Resource;
87.13 	(9) Laws 2022, chapter 94, section 2, 
87.14 	subdivision 8, paragraph (d), Hastings Lake 
87.15 	Rebecca Park Area;
87.16 	(10) Laws 2022, chapter 94, section 2, 
87.17 	subdivision 9, paragraph (a), as amended by 
87.18 	Laws 2023, chapter 60, article 2, section 15, 
87.19 	Mesabi Trail: Wahlsten Road (CR 26) to 
87.20 	Tower; and
87.21 	(11) Laws 2022, chapter 94, section 2, 
87.22 	subdivision 9, paragraph (j), as amended by 
87.23 	Laws 2024, chapter 83, section 5, Silver Bay 
87.24 	Multimodal Trailhead Project.
87.25 	(b) The availability of the appropriations for 
87.26 	the following projects is extended to June 30, 
87.27 	2027:
87.28 	(1) Laws 2022, chapter 94, section 2, 
87.29 	subdivision 4, paragraph (g), Catch and 
87.30 	Reveal: Discovering Unknown Fish 
87.31 	Contamination Threats;
87.32 	(2) Laws 2022, chapter 94, section 2, 
87.33 	subdivision 9, paragraph (e), Native Prairie 
88.1 	Stewardship and Prairie Bank Easement 
88.2 	Acquisition;
88.3 	(3) Laws 2022, chapter 94, section 2, 
88.4 	subdivision 9, paragraph (h), SNA Habitat 
88.5 	Restoration and Public Engagement; and
88.6 	(4) Laws 2022, chapter 94, section 2, 
88.7 	subdivision 9, paragraph (n), Ranier Safe 
88.8 	Harbor/Transient Dock - Phase 2.

88.9 	EFFECTIVE DATE. Subdivision 17 is effective the day following final enactment.

88.10 	Sec. 3. Laws 2024, chapter 83, section 2, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

88.11
88.12	Subd. 3.Foundational Natural Resource Data 
and Information
 		-0-
		14,993,000

88.13
88.14	(a) Native Plant Community Data in the City of 
Duluth
					
88.15 	$198,000 the second year is from the trust 
88.16 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
88.17 	for an agreement with Minnesota Land Trust 
88.18 	to develop field-verified native plant 
88.19 	community data and maps for the city of 
88.20 	Duluth and the St. Louis River estuary to 
88.21 	support conservation and restoration activities.

88.22
88.23	(b) Reconstructing Historical Wild Rice to 
Understand Its Future
					
88.24 	$200,000 the second year is from the trust 
88.25 	fund to the Science Museum of Minnesota for 
88.26 	the St. Croix Watershed Research Station to 
88.27 	characterize environmental drivers 
88.28 	contributing to the decline of wild rice using 
88.29 	lake sediment cores to reconstruct historical 
88.30 	wild rice abundance in relation to lake and 
88.31 	watershed stressors.

88.32
88.33	(c) Characterizing Tree Cavities and Use by 
Minnesota's Wildlife
					
89.1 	$349,000 the second year is from the trust 
89.2 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
89.3 	of Minnesota for the Natural Resources 
89.4 	Research Institute in Duluth to assess the 
89.5 	effects of forest management on Minnesota's 
89.6 	primary cavity engineer, the pileated 
89.7 	woodpecker, and on the wildlife that rely on 
89.8 	the cavities that pileated woodpeckers create. 
89.9 	This appropriation is also to develop 
89.10 	management guidelines.

89.11
89.12	(d) Fate of Minnesota's Lakes in the Next 
Century
					
89.13 	$453,000 the second year is from the trust 
89.14 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
89.15 	of Minnesota to use new modeling techniques 
89.16 	to quantify how water quality of Minnesota's 
89.17 	lakes will change in the next century under 
89.18 	future land use and climate change scenarios 
89.19 	and to create an online web tool to display the 
89.20 	results. This appropriation is subject to 
89.21 	Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10.This 
89.22 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2028, 
89.23 	by which time the project must be completed 
89.24 	and final products delivered.

89.25
89.26	(e) Turtle Island Skywatchers - Minnesota 
Research and Data Visualization
					
89.27 	$200,000 the second year is from the trust 
89.28 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
89.29 	for an agreement with Native Skywatchers 
89.30 	Inc. to engage youth in environmental 
89.31 	stewardship by collecting images and acoustic 
89.32 	data from turtles and other culturally 
89.33 	significant animals and their habitats, 
89.34 	evaluating the differences in these soundscapes 
89.35 	across landscapes, and sharing the results 
90.1 	through scientific storytelling and online 
90.2 	platforms.

90.3
90.4	(f) Monitoring Minnesota's Insects: Connecting 
Habitat to Insect Prey
					
90.5 	$199,000 the second year is from the trust 
90.6 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
90.7 	of Minnesota to investigate the ecological 
90.8 	roles of and energy transfer by certain 
90.9 	Minnesota insects throughout their life cycles 
90.10 	and to train future insect researchers on field 
90.11 	techniques.

90.12
90.13	(g) Determining Ambient Background PFAS 
Concentrations in Minnesota Soils
					
90.14 	$621,000 the second year is from the trust 
90.15 	fund to the commissioner of the Pollution 
90.16 	Control Agency to determine ambient 
90.17 	background per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance 
90.18 	(PFAS) levels in urban and nonurban soils to 
90.19 	help Minnesota develop management 
90.20 	strategies for PFAS-contaminated soils. This 
90.21 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2028, 
90.22 	by which time the project must be completed 
90.23 	and final products delivered.

90.24
90.25	(h) Investigating Life History Characteristics of 
Minnesota Elk
					
90.26 	$933,000 the second year is from the trust 
90.27 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
90.28 	to assess Minnesota elk herd health and 
90.29 	genetic diversity, movements, survival, and 
90.30 	causes of mortality and to develop a 
90.31 	noninvasive, safer, and more accurate method 
90.32 	to estimate population size. This appropriation 
90.33 	is available until June 30, 2028, by which time 
90.34 	the project must be completed and final 
90.35 	products delivered.

91.1
91.2	(i) Foundational Data for Moth and Butterfly 
Conservation
					
91.3 	$195,000 the second year is from the trust 
91.4 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
91.5 	to perform field surveys and consolidate 
91.6 	existing data to create the first comprehensive 
91.7 	list of Minnesota moths and butterflies. This 
91.8 	appropriation is also to conduct outreach to 
91.9 	inform land managers and to facilitate public 
91.10 	appreciation of these species.

91.11	(j) DNR County Groundwater Atlas
					
91.12 	$3,200,000 the second year is from the trust 
91.13 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
91.14 	to continue producing county groundwater 
91.15 	atlases to inform management of surface water 
91.16 	and groundwater resources for drinking and 
91.17 	other purposes. This appropriation is for Part 
91.18 	B, to characterize the potential water yields of 
91.19 	aquifers and aquifers' sensitivity to 
91.20 	contamination.

91.21	(k) Voyageurs Wolf Project - Phase III
					
91.22 	$996,000 the second year is from the trust 
91.23 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
91.24 	of Minnesota to continue to study summertime 
91.25 	wolf predation on deer, moose, and other 
91.26 	species in the greater Voyageurs ecosystem 
91.27 	to inform wildlife management and to share 
91.28 	natural history of this species with the public. 
91.29 	This appropriation is available until June 30, 
91.30 	2028, by which time the project must be 
91.31 	completed and final products delivered.

91.32
91.33	(l) Distribution and Population Status of Weasels 
in Minnesota
					
91.34 	$400,000 the second year is from the trust 
91.35 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
92.1 	of Minnesota for the Natural Resources 
92.2 	Research Institute in Duluth to determine the 
92.3 	distribution, relative abundance, and spatial 
92.4 	occupancy patterns of small weasel species in 
92.5 	Minnesota to fill key knowledge gaps in 
92.6 	weasel distribution and status in Minnesota.

92.7
92.8	(m) Improving Aquatic Plant Knowledge for 
Healthy Waters
					
92.9 	$198,000 the second year is from the trust 
92.10 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
92.11 	to collect foundational data on Minnesota's 
92.12 	native aquatic plant biodiversity through new 
92.13 	and enhanced lake surveys and to disseminate 
92.14 	results to state resource managers, scientists, 
92.15 	and the public.

92.16
92.17	(n) New Small Mammal Monitoring Methods 
for Minnesota
					
92.18 	$199,000 the second year is from the trust 
92.19 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
92.20 	of Minnesota for the Natural Resources 
92.21 	Research Institute in Duluth to develop camera 
92.22 	trapping methods as a new tool to collect 
92.23 	foundational data and fill key knowledge gaps 
92.24 	in the status of small mammal species in 
92.25 	Minnesota.

92.26
92.27	(o) Status of Bats and Roost Trees after 
White-Nose Syndrome
					
92.28 	$195,000 the second year is from the trust 
92.29 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
92.30 	of Minnesota for the Natural Resources 
92.31 	Research Institute in Duluth to study changes 
92.32 	in maternity roost trees and bat populations in 
92.33 	the forested areas of Minnesota and to evaluate 
92.34 	the effects of years of white-nose syndrome 
92.35 	on Minnesota bats.

93.1
93.2	(p) Sublethal Effects of Pesticides on the 
Invertebrate Community
					
93.3 	$387,000 the second year is from the trust 
93.4 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
93.5 	of Minnesota to provide data on pesticide 
93.6 	contamination in soil and the insect 
93.7 	community across the state and the effect of 
93.8 	insecticide exposure on insect reproduction. 
93.9 	This appropriation is available until June 30, 
93.10 	2029, by which time the project must be 
93.11 	completed and final products delivered.

93.12
93.13	(q) Modernizing Minnesota's Plant Community 
Classification and Field Guides
					
93.14 	$1,800,000 the second year is from the trust 
93.15 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
93.16 	to collect additional vegetation and 
93.17 	environmental data and update the state's 
93.18 	20-year-old native plant community 
93.19 	classification guides to incorporate new data, 
93.20 	streamline user application and access to 
93.21 	products, and include analysis of climate and 
93.22 	vegetation trends. Net income generated as 
93.23 	part of this appropriation may be reinvested 
93.24 	in the project if a plan for reinvestment is 
93.25 	approved in the work plan. This appropriation 
93.26 	is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 
93.27 	116P.10.

93.28
93.29	(r) Assessing Prairie Health to Inform Pollinator 
Conservation
					
93.30 	$297,000 the second year is from the trust 
93.31 	fund to the Minnesota Zoological Society to 
93.32 	assess habitat quality and pesticide occurrence 
93.33 	in Minnesota prairies to help inform 
93.34 	management actions, endangered species 
93.35 	recovery plans, and pollinator reintroduction 
94.1 	efforts for endangered and threatened 
94.2 	butterflies and other wildlife.

94.3
94.4	(s) Understanding Native Fishes in the 
Bowfishing Era
					
94.5 	$588,000 the second year is from the trust 
94.6 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
94.7 	of Minnesota, Duluth, to collect foundational 
94.8 	biological information on a selection of native 
94.9 	Minnesota fish to aid in sustainable 
94.10 	management, improve recreational 
94.11 	opportunities, and educate the public about 
94.12 	these shared aquatic resources. This 
94.13 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2028, 
94.14 	by which time the project must be completed 
94.15 	and final products delivered.

94.16
94.17	(t) Preserving Minnesota Wildflower 
Information
					
94.18 	$199,000 the second year is from the trust 
94.19 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
94.20 	of Minnesota, Bell Museum of Natural 
94.21 	History, to preserve and enhance Minnesota 
94.22 	Wildflowers Information, an online tool for 
94.23 	plant identification, by integrating the content 
94.24 	and functionality of the website with the 
94.25 	Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas for public use 
94.26 	as required by Laws 2017, chapter 96, section 
94.27 	2, subdivision 3, paragraph (e).

94.28
94.29	(u) White-Tailed Deer Movement and Disease 
in Suburban Areas
					
94.30 	$699,000 the second year is from the trust 
94.31 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
94.32 	of Minnesota to better understand white-tailed 
94.33 	deer movement, habitat use, and disease 
94.34 	dynamics at the suburban-agricultural interface 
95.1 	to inform more efficient deer management and 
95.2 	disease control.

95.3
95.4	(v) Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and 
Minnesota Raptors
					
95.5 	$187,000 the second year is from the trust 
95.6 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
95.7 	of Minnesota for the Raptor Center to evaluate 
95.8 	Minnesota raptors for current or past infections 
95.9 	with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus 
95.10 	to better understand disease transmission and 
95.11 	outbreak impacts on raptor populations.

95.12
95.13	(w) Geologic Atlases for Water Resource 
Management
					
95.14 	$1,236,000 the second year is from the trust 
95.15 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
95.16 	of Minnesota, Minnesota Geological Survey, 
95.17 	to continue producing county geologic atlases 
95.18 	to inform management of surface water and 
95.19 	groundwater resources. This appropriation is 
95.20 	to complete Part A, which focuses on the 
95.21 	properties and distribution of earth materials 
95.22 	to define aquifer boundaries and the 
95.23 	connection of aquifers to the land surface and 
95.24 	surface water resources.

95.25	(x) Remote Sensing for Pollinator Habitat
					
95.26 	$180,000 the second year is from the trust 
95.27 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
95.28 	for an agreement with Monarch Joint Venture 
95.29 	to use remote sensing technology to evaluate 
95.30 	pollinator habitat on energy and transportation 
95.31 	corridors across Minnesota and to host 
95.32 	field-day training workshops. Net income 
95.33 	generated as part of this appropriation may be 
95.34 	reinvested in the project if a plan for 
95.35 	reinvestment is approved in the work plan as 
96.1 	provided under Minnesota Statutes, section 
96.2 	116P.10.

96.3
96.4	(y) Harnessing Cover Crops and Roots for 
Sustainable Cropping
					
96.5 	$375,000 the second year is from the trust 
96.6 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
96.7 	of Minnesota to determine carbon 
96.8 	sequestration, nitrogen credit potential, water 
96.9 	use, and performance of cover crops in 
96.10 	corn-soybean and corn-soybean-wheat 
96.11 	rotations in southern Minnesota.

96.12
96.13	(z) Effects of Conservation Grazing on Solar 
Sites Managed for Pollinator Habitat
					
96.14 	$88,000 the second year is from the trust fund 
96.15 	to the commissioner of natural resources for 
96.16 	an agreement with Minnesota Native 
96.17 	Landscapes, in partnership with Temple 
96.18 	University, to analyze the effects of sheep 
96.19 	grazing and mowing on the vegetation and 
96.20 	soils of solar sites managed for pollinator 
96.21 	habitat and to improve understanding of the 
96.22 	environmental outcomes from the colocation 
96.23 	of solar panels; grazing; and native, 
96.24 	pollinator-friendly vegetation. This 
96.25 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2029, 
96.26 	by which time the project must be completed 
96.27 	and final products delivered.

96.28
96.29	(aa) Genetic Detection of Endangered Mussels 
in the Mississippi
					
96.30 	$241,000 the second year is from the trust 
96.31 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
96.32 	for an agreement with the United States 
96.33 	Geological Survey, Ohio Water Microbiology 
96.34 	Lab, to create, optimize, and use eDNA assays 
96.35 	to detect the presence of endangered or 
97.1 	threatened mussel species around Buffalo 
97.2 	Slough near the Prairie Island Indian 
97.3 	Community.

97.4
97.5	(bb) Integrated Population Modeling for 
Trumpeter Swans
					
97.6 	$180,000 the second year is from the trust 
97.7 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
97.8 	of Minnesota to compile and use all available 
97.9 	data to model historical population abundance 
97.10 	and estimate future population dynamics of 
97.11 	Minnesota trumpeter swans.

97.12 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively from July 1, 2024.

97.13 	Sec. 4. Laws 2024, chapter 83, section 2, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

97.14
97.15	Subd. 8.Methods to Protect or Restore Land, 
Water, and Habitat
 		-0-
		10,910,000

97.16
97.17	(a) Long-Term Preservation of Minnesota's Ball 
Cactus Population
					
97.18 	$100,000 the second year is from the trust 
97.19 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
97.20 	of Minnesota for the Minnesota Landscape 
97.21 	Arboretum to protect Minnesota's only 
97.22 	population of ball cactus by supporting 
97.23 	population expansion and establishment, 
97.24 	monitoring transferred plants, and training 
97.25 	long-term volunteer monitors. This 
97.26 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2029, 
97.27 	by which time the project must be completed 
97.28 	and final products delivered.

97.29
97.30	(b) Morrison County Historical Society 
Streambank Stabilization and Restoration
					
97.31 	$519,000 the second year is from the trust 
97.32 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
97.33 	for an agreement with the Morrison Soil and 
97.34 	Water Conservation District to stabilize and 
98.1 	restore land along the Mississippi River owned 
98.2 	by the Morrison County Historical Society 
98.3 	within the statutory boundaries of Charles A. 
98.4 	Lindbergh State Park to improve water quality 
98.5 	and improve aquatic and terrestrial habit. For 
98.6 	purposes of this appropriation, subdivision 13, 
98.7 	paragraph (e), does not apply. The 
98.8 	commissioner of natural resources may make 
98.9 	reasonable amounts of this appropriation 
98.10 	available on an advance basis to accommodate 
98.11 	the Morrison Soil and Water Conservation 
98.12 	District's cash-flow needs if a plan for the 
98.13 	advances is approved as part of the work plan.

98.14
98.15	(c) Can Increased Tree Diversity Increase 
Community Diversity?
					
98.16 	$415,000 the second year is from the trust 
98.17 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
98.18 	of Minnesota to evaluate impacts of increasing 
98.19 	tree diversity on wildlife, plant and fungal 
98.20 	communities, and carbon storage within aspen 
98.21 	forests in northern Minnesota to develop best 
98.22 	management practices for mixed woodland 
98.23 	systems.

98.24	(d) Restoration of Riverside Park
					
98.25 	$141,000 the second year is from the trust 
98.26 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
98.27 	for an agreement with the city of Long Prairie 
98.28 	to improve water retention, increase native 
98.29 	habitat, and enhance footpaths for recreation 
98.30 	at Riverside Park in Todd County, Minnesota. 
98.31 	The project must create a net increase in 
98.32 	habitat, and this appropriation may not be used 
98.33 	to meet the conditions of any permits received 
98.34 	for the project.

99.1
99.2	(e) Pollinator Central IV: Habitat Improvement 
with Public Engagement
					
99.3 	$698,000 the second year is from the trust 
99.4 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
99.5 	for an agreement with Great River Greening 
99.6 	to partner with municipalities, educational 
99.7 	organizations, and volunteers to create and 
99.8 	enhance pollinator habitat along public 
99.9 	corridors from Lakeville to St. Cloud and to 
99.10 	engage youth and the public through education 
99.11 	and monitoring the impact of habitat 
99.12 	improvements. This appropriation is available 
99.13 	until June 30, 2028, by which time the project 
99.14 	must be completed and final products 
99.15 	delivered.

99.16
99.17	(f) Conservation Grazing for Birds, Beef, and 
Better Soil
					
99.18 	$342,000 the second year is from the trust 
99.19 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
99.20 	for an agreement with the National Audubon 
99.21 	Society, Minnesota office, to assess Audubon 
99.22 	Conservation Ranching as a strategic approach 
99.23 	to improve grassland biodiversity, soils, and 
99.24 	ecosystem resilience. This appropriation is 
99.25 	available until June 30, 2028, by which time 
99.26 	the project must be completed and final 
99.27 	products delivered.

99.28
99.29	(g) Minnesota Microbes for Enhanced 
Biodegradation of Microplastics
					
99.30 	$524,000 the second year is from the trust 
99.31 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
99.32 	of Minnesota to investigate the potential of 
99.33 	natural and indigenous microbes to biodegrade 
99.34 	conventional plastics in contaminated soils 
99.35 	and waters across the state. This appropriation 
100.1 	is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 
100.2 	116P.10.

100.3
100.4	(h) Completing the Mississippi River Greenway: 
Dakota County
					
100.5 	$657,000 the second year is from the trust 
100.6 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
100.7 	for an agreement with Dakota County to 
100.8 	restore and enhance habitat on public lands, 
100.9 	establish linear native plantings, and install 
100.10 	electric-vehicle charging stations within and 
100.11 	along the 27-mile Mississippi River Greenway 
100.12 	in Dakota County. Net income generated as 
100.13 	part of this appropriation may be reinvested 
100.14 	in the project if a plan for reinvestment is 
100.15 	approved in the work plan. This appropriation 
100.16 	is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 
100.17 	116P.10, and is available until June 30, 2028, 
100.18 	by which time the project must be completed 
100.19 	and final products delivered.

100.20
100.21	(i) Enabling Nature to Destroy Environmental 
PFAS Contaminants
					
100.22 	$378,000 the second year is from the trust 
100.23 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
100.24 	of Minnesota to identify enzymes and 
100.25 	microbes that can break down soil-based per- 
100.26 	and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) into 
100.27 	nontoxic elements. This appropriation is 
100.28 	subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10.

100.29
100.30	(j) Bioacoustics for Species Monitoring and 
Conservation - Phase 2
					
100.31 	$568,000 the second year is from the trust 
100.32 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
100.33 	of Minnesota to assess avian diversity at the 
100.34 	statewide scale by developing a citizen science 
101.1 	bioacoustics monitoring program with an 
101.2 	initial focus on private lands.

101.3
101.4	(k) Preventing PFAS and Microplastics 
Contaminants Across Minnesota
					
101.5 	$656,000 the second year is from the trust 
101.6 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
101.7 	of Minnesota to help stop the flow of per- and 
101.8 	polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 
101.9 	microplastics contaminants into Minnesota's 
101.10 	environment by developing strategies and 
101.11 	technologies to manage solid waste streams 
101.12 	on site. This appropriation is subject to 
101.13 	Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.10.

101.14
101.15	(l) Shingle Creek Aquatic and Shoreline Habitat 
Enhancement
					
101.16 	$1,100,000 the second year is from the trust 
101.17 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
101.18 	for an agreement with the Minneapolis Park 
101.19 	and Recreation Board to plan and restore a 
101.20 	section of Shingle Creek in north Minneapolis 
101.21 	with native aquatic and shoreline vegetation, 
101.22 	channel and bank modification, and natural 
101.23 	stream features. This appropriation is also to 
101.24 	monitor plant and animal health following 
101.25 	construction to ensure that the ecological 
101.26 	functioning of the creek corridor is restored. 
101.27 	This appropriation is available until June 30, 
101.28 	2030, by which time the project must be 
101.29 	completed and final products delivered.

101.30
101.31	(m) LiDAR Technology to Help Prevent Wildlife 
Fatalities from Wind Turbines
					
101.32 	$525,000 the second year is from the trust 
101.33 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
101.34 	of Minnesota to create a low-cost and 
101.35 	advanced LiDAR system to detect bats and 
102.1 	birds approaching wind turbines that may be 
102.2 	used in concert with deterrence or impact 
102.3 	avoidance methods to prevent collisions. This 
102.4 	appropriation is subject to Minnesota Statutes, 
102.5 	section 116P.10.

102.6
102.7	(n) Road Salt Pollution of Surface Waters from 
Groundwater
					
102.8 	$622,000 the second year is from the trust 
102.9 	fund to the Board of Regents of the University 
102.10 	of Minnesota to inform source-reduction 
102.11 	efforts by developing a model to identify hot 
102.12 	spots where road-salt-contaminated 
102.13 	groundwater leads to chloride pollution of 
102.14 	surface waters.

102.15
102.16	(o) Growing the Minnesota Bison Conservation 
Herd
					
102.17 	$1,775,000 the second year is from the trust 
102.18 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
102.19 	to reintroduce bison to Camden State Park as 
102.20 	part of a statewide effort to preserve the 
102.21 	American Plains bison genome. 
102.22 	Reintroduction includes the design, 
102.23 	construction, and installation of fencing, a 
102.24 	handling facility, signage, exhibits, and other 
102.25 	site improvements. This appropriation is 
102.26 	available until June 30, 2030, by which time 
102.27 	the project must be completed and final 
102.28 	products delivered.

102.29
102.30	(p) Priority Lakes: Meeting Protection Goals 
and Multiplying Benefits
					
102.31 	$1,890,000 the second year is from the trust 
102.32 	fund to the commissioner of natural resources 
102.33 	for an agreement with the Hubbard County 
102.34 	Soil and Water Conservation District, in 
102.35 	cooperation with Minnesota Land Trust, to 
103.1 	protect habitat, forest health, and water quality 
103.2 	in the best fishing lakes by creating lake 
103.3 	implementation action plans, conducting 
103.4 	community-based habitat restorations and 
103.5 	improvements, and protecting forest lands with 
103.6 	conservation easements and Sustainable Forest 
103.7 	Incentive Act (SFIA) enrollments within 
103.8 	prioritized areas of the upper Mississippi River 
103.9 	basin in Hubbard County. Of this amount, up 
103.10 	to $168,000 is for deposit in a monitoring fund 
103.11 	to be used by Minnesota Land Trust as 
103.12 	approved in the work plan and subject to 
103.13 	Minnesota Statutes, section 116P.20.

103.14 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively from July 1, 2024.

103.15 	ARTICLE 3
103.16 	ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TRUST FUND COMMUNITY 
103.17 	GRANTS APPROPRIATIONS

103.18 	Section 1. APPROPRIATION; ENRTF COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM.
 103.19 	$28,180,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $28,180,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated 
103.20 	from the environment and natural resources trust fund to the commissioner of natural 
103.21 	resources to make grants under the environment and natural resources trust fund community 
103.22 	grant program established in Minnesota Statutes, section 116X.03. These are onetime 
103.23 	appropriations and are available until June 30, 2029.

103.24 	ARTICLE 4
103.25 	ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES POLICY

103.26 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 84.027, is amended by adding a subdivision 
103.27 	to read:
103.28 		Subd. 21.Outreach to culturally diverse communities. The commissioner must ensure 
103.29 	that, to the maximum extent practicable, the commissioner's work and the work of the 
103.30 	department are carried out in a manner that facilitates outreach to and communication with 
103.31 	Minnesotans of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and languages. To the maximum extent 
103.32 	practicable, public hearings, solicitations for grant proposals, and other interactions with 
104.1 	the public must include audiovisual communication components and must not rely exclusively 
104.2 	on written forms of communication.

104.3 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 84.03, is amended to read:
104.4 	84.03 ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND POWERS.
104.5 	(a) So far as practicable the commissioner shall collect and arrange statistics and other 
104.6 	information in reference to the lands and general and special resources of the state.
104.7 	(b) The commissioner is hereby authorized and empowered to take such measures as 
104.8 	the commissioner may deem advisable to advertise, both within and without the state, sales 
104.9 	of all state lands, and to secure, compile, and issue such valuable statistics of the resources 
104.10 	of the state.
104.11 	(c) The commissioner may adopt and promulgate reasonable rules, not inconsistent with 
104.12 	law, governing the use and enjoyment of state land reserved from sale, state parks, state 
104.13 	water-access sites, state trails, state monuments, state scientific and natural areas, state 
104.14 	wilderness areas, and recreational areas owned by other state, local and federal agencies 
104.15 	and operated under agreement by the Department of Natural Resources, which shall have 
104.16 	the force and effect of law. A reasonable fee may be fixed, charged, and collected by the 
104.17 	commissioner for the privilege of the use of any or all of the foregoing privileges and 
104.18 	facilities.
104.19 	(d) The commissioner, on or before November 15 of each even-numbered year, shall 
104.20 	report to the legislature the commissioner's acts and doings, with recommendation for the 
104.21 	improvement or conservation of state parks, state water-access sites, state trails, and state 
104.22 	monuments, state scientific and natural areas, state forests, state wildlife management areas, 
104.23 	public hunting grounds, public shooting grounds, food and cover planting areas, wildlife 
104.24 	lands, recreational or public hunting areas, state wild and scenic rivers, state wilderness 
104.25 	areas, and all other recreational lands under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural 
104.26 	Resources, and for desirable accessions thereto, such report to include an inventory of the 
104.27 	tracts and parcels of land, and rights, interests, and easements therein, held by the state or 
104.28 	withdrawn from sale for any of these purposes, with the value thereof, and a list of the name, 
104.29 	location, size, and description of each state trail, state scientific and natural area, state wildlife 
104.30 	management area, state water-access site, and state wild, scenic, or recreational river 
104.31 	designated by the commissioner, and each public hunting grounds, public shooting grounds, 
104.32 	food and cover planting area, wildlife lands, and recreational or public hunting area acquired 
104.33 	by the commissioner since the last report. The commissioner shall maintain a long range 
104.34 	plan governing the use of the public domain under the commissioner's jurisdiction.

105.1 	Sec. 3. [84.1515] WILD RICE POLICY.
105.2 	It is the policy of the state to recognize the innate significance of uncultivated wild rice's 
105.3 	ability to exist and thrive in Minnesota. The legislature finds that wild rice:
105.4 	(1) is a nutrient-rich, natural food source that has been sustainably harvested in this state 
105.5 	for centuries;
105.6 	(2) is sacred to Indian Tribes and is a core component of their cultural identity;
105.7 	(3) thrives in clean, shallow water, without requiring pesticides, fertilizers, or harmful 
105.8 	chemicals;
105.9 	(4) supports rural economies by providing jobs, fostering local businesses, and supporting 
105.10 	ecotourism;
105.11 	(5) plays a crucial role in preventing toxic algae blooms, absorbing carbon dioxide, 
105.12 	fostering vital habitat for fish, and stabilizing lake beds; and
105.13 	(6) is essential for safeguarding Tribal food security and upholding Tribal treaty rights.

105.14 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 84.8035, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
105.15 		Subdivision 1.Pass required; fee. (a) Except as provided under paragraph (c), a person 
105.16 	may not operate an off-road vehicle on a state or grant-in-aid off-road vehicle trail or use 
105.17 	area unless the vehicle displays an operator carries a valid off-road vehicle state trail pass 
105.18 	issued according to this section. The pass must be available to be viewed for inspection by 
105.19 	a peace officer, a conservation officer, or an employee designated under section 84.0835.
105.20 	(b) The commissioner of natural resources shall issue a pass upon application and payment 
105.21 	of the fee. Fees collected under this section, except for the issuing fee for licensing agents, 
105.22 	shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the off-road vehicle account in the 
105.23 	natural resources fund and, except for the electronic licensing system commission established 
105.24 	by the commissioner under section 84.027, subdivision 15, must be used for grants-in-aid 
105.25 	to counties and municipalities for off-road vehicle organizations to construct and maintain 
105.26 	off-road vehicle trails and use areas.
105.27 	(c) An off-road vehicle state trail pass is not required for:
105.28 	(1) an off-road vehicle that is owned and used by the United States, another state, or a 
105.29 	political subdivision thereof that is exempt from registration under section 84.798, subdivision 
105.30 	2;
106.1 	(2) a person operating an off-road vehicle only on the portion of a trail that is owned by 
106.2 	the person or the person's spouse, child, or parent; or
106.3 	(3) a person operating an off-road vehicle that is registered according to section 84.798.
106.4 	(d) The fee for an annual nonresident off-road vehicle state trail pass is $20. The 
106.5 	nonresident pass is valid from January 1 through December 31. The fee for a nonresident 
106.6 	three-year pass is $30.
106.7 	(e) The fee for a resident off-road vehicle state trail pass is $20. The resident pass is 
106.8 	valid for 30 consecutive days after the date of issuance.

106.9 	Sec. 5. [84.9766] OUTDOOR SCHOOL FOR ALL; GRANT PROGRAM.
106.10 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The commissioner of natural resources must establish 
106.11 	and administer a program to provide grants to learning centers eligible under subdivision 
106.12 	2 for outdoor education programs serving students in grades 4 through 12.
106.13 		Subd. 2.Eligibility. (a) The commissioner may award grants under this section to 
106.14 	overnight outdoor school experience providers accredited by a state-recognized school 
106.15 	accrediting agency and to other outdoor school experience accredited providers offering 
106.16 	similar programming.
106.17 	(b) To be eligible for a grant under this section, the outdoor education program must:
106.18 	(1) provide a multiday, overnight educational experience that is comprised mainly of 
106.19 	outdoor-based learning activities;
106.20 	(2) provide students with opportunities to directly experience and understand nature and 
106.21 	the natural world, including field study opportunities for student learning;
106.22 	(3) use a research-based environmental, ecological, agricultural, or other 
106.23 	natural-resource-based educational curriculum;
106.24 	(4) be integrated with local school curricula to help students meet academic standards;
106.25 	(5) provide students with opportunities to develop:
106.26 	(i) leadership;
106.27 	(ii) critical thinking;
106.28 	(iii) self-sufficiency;
106.29 	(iv) decision-making skills; and
106.30 	(v) social and emotional skills; and
107.1 	(6) address accessibility of outdoor educational opportunities for underserved students, 
107.2 	including students with disabilities.

107.3 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 84D.01, is amended by adding a subdivision to 
107.4 	read:
107.5 		Subd. 6a.Eviscerated. "Eviscerated" means to have the internal organs removed from 
107.6 	the body cavity or to have the gills severed to ensure that an organism is dead.

107.7 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 84D.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
107.8 		Subdivision 1.Prohibited activities. A person may not possess, import, purchase, sell, 
107.9 	propagate, transport, or introduce a prohibited invasive species, except:
107.10 	(1) under a permit issued by the commissioner under section 84D.11;
107.11 	(2) in the case of purple loosestrife, as provided by sections 18.75 to 18.88;
107.12 	(3) under a restricted species permit issued under section 17.457;
107.13 	(4) a person may possess, import, purchase, sell, and transport bighead carp, grass carp, 
107.14 	and silver carp if they are dead and eviscerated;
107.15 	(4) (5) when being transported to the department, or another destination as the 
107.16 	commissioner may direct, in a sealed container for purposes of identifying the species or 
107.17 	reporting the presence of the species;
107.18 	(5) (6) when being transported for disposal as part of a harvest or control activity when 
107.19 	specifically authorized under a permit issued by the commissioner according to section 
107.20 	103G.615, when being transported for disposal as specified under a commercial fishing 
107.21 	license issued by the commissioner according to section 97A.418, 97C.801, 97C.811, 
107.22 	97C.825, 97C.831, or 97C.835, or when being transported as specified by the commissioner;
107.23 	(6) (7) when being removed from watercraft and equipment, or caught while angling, 
107.24 	and immediately returned to the water from which they came;
107.25 	(7) (8) when being transported from riparian property to a legal disposal site that is at 
107.26 	least 100 feet from any surface water, ditch, or seasonally flooded land, provided the 
107.27 	prohibited invasive species are in a covered commercial vehicle specifically designed and 
107.28 	used for hauling trash; or
107.29 	(8) (9) as the commissioner may otherwise prescribe by rule.

108.1 	Sec. 8. [86B.109] ABANDONED WATERCRAFT.
108.2 		Subdivision 1.Tagging authority; notice to owner. (a) A peace officer or an employee 
108.3 	designated by the commissioner under section 84.0835 may place a tag on a watercraft 
108.4 	unlawfully located on public accesses, public lands, and waters of this state or unlawfully 
108.5 	located on property adjacent to waters of this state. A watercraft is unlawfully located if the 
108.6 	watercraft appears to be:
108.7 	(1) inoperative and neglected, wrecked, stranded, or substantially dismantled;
108.8 	(2) in immediate danger of sinking; or
108.9 	(3) unmoored and unattended.
108.10 	(b) A peace officer or employee who places a tag on a watercraft under this subdivision 
108.11 	must notify the commissioner of placing the tag within 48 hours. The notification must 
108.12 	include a statement of the basis for the decision to place a tag on the watercraft.
108.13 	(c) Upon receiving notification under paragraph (b), the commissioner must send a notice 
108.14 	by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the registered owner of the watercraft. The 
108.15 	notice must state that:
108.16 	(1) the watercraft has been tagged and the condition that resulted in the watercraft being 
108.17 	tagged must be remedied immediately; and
108.18 	(2) failure to remedy within 14 days of the notice being sent is a criminal violation that 
108.19 	may result in civil and criminal penalties and the forfeiture of the watercraft.
108.20 		Subd. 2.Failure to remedy. The registered owner of a watercraft who knowingly fails 
108.21 	to remedy the condition that resulted in the watercraft being tagged within 14 days of the 
108.22 	commissioner sending the notice required by subdivision 1, paragraph (c), is guilty of a 
108.23 	misdemeanor. In addition, the owner is liable to the Department of Natural Resources for 
108.24 	all costs incurred by the commissioner in enforcing this section against the owner and is 
108.25 	subject to a civil penalty of not less than two times nor more than five times the costs incurred 
108.26 	by the commissioner to remove, process, and dispose of the watercraft. Civil penalties 
108.27 	imposed under this subdivision may be enforced and distributed as provided in section 
108.28 	115A.99.
108.29 		Subd. 3.Seizure of abandoned watercraft. Fourteen days after the commissioner sends 
108.30 	the notice required by subdivision 1, paragraph (c), to the registered owner, or concludes 
108.31 	that there is no registered owner, the commissioner must investigate the watercraft. If, upon 
108.32 	inspection, the watercraft has not been removed and the condition that prompted the peace 
108.33 	officer or employee to tag it has not been substantially remedied, the watercraft is considered 
109.1 	abandoned and the commissioner must seize and forfeit the watercraft according to section 
109.2 	97A.223.
109.3 		Subd. 4.Relation to other law. An abandoned watercraft that becomes submerged and 
109.4 	subject to section 86B.107 must be removed and disposed of in accordance with that section.
109.5 		Subd. 5.Exceptions. This section does not apply to previously sunk watercraft of 
109.6 	historical significance or that are currently a destination for scuba divers or commercial 
109.7 	tourism that do not pose an ongoing environmental or public safety risk.

109.8 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 86B.415, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
109.9 		Subd. 7.Watercraft surcharge. A $10.60 surcharge is placed on each watercraft licensed 
109.10 	under subdivisions 1 to 5 for control, public awareness, law enforcement, monitoring, and 
109.11 	research of aquatic invasive species such as zebra mussel, purple loosestrife, and Eurasian 
109.12 	watermilfoil in public waters and public wetlands. The surcharge is:
109.13 	(1) for a watercraft 19 feet or less in length, other than a watercraft listed in clauses (2) 
109.14 	to (8), $29;
109.15 	(2) for a watercraft, other than personal watercraft, 19 feet in length or less that is offered 
109.16 	for rent or lease, $25;
109.17 	(3) for a sailboat 19 feet in length or less, $20;
109.18 	(4) for a watercraft used by a nonprofit corporation for teaching boat and water safety, 
109.19 	$14;
109.20 	(5) for a watercraft owned by a dealer under a dealer's license, $50;
109.21 	(6) for a personal watercraft, including one offered for rent or lease, $25;
109.22 	(7) for a watercraft less than 17 feet in length, other than a watercraft listed in clauses 
109.23 	(2) to (6), $25;
109.24 	(8) for a canoe, kayak, sailboard, paddleboard, paddleboat, or rowing shell over ten feet 
109.25 	in length, $20;
109.26 	(9) for a watercraft more than 19 feet but less than 26 feet in length, other than a 
109.27 	watercraft listed in clauses (4), (5), (8), and (12), $38;
109.28 	(10) for a watercraft 26 feet but less than 40 feet in length, other than a watercraft listed 
109.29 	in clauses (4), (5), (8), and (12), $50;
109.30 	(11) for a watercraft 40 feet in length or longer, other than a watercraft listed in clauses 
109.31 	(4), (5), (8), and (12), $62; and
110.1 	(12) for a watercraft used primarily for charter fishing, commercial fishing, commercial 
110.2 	passenger carrying, or other commercial operation, $50.

110.3 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2026.

110.4 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97A.223, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
110.5 		Subdivision 1.Property subject to seizure and forfeiture. (a) An enforcement officer 
110.6 	must seize:
110.7 	(1) firearms possessed in violation of state or federal law or court order; and
110.8 	(2) property described in section 97A.221, subdivision 1, where no owner can be 
110.9 	determined.; and
110.10 	(3) a watercraft that is abandoned according to section 86B.109, subdivision 3.
110.11 	(b) Property seized under this section is subject to administrative forfeiture.

110.12 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97A.421, is amended by adding a subdivision 
110.13 	to read:
110.14 		Subd. 3c.Restrictions after conviction; abandoned watercraft. (a) After a conviction 
110.15 	under section 86B.109, subdivision 2, the following license and registration restrictions 
110.16 	remain in effect until the person reimburses the Department of Natural Resources for all 
110.17 	the department's costs under section 86B.109, subdivision 2:
110.18 	(1) all the person's annual game and fish licenses are void;
110.19 	(2) the person may not act under any lifetime game and fish license;
110.20 	(3) all the person's watercraft licenses and registrations that are required to operate 
110.21 	watercraft in the state are void;
110.22 	(4) all the person's off-highway vehicle and snowmobile licenses and registrations that 
110.23 	are required to operate those vehicles in the state are void; and
110.24 	(5) the person may not obtain any of the licenses or registrations described in clauses 
110.25 	(1) to (4).
110.26 	(b) If a conviction under section 86B.109, subdivision 2, was for abandoning a watercraft 
110.27 	in a boundary water of the state, the commissioner must coordinate with neighboring 
110.28 	jurisdictions to ensure that, to the maximum extent practicable, the person is subject to 
110.29 	similar consequences in the neighboring jurisdiction as those imposed under paragraph (a).

111.1 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97A.465, is amended by adding a subdivision 
111.2 	to read:
111.3 		Subd. 9.Resident disabled veterans; reduced fee licenses. A person authorized to 
111.4 	issue licenses must issue the following licenses for the reduced fee specified under section 
111.5 	97A.475 to a resident who is a veteran, as defined in section 197.447, and who has a 50 to 
111.6 	99 percent service-connected disability as defined by the United States Department of 
111.7 	Veterans Affairs upon being furnished satisfactory evidence:
111.8 	(1) a license to take deer by firearms, archery, or muzzleloader;
111.9 	(2) a license to take small game; and
111.10 	(3) a license to take fish by angling.

111.11 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97A.475, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
111.12 		Subd. 2.Resident hunting. Fees for the following licenses, to be issued to residents 
111.13 	only, are:
111.14 	(1) for persons age 18 or over and under age 65 to take small game, $15.50;
111.15 	(2) for persons age 65 or over, $7 to take small game;
111.16 	(3) for persons age 18 or over to take turkey, $26;
111.17 	(4) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take turkey, $5;
111.18 	(5) for persons age 18 or over to take deer with firearms during the regular firearms 
111.19 	season, $34;
111.20 	(6) for persons age 18 or over to take deer by archery, $34;
111.21 	(7) for persons age 18 or over to take deer by muzzleloader during the muzzleloader 
111.22 	season, $34;
111.23 	(8) to take moose, for a party of not more than six persons, $356;
111.24 	(9) for persons age 18 or over to take bear, $44;
111.25 	(10) to take elk, for a party of not more than two persons, $287;
111.26 	(11) to take light geese during the light goose conservation order, $2.50;
111.27 	(12) to take sandhill crane during the sandhill crane season, $3;
111.28 	(13) to take prairie chickens, $23;
112.1 	(14) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take deer with firearms during the 
112.2 	regular firearms season, $5;
112.3 	(15) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take deer by archery, $5;
112.4 	(16) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take deer by muzzleloader during 
112.5 	the muzzleloader season, $5;
112.6 	(17) for persons age 10, 11, or 12 to take bear, no fee;
112.7 	(18) for persons age 13 or over and under age 18 to take bear, $5;
112.8 	(19) for persons age 18 or over to take small game for a consecutive 72-hour period 
112.9 	selected by the licensee, $19, of which an amount equal to one-half of the fee for the 
112.10 	migratory-waterfowl stamp under subdivision 5, clause (1), shall be deposited in the 
112.11 	waterfowl habitat improvement account under section 97A.075, subdivision 2; one-half of 
112.12 	the fee for the pheasant stamp under subdivision 5, clause (2), shall be deposited in the 
112.13 	pheasant habitat improvement account under section 97A.075, subdivision 4; and one-half 
112.14 	of the small-game surcharge under subdivision 4, shall be deposited in the wildlife acquisition 
112.15 	account;
112.16 	(20) for persons age 16 or over and under age 18 to take small game, $5;
112.17 	(21) to take wolf, $30;
112.18 	(22) for persons age 12 and under to take turkey, no fee;
112.19 	(23) for persons age 10, 11, or 12 to take deer by firearm, no fee;
112.20 	(24) for persons age 10, 11, or 12 to take deer by archery, no fee; and
112.21 	(25) for persons age 10, 11, or 12 to take deer by muzzleloader during the muzzleloader 
112.22 	season, no fee.; and
112.23 	(26) for disabled veterans to take deer or small game under section 97A.465, subdivision 
112.24 	9, $5.

112.25 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97A.475, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
112.26 		Subd. 6.Resident fishing. Fees for the following licenses, to be issued to residents only, 
112.27 	are:
112.28 	(1) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling, $25;
112.29 	(2) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling, for a combined license for a married 
112.30 	couple, $40;
113.1 	(3) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by spearing from a dark house, $6, and the 
113.2 	person must possess an angling license;
113.3 	(4) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling for a 24-hour period selected by 
113.4 	the licensee, $12;
113.5 	(5) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling for a consecutive 72-hour period 
113.6 	selected by the licensee, $14;
113.7 	(6) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling for three consecutive years, $71; 
113.8 	and
113.9 	(7) for persons age 16 or over and under age 18 to take fish by angling, $5.; and
113.10 	(8) for disabled veterans to take fish by angling under section 97A.465, subdivision 9, 
113.11 	$5.

113.12 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.001, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
113.13 		Subd. 4.Entering posted land prohibited; signs. (a) Except as provided in subdivision 
113.14 	6, a person may not:
113.15 	(1) enter, for outdoor recreation purposes, any land that is posted under this subdivision 
113.16 	without first obtaining permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee; or
113.17 	(2) knowingly enter, for outdoor recreation purposes, any land that is posted under this 
113.18 	subdivision without first obtaining permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee. A person 
113.19 	who violates this clause is subject to the penalty provided in section 97A.315, subdivision 
113.20 	1, paragraph (b).
113.21 	(b) The owner, occupant, or lessee of private land, or an authorized manager of public 
113.22 	land may prohibit outdoor recreation on the land by posting signs once each year that:
113.23 	(1) state "no trespassing" or similar terms;
113.24 	(2) display letters at least two inches high;
113.25 	(3) either:
113.26 	(i) are signed by the owner, occupant, lessee, or authorized manager; or
113.27 	(ii) include the legible name and telephone number of the owner, occupant, lessee, or 
113.28 	authorized manager; and
113.29 	(4) either:
114.1 	(i) are at intervals of 1,000 feet or less along the boundary of the area, or in a wooded 
114.2 	area where boundary lines are not clear, at intervals of 500 feet or less; or
114.3 	(ii) mark the primary corners of each parcel of land and access roads and trails at the 
114.4 	point of entrance to each parcel of land except that corners only accessible through 
114.5 	agricultural land need not be posted.
114.6 	(c) A person may not erect a sign that prohibits outdoor recreation or trespassing act 
114.7 	under paragraph (b) or (d) where the person does not have a property right, title, or interest 
114.8 	to use the land.
114.9 	(d) As an alternative to posting signage under paragraph (b), the owner, occupant, or 
114.10 	lessee of private land or an authorized manager of public land may prohibit outdoor recreation 
114.11 	on the land by:
114.12 	(1) applying purple paint to trees along the perimeter of the area to which the person 
114.13 	wants to prohibit entrance. Paint applied under this paragraph must be applied:
114.14 	(i) at least three feet off the ground;
114.15 	(ii) to trees that are at least one inch wide; and
114.16 	(iii) in a strip that is at least eight inches tall; and
114.17 	(2) posting signs once each year that mark the primary corners of the area to which the 
114.18 	person wants to prohibit entrance.

114.19 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.037, is amended to read:
114.20 	97B.037 CROSSBOW HUNTING AND FISHING.
114.21 	(a) Notwithstanding section 97B.035, subdivisions 1 and 2, a person may take deer, 
114.22 	bear, turkey, common carp, or native rough fish by crossbow during the respective regular 
114.23 	archery seasons. The transportation requirements of section 97B.051 apply to crossbows 
114.24 	during the regular archery deer, bear, turkey, common carp, or native rough fish season. 
114.25 	Crossbows must meet the requirements of section 97B.106, subdivision 2. A person taking 
114.26 	deer, bear, turkey, common carp, or native rough fish by crossbow under this section must 
114.27 	have a valid license to take the respective game.
114.28 	(b) This section expires June 30, 2025 2026.

115.1 	Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.318, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
115.2 		Subdivision 1.Shotgun use area. (a) During the regular firearms season in the shotgun 
115.3 	use area, only legal shotguns loaded with single-slug shotgun shells, legal muzzle-loading 
115.4 	long guns, and legal handguns may be used for taking deer. Legal shotguns include those 
115.5 	with rifled barrels. The shotgun use area is that portion of the state lying within the following 
115.6 	described boundary: Beginning on the west boundary of the state at the northern boundary 
115.7 	of Clay County; thence along the northern boundary of Clay County to State Trunk Highway 
115.8 	(STH) 32; thence along STH 32 to STH 34; thence along STH 34 to Interstate Highway 94 
115.9 	(I-94); thence along I-94 to County State-Aid Highway (CSAH) 40, Douglas County; thence 
115.10 	along CSAH 40 to CSAH 82, Douglas County; thence along CSAH 82 to CSAH 22, Douglas 
115.11 	County; thence along CSAH 22 to CSAH 6, Douglas County; thence along CSAH 6 to 
115.12 	CSAH 14, Douglas County; thence along CSAH 14 to STH 29; thence along STH 29 to 
115.13 	CSAH 46, Otter Tail County; thence along CSAH 46, Otter Tail County, to CSAH 22, Todd 
115.14 	County; thence along CSAH 22 to U.S. Highway 71; thence along U.S. Highway 71 to STH 
115.15 	27; thence along STH 27 to the Mississippi River; thence along the east bank of the 
115.16 	Mississippi River to STH 23; thence along STH 23 to STH 95; thence along STH 95 to 
115.17 	U.S. Highway 8; thence along U.S. Highway 8 to the eastern boundary of the state; thence 
115.18 	along the east, south, and west boundaries of the state to the point of beginning consists of 
115.19 	the counties that have passed a resolution as provided under paragraph (b).
115.20 	(b) A county board may adopt an ordinance after notice and public hearing to limit the 
115.21 	type of firearms that may be used to hunt deer within the county. To be included in the 
115.22 	shotgun use area beginning January 1, the county board must submit the resolution to the 
115.23 	commissioner of natural resources on or before October 1 of the prior year.

115.24 	Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.405, is amended to read:
115.25 	97B.405 COMMISSIONER MAY LIMIT NUMBER OF BEAR HUNTERS.
115.26 	(a) The commissioner may limit the number of persons that may hunt bear in an area, 
115.27 	if it is necessary to prevent an overharvest or improve the distribution of hunters. The 
115.28 	commissioner may establish, by rule, a method, including a drawing, to impartially select 
115.29 	the hunters for an area. The commissioner shall give preference to hunters that have 
115.30 	previously applied and have not been selected. Additionally, the commissioner may award 
115.31 	points toward a preference under this section to a person who is at least six years of age, so 
115.32 	that by the time the person is old enough to be a bear hunter the person has accumulated a 
115.33 	number of preference points.
116.1 	(b) If the commissioner limits the number of persons that may hunt bear in an area under 
116.2 	paragraph (a), the commissioner must reserve one permit and give first preference for that 
116.3 	permit to a resident of a Minnesota veterans home.
116.4 	(c) A person selected through a drawing must purchase a license by August 1. Any 
116.5 	remaining available licenses not purchased shall be issued to any eligible person as prescribed 
116.6 	by the commissioner on a first-come, first-served basis beginning three business days after 
116.7 	August 1.

116.8 	Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.667, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
116.9 		Subd. 3.Permits and notice; requirements. (a) Before killing or arranging to kill a 
116.10 	beaver under this section, the road authority or government unit must contact a conservation 
116.11 	officer for a special beaver permit if the beaver will be killed within two weeks before or 
116.12 	after the trapping season for beaver, and the conservation officer must issue the permit for 
116.13 	any beaver subject to this section. A permit is not required:
116.14 	(1) for a licensed trapper during the open trapping season for beaver; or
116.15 	(2) when the trapping season for beaver is closed and it is not within two weeks before 
116.16 	or after the trapping season for beaver.
116.17 	(b) A road authority or government unit that kills or arranges to have killed a beaver 
116.18 	under this section must notify a conservation officer or employee of the Fish and Wildlife 
116.19 	Division within ten days after the animal is killed.
116.20 	(c) Unless otherwise directed by a conservation officer, the road authority, local 
116.21 	government unit, the landowner, or their agent may dispose of or retain beaver killed under 
116.22 	this section. Human consumption of a retained beaver is prohibited.

116.23 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

116.24 	Sec. 20. [97B.902] OPENING HOUR FOR TRAPPING SEASONS.
116.25 	A season for taking fur-bearing animals by trapping begins at sunrise on the opening 
116.26 	day prescribed by rule adopted by the commissioner.

117.1 	Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.945, is amended to read:
117.2 	97B.945 SETTING TRAPS NEAR WATER RESTRICTED.
117.3 	(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), a person may not set a trap within 50 feet of 
117.4 	any water other than temporary surface water within 30 days before the open season for 
117.5 	mink and muskrat without a special permit by the commissioner.
117.6 	(b) A person may set a foot-encapsulating trap within 50 feet of any water other than 
117.7 	temporary surface water within 30 days before the open season for mink and muskrat without 
117.8 	a special permit by the commissioner. For purposes of this paragraph, "foot-encapsulating 
117.9 	trap" means a trap for which:
117.10 	(1) the triggering and restraining mechanisms are enclosed within a housing and are 
117.11 	only accessible through a single opening when set; and
117.12 	(2) the opening does not exceed two inches in diameter.

117.13 	Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97C.395, is amended to read:
117.14 	97C.395 OPEN SEASONS FOR ANGLING.
117.15 		Subdivision 1.Dates for certain species. (a) The open seasons to take fish by angling 
117.16 	are as follows:
117.17 	(1) for walleye, sauger, northern pike, and muskellunge, largemouth bass, and smallmouth 
117.18 	bass, the Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through the 
117.19 	last Sunday in February;
117.20 	(2) for brown trout, brook trout, lake trout, rainbow trout, and splake, between January 
117.21 	1 through October 31 as prescribed by the commissioner by rule except as provided in 
117.22 	section 97C.415, subdivision 2; and
117.23 	(3) for salmon, as prescribed by the commissioner by rule.
117.24 	(b) The commissioner shall close the season in areas of the state where fish are spawning 
117.25 	and closing the season will protect the resource.
117.26 		Subd. 2.Continuous season for certain species. For largemouth bass, smallmouth bass,
117.27 	sunfish, white crappie, black crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, rock bass, white bass, 
117.28 	yellow bass, burbot, cisco (tullibee), lake whitefish, common carp, and native rough fish, 
117.29 	the open season is continuous.

118.1 	Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97C.835, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
118.2 		Subd. 2.Types of fish permitted. Lake trout, ciscoes, chubs, alewives, lake whitefish, 
118.3 	round whitefish, pygmy whitefish, rainbow smelt, common carp, burbot, and native rough 
118.4 	fish may be taken by licensed commercial fishing operators from Lake Superior, in 
118.5 	accordance with this section.

118.6 	Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 103G.005, subdivision 15, is amended to read:
118.7 		Subd. 15.Public waters. (a) "Public waters" means:
118.8 	(1) water basins assigned a shoreland management classification by the commissioner 
118.9 	under sections 103F.201 to 103F.221;
118.10 	(2) waters of the state that have been finally determined to be public waters or navigable 
118.11 	waters by a court of competent jurisdiction;
118.12 	(3) meandered lakes, excluding lakes that have been legally drained;
118.13 	(4) water basins previously designated by the commissioner for management for a 
118.14 	specific purpose such as trout lakes and game lakes pursuant to applicable laws;
118.15 	(5) water basins designated as scientific and natural areas under section 84.033;
118.16 	(6) water basins located within and totally surrounded by publicly owned lands;
118.17 	(7) water basins where the state of Minnesota or the federal government holds title to 
118.18 	any of the beds or shores, unless the owner declares that the water is not necessary for the 
118.19 	purposes of the public ownership;
118.20 	(8) water basins where there is a publicly owned and controlled access that is intended 
118.21 	to provide for public access to the water basin;
118.22 	(9) natural and altered watercourses with a total drainage area greater than two square 
118.23 	miles;
118.24 	(10) natural and altered watercourses designated by the commissioner as trout streams; 
118.25 	and
118.26 	(11) public waters wetlands, unless the statute expressly states otherwise.
118.27 	(b) Public waters are not determined exclusively by:
118.28 	(1) the proprietorship of the underlying, overlying, or surrounding land; or
118.29 	(2) whether it is a body or stream of water that was navigable in fact or susceptible of 
118.30 	being used as a highway for commerce at the time this state was admitted to the union; or.
119.1 	(3) their inclusion in or exclusion from the public waters inventory required under section 
119.2 	103G.201. This clause is effective July 1, 2027.

119.3 	Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 103G.201, is amended to read:
119.4 	103G.201 PUBLIC WATERS INVENTORY.
119.5 	(a) The commissioner shall maintain a public waters inventory map of each county that 
119.6 	shows the waters of this state that are designated as public waters under the public waters 
119.7 	inventory and classification procedures prescribed under Laws 1979, chapter 199, and shall 
119.8 	provide access to a copy of the maps. As county public waters inventory maps are revised 
119.9 	according to this section, the commissioner shall send a notification or a copy of the maps 
119.10 	to the auditor of each affected county.
119.11 	(b) The commissioner must may revise the map of public waters established under Laws 
119.12 	1979, chapter 199, to reclassify those types 3, 4, and 5 wetlands previously identified as 
119.13 	public waters wetlands under Laws 1979, chapter 199, as public waters or as wetlands under 
119.14 	section 103G.005, subdivision 19. The commissioner may only reclassify public waters 
119.15 	wetlands as public waters if:
119.16 	(1) they are assigned a shoreland management classification by the commissioner under 
119.17 	sections 103F.201 to 103F.221;
119.18 	(2) they are classified as lacustrine wetlands or deepwater habitats according to 
119.19 	Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States (Cowardin, et al., 
119.20 	1979 edition); or
119.21 	(3) the state or federal government has become titleholder to any of the beds or shores 
119.22 	of the public waters wetlands, subsequent to the preparation of the public waters inventory 
119.23 	map filed with the auditor of the county, pursuant to paragraph (a), and the responsible state 
119.24 	or federal agency declares that the water is necessary for the purposes of the public 
119.25 	ownership.
119.26 	(c) The commissioner must provide notice of the reclassification to the local government 
119.27 	unit, the county board, the watershed district, if one exists for the area, and the soil and 
119.28 	water conservation district. Within 60 days of receiving notice from the commissioner, a 
119.29 	party required to receive the notice may provide a resolution stating objections to the 
119.30 	reclassification. If the commissioner receives an objection from a party required to receive 
119.31 	the notice, the reclassification is not effective. If the commissioner does not receive an 
119.32 	objection from a party required to receive the notice, the reclassification of a wetland under 
119.33 	paragraph (b) is effective 60 days after the notice is received by all of the parties.
120.1 	(d) The commissioner shall give priority to the reclassification of public waters wetlands 
120.2 	that are or have the potential to be affected by public works projects.
120.3 	(e) The commissioner may must revise the public waters inventory map of each county:
120.4 	(1) to reflect the changes authorized in paragraph (b); and
120.5 	(2) as needed, to:
120.6 	(i) correct errors in the original inventory;
120.7 	(ii) add or subtract trout stream tributaries within sections that contain a designated trout 
120.8 	stream following written notice to the landowner;
120.9 	(iii) add depleted quarries, and sand and gravel pits, when the body of water exceeds 50 
120.10 	acres and the shoreland has been zoned for residential development; and
120.11 	(iv) add or subtract public waters that have been created or eliminated as a requirement 
120.12 	of a permit authorized by the commissioner under section 103G.245.
120.13 	(f) $1,000,000 is appropriated from the general fund each year in fiscal years 2025 
120.14 	through 2032 to the commissioner to update the public water inventory as required in this 
120.15 	section. The commissioner must develop and implement a process to update the public 
120.16 	water inventory. This paragraph expires June 30, 2032.

120.17 	Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 103G.271, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
120.18 		Subd. 6.Water-use permit; processing fee. (a) Except as described in paragraphs (b) 
120.19 	to (g), a water-use permit processing fee must be prescribed by the commissioner in 
120.20 	accordance with the schedule of fees in this subdivision for each water-use permit in force 
120.21 	at any time during the year. Fees collected under this paragraph are credited to the water 
120.22 	management account in the natural resources fund. The schedule is as follows, with the 
120.23 	stated fee in each clause applied to the total amount appropriated:
120.24 	(1) $140 $200 for amounts not exceeding 50,000,000 gallons per year;
120.25 	(2) $3.50 $6 per 1,000,000 gallons for amounts greater than 50,000,000 gallons but less 
120.26 	than 100,000,000 gallons per year;
120.27 	(3) $4 $7 per 1,000,000 gallons for amounts greater than 100,000,000 gallons but less 
120.28 	than 150,000,000 gallons per year;
120.29 	(4) $4.50 $8 per 1,000,000 gallons for amounts greater than 150,000,000 gallons but 
120.30 	less than 200,000,000 gallons per year;
121.1 	(5) $5 $9 per 1,000,000 gallons for amounts greater than 200,000,000 gallons but less 
121.2 	than 250,000,000 gallons per year;
121.3 	(6) $5.50 $10 per 1,000,000 gallons for amounts greater than 250,000,000 gallons but 
121.4 	less than 300,000,000 gallons per year;
121.5 	(7) $6 $11 per 1,000,000 gallons for amounts greater than 300,000,000 gallons but less 
121.6 	than 350,000,000 gallons per year;
121.7 	(8) $6.50 $12 per 1,000,000 gallons for amounts greater than 350,000,000 gallons but 
121.8 	less than 400,000,000 gallons per year;
121.9 	(9) $7 $13 per 1,000,000 gallons for amounts greater than 400,000,000 gallons but less 
121.10 	than 450,000,000 gallons per year;
121.11 	(10) $7.50 $14 per 1,000,000 gallons for amounts greater than 450,000,000 gallons but 
121.12 	less than 500,000,000 gallons per year; and
121.13 	(11) $8 $15 per 1,000,000 gallons for amounts greater than 500,000,000 gallons per 
121.14 	year.
121.15 	(b) For once-through cooling systems, a water-use processing fee must be prescribed 
121.16 	by the commissioner in accordance with the following schedule of fees for each water-use 
121.17 	permit in force at any time during the year:
121.18 	(1) for nonprofit corporations and school districts, $200 per 1,000,000 gallons; and
121.19 	(2) for all other users, $420 per 1,000,000 gallons.
121.20 	(c) The fee is payable based on the amount of water appropriated during the year and, 
121.21 	except as provided in paragraph (f), the minimum fee is $100.
121.22 	(d) For water-use processing fees other than once-through cooling systems:
121.23 	(1) the fee for a city of the first class may not exceed $250,000 $325,000 per year;
121.24 	(2) the fee for other entities for any permitted use may not exceed:
121.25 	(i) $60,000 $75,000 per year for an entity holding three or fewer permits;
121.26 	(ii) $90,000 $125,000 per year for an entity holding four or five permits; or
121.27 	(iii) $300,000 $400,000 per year for an entity holding more than five permits;
121.28 	(3) the fee for agricultural irrigation may not exceed $750 $1,500 per year;
122.1 	(4) the fee for a municipality that furnishes electric service and cogenerates steam for 
122.2 	home heating may not exceed $10,000 for its permit for water use related to the cogeneration 
122.3 	of electricity and steam;
122.4 	(5) the fee for a facility that temporarily diverts a water of the state from its natural 
122.5 	channel to produce hydroelectric or hydromechanical power may not exceed $5,000 per 
122.6 	year. A permit for such a facility does not count toward the number of permits held by an 
122.7 	entity as described in this paragraph; and
122.8 	(6) no fee is required for a project involving the appropriation of surface water to prevent 
122.9 	flood damage or to remove floodwaters during a period of flooding, as determined by the 
122.10 	commissioner.
122.11 	(e) Failure to pay the fee is sufficient cause for revoking a permit. A penalty of ten 
122.12 	percent per month calculated from the original due date must be imposed on the unpaid 
122.13 	balance of fees remaining 30 days after the sending of a second notice of fees due. A fee 
122.14 	may not be imposed on an agency, as defined in section 16B.01, subdivision 2, or federal 
122.15 	governmental agency holding a water appropriation permit.
122.16 	(f) The minimum water-use processing fee for a permit issued for irrigation of agricultural 
122.17 	land is $20 $100 for years in which:
122.18 	(1) there is no appropriation of water under the permit; or
122.19 	(2) the permit is suspended for more than seven consecutive days between May 1 and 
122.20 	October 1.
122.21 	(g) The commissioner shall waive the water-use permit fee for installations and projects 
122.22 	that use stormwater runoff or where public entities are diverting water to treat a water quality 
122.23 	issue and returning the water to its source without using the water for any other purpose, 
122.24 	unless the commissioner determines that the proposed use adversely affects surface water 
122.25 	or groundwater.
122.26 	(h) A surcharge of $50 per million gallons in addition to the fee prescribed in paragraph 
122.27 	(a) shall be is applied to the volume of water used in each of the months of May, June, July, 
122.28 	August, and September that exceeds the volume of water used in January for municipal 
122.29 	water use, irrigation of golf courses, and landscape irrigation. The surcharge for 
122.30 	municipalities with more than one permit shall be is determined based on the total 
122.31 	appropriations from all permits that supply a common distribution system.

122.32 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2026.

123.1 	Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 103G.301, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
123.2 		Subd. 2.Permit application and notification fees. (a) A fee to defray the costs of 
123.3 	receiving, recording, and processing must be paid for a permit application authorized under 
123.4 	this chapter, except for a general permit application, for each request to amend or transfer 
123.5 	an existing permit, and for a notification to request authorization to conduct a project under 
123.6 	a general permit. Fees established under this subdivision, unless specified in paragraph (c), 
123.7 	must comply with section 16A.1285.
123.8 	(b) Proposed projects that require water in excess of 100 million gallons per year must 
123.9 	be assessed fees to recover the costs incurred to evaluate the project and the costs incurred 
123.10 	for environmental review. Fees collected under this paragraph must be credited to an account 
123.11 	in the natural resources fund and are appropriated to the commissioner.
123.12 	(c) The fee to apply for a permit to appropriate water, in addition to any fee under 
123.13 	paragraph (b), is $150 $600. The application fee for a permit to construct or repair a dam 
123.14 	that is subject to a dam safety inspection, to work in public waters, or to divert waters for 
123.15 	mining must be at least $1,200, but not more than $12,000. The fee for a notification to 
123.16 	request authorization to conduct a project under a general permit is $400, except that the 
123.17 	fee for a notification to request authorization to appropriate water under a general permit 
123.18 	is $100.

123.19 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2026.

123.20 	Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 115.01, is amended by adding a subdivision to 
123.21 	read:
123.22 		Subd. 2a.Commissioner. "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the Pollution 
123.23 	Control Agency.

123.24 	Sec. 29. [115.033] OUTDOOR USE OF RAINWATER AND STORMWATER.
123.25 	(a) A state agency, political subdivision of the state, joint powers organization, or special 
123.26 	purpose unit of government with authority to establish water-quality standards may allow 
123.27 	using untreated rainwater or stormwater for outdoor purposes when the probability of  
123.28 	consumption or immersion by humans or animals is low or nonexistent.
123.29 	(b) For purposes of this section, "using untreated rainwater or stormwater for outdoor 
123.30 	purposes" does not include using the water:
123.31 	(1) as a source of drinking water;
124.1 	(2) for swimming or immersion; or
124.2 	(3) for agricultural activities that produce food crops for humans or livestock.

124.3 	Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 115B.421, is amended to read:
124.4 	115B.421 CLOSED LANDFILL INVESTMENT FUND.
124.5 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. (a) The closed landfill investment fund is established in 
124.6 	the state treasury. The fund consists of money credited to the fund and interest and other 
124.7 	earnings on money in the fund. Funds must be deposited as described in section 115B.445. 
124.8 	The fund must be managed to maximize long-term gain through the State Board of 
124.9 	Investment.
124.10 	(b) Each fiscal year, up to $4,500,000 is appropriated from the closed landfill investment 
124.11 	fund to the commissioner for the purposes of sections 115B.39 to 115B.444.
124.12 	(c) If the commissioner determines that a release or threatened release from a qualified 
124.13 	facility for which the commissioner has assumed obligations for environmental response 
124.14 	actions under section 115B.40 or 115B.406 constitutes an emergency requiring immediate 
124.15 	action to prevent, minimize, or mitigate damage either to the public health or welfare or the 
124.16 	environment or to a system designed to protect the public health or welfare or the 
124.17 	environment, up to $9,000,000 in addition to the amount appropriated under paragraph (b) 
124.18 	is appropriated to the commissioner in the first year of the biennium and may be spent by 
124.19 	the commissioner to take reasonable and necessary emergency response actions. Money 
124.20 	not spent in the first year of the biennium may be spent in the second year. If money is 
124.21 	appropriated under this paragraph, the commissioner must notify the chairs of the senate 
124.22 	and house of representatives committees having jurisdiction over environment policy and 
124.23 	finance as soon as possible. The commissioner must maintain the fund balance to ensure 
124.24 	long-term viability of the fund and reflect the responsibility of the landfill cleanup program 
124.25 	in perpetuity.
124.26 	(d) Paragraphs (b) and (c) expire June 30, 2025.
124.27 		Subd. 2.Local notification. If money in the closed landfill investment fund is spent or 
124.28 	transferred for purposes other than the purposes provided under sections 115B.39 to 
124.29 	115B.444, the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency must provide written 
124.30 	notification to each county with a qualified facility within 30 days of the transfer or 
124.31 	expenditure that includes the amount, purpose, and authority used to spend or transfer the 
124.32 	money.

125.1 	Sec. 31. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116.07, is amended by adding a subdivision to 
125.2 	read:
125.3 		Subd. 13.Outreach to culturally diverse communities. The commissioner must ensure 
125.4 	that, to the maximum extent practicable, the commissioner's work and the work of the agency 
125.5 	are carried out in a manner that facilitates outreach to and communication with Minnesotans 
125.6 	of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and languages. To the maximum extent practicable, public 
125.7 	hearings, solicitations for grant proposals, and other interactions with the public must include 
125.8 	audiovisual communication components and must not rely exclusively on written forms of 
125.9 	communication.

125.10 	Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116.073, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
125.11 		Subdivision 1.Authority to issue. (a) Pollution Control Agency staff designated by the 
125.12 	commissioner and Department of Natural Resources conservation officers may issue citations 
125.13 	to a person who:
125.14 	(1) disposes of solid waste as defined in section 116.06, subdivision 22, at a location 
125.15 	not authorized by law for the disposal of solid waste without permission of the owner of 
125.16 	the property;
125.17 	(2) fails to report or recover discharges as required under section 115.061;
125.18 	(3) fails to take discharge preventive or preparedness measures required under chapter 
125.19 	115E;
125.20 	(4) fails to install or use vapor recovery equipment during the transfer of gasoline from 
125.21 	a transport delivery vehicle to an underground storage tank as required in section 116.49, 
125.22 	subdivisions 3 and 4;
125.23 	(5) performs labor or services designing, installing, constructing, inspecting, servicing, 
125.24 	repairing, or operating a subsurface sewage treatment system (SSTS) as defined in chapter 
125.25 	115 and has violated rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 in any of the following 
125.26 	categories:
125.27 	(i) failure to acquire or maintain a current state-issued SSTS license;
125.28 	(ii) failure to acquire or maintain a current surety bond for SSTS activities;
125.29 	(iii) failure to acquire or maintain a required local permit for SSTS activities; or
125.30 	(iv) failure to submit SSTS as-built plans or compliance inspection forms to the local 
125.31 	governmental unit; or
126.1 	(6) performs labor or services pumping, hauling, treating, spreading, dumping, 
126.2 	discharging, or land applying septage as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 7080.1100, subpart 
126.3 	69, and has violated rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 or Code of Federal 
126.4 	Regulations, title 40, section 503, in any of the following categories:
126.5 	(i) failure to acquire or maintain a current state-issued SSTS license;
126.6 	(ii) failure to acquire or maintain a current surety bond for SSTS activities;
126.7 	(iii) failure to provide control measures to prevent the pollution of underground waters 
126.8 	from the discharge of septage into the saturated or unsaturated zone;
126.9 	(iv) failure to produce records or maintain records in accordance with Code of Federal 
126.10 	Regulations, title 40, section 503; or
126.11 	(v) failure to treat septage for pathogens and vectors in accordance with Code of Federal 
126.12 	Regulations, title 40, section 503; or
126.13 	(7) fails to self-certify that they have received the skin-lightener notice and will comply 
126.14 	with the law, as required by section 325F.998.
126.15 	(b) Agency staff designated by the commissioner may issue citations to facility owners 
126.16 	and operators who fail to produce, within 30 days or within a reasonable alternative time 
126.17 	frame as determined and required by the commissioner, information or reports necessary 
126.18 	for developing and reissuing permits and permit amendments under chapters 114C and 115 
126.19 	to 116. If the owner or operator cannot produce the information or reports within 30 days 
126.20 	or according to an alternative time frame required by the commissioner, the owner or operator 
126.21 	may request an extension within 30 days of the request for information or reports. The 
126.22 	commissioner must keep records of citations issued under this paragraph that identify the 
126.23 	facility, the owner or operator, and any person hired by or representing the owner or operator 
126.24 	to prepare or assist in preparing the permit application or other information or report requested 
126.25 	by the commissioner.
126.26 	(b) (c) In addition, Pollution Control Agency staff designated by the commissioner may 
126.27 	issue citations to owners and operators of facilities who violate sections 116.46 to 116.50 
126.28 	and Minnesota Rules, chapters 7150 and 7151 and parts 7001.4200 to 7001.4300. A citation 
126.29 	issued under this subdivision must include a requirement that the person cited remove and 
126.30 	properly dispose of or otherwise manage the waste or discharged oil or hazardous substance, 
126.31 	reimburse any government agency that has disposed of the waste or discharged oil or 
126.32 	hazardous substance and contaminated debris for the reasonable costs of disposal, or correct 
126.33 	any storage tank violations.
127.1 	(c) (d) Citations for violations of sections 115E.045 and 116.46 to 116.50 and Minnesota 
127.2 	Rules, chapters 7150 and 7151, may be issued only after the owners and operators have had 
127.3 	a 60-day period to correct violations stated in writing by Pollution Control Agency staff, 
127.4 	unless there is a discharge associated with the violation or the violation is a repeat violation 
127.5 	from a previous inspection.

127.6 	Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116.073, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
127.7 		Subd. 2.Penalty amount. The citation must impose the following penalty amounts:
127.8 	(1) $100 per major appliance, as defined in section 115A.03, subdivision 17a, up to a 
127.9 	maximum of $2,000;
127.10 	(2) $25 per waste tire, as defined in section 115A.90, subdivision 11, up to a maximum 
127.11 	of $2,000;
127.12 	(3) $25 per lead acid battery governed by section 115A.915, up to a maximum of $2,000;
127.13 	(4) $1 per pound of other solid waste or $20 per cubic foot up to a maximum of $2,000;
127.14 	(5) up to $200 for any amount of waste that escapes from a vehicle used for the 
127.15 	transportation of solid waste if, after receiving actual notice that waste has escaped the 
127.16 	vehicle, the person or company transporting the waste fails to immediately collect the waste;
127.17 	(6) $50 per violation of rules adopted under section 116.49, relating to underground 
127.18 	storage tank system design, construction, installation, and notification requirements, up to 
127.19 	a maximum of $2,000;
127.20 	(7) $500 per violation of rules adopted under section 116.49, relating to upgrading of 
127.21 	existing underground storage tank systems, up to a maximum of $2,000 per tank system;
127.22 	(8) $250 per violation of rules adopted under section 116.49, relating to underground 
127.23 	storage tank system general operating requirements, up to a maximum of $2,000;
127.24 	(9) $250 per violation of rules adopted under section 116.49, relating to underground 
127.25 	storage tank system release detection requirements, up to a maximum of $2,000;
127.26 	(10) $50 per violation of rules adopted under section 116.49, relating to out-of-service 
127.27 	underground storage tank systems and closure, up to a maximum of $2,000;
127.28 	(11) $50 per violation of sections 116.48 to 116.491 relating to underground storage 
127.29 	tank system notification, monitoring, environmental protection, and tank installers training 
127.30 	and certification requirements, up to a maximum of $2,000;
128.1 	(12) $25 per gallon of oil or hazardous substance discharged which is not reported or 
128.2 	recovered under section 115.061, up to a maximum of $2,000;
128.3 	(13) $1 per gallon of oil or hazardous substance being stored, transported, or otherwise 
128.4 	handled without the prevention or preparedness measures required under chapter 115E, up 
128.5 	to a maximum of $2,000;
128.6 	(14) $250 per violation of Minnesota Rules, parts 7001.4200 to 7001.4300 or chapter 
128.7 	7151, related to aboveground storage tank systems, up to a maximum of $2,000;
128.8 	(15) $250 per delivery made in violation of section 116.49, subdivision 3 or 4, levied 
128.9 	against:
128.10 	(i) the retail location if vapor recovery equipment is not installed or maintained properly;
128.11 	(ii) the carrier if the transport delivery vehicle is not equipped with vapor recovery 
128.12 	equipment; or
128.13 	(iii) the driver for failure to use supplied vapor recovery equipment;
128.14 	(16) $500 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 relating to failure 
128.15 	to comply with state subsurface sewage treatment system (SSTS) license requirements, up 
128.16 	to a maximum of $2,000;
128.17 	(17) $500 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 relating to failure 
128.18 	to comply with SSTS surety bond requirements, up to a maximum of $2,000;
128.19 	(18) $500 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 relating to failure 
128.20 	to provide control measures to prevent the pollution of underground waters from the discharge 
128.21 	of septage into the saturated or unsaturated zone, up to a maximum of $2,000;
128.22 	(19) $500 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 or Code of Federal 
128.23 	Regulations, title 40, section 503, relating to failure to treat septage for pathogens and 
128.24 	vectors, up to a maximum of $2,000;
128.25 	(20) $250 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 or Code of Federal 
128.26 	Regulations, title 40, section 503, relating to failure to produce records or maintain records, 
128.27 	up to a maximum of $2,000;
128.28 	(21) $250 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 or Code of Federal 
128.29 	Regulations, title 40, section 503, relating to failure to submit as-built plans or compliance 
128.30 	inspection forms to the local governmental unit, up to a maximum of $2,000; and
128.31 	(22) $500 per violation of rules adopted under chapters 115 and 116 relating to failure 
128.32 	to obtain required local permits, up to a maximum of $2,000;
129.1 	(23) $100 per violation of section 325F.998, relating to certification that businesses will 
129.2 	comply with skin-lightener requirements; and
129.3 	(24) $50 per day under subdivision 1, paragraph (b), for each information item or report 
129.4 	requested for the first 30 days delinquent and $500 per day thereafter, up to a maximum of 
129.5 	$20,000 for each information item or report requested, until the commissioner determines 
129.6 	the request for information or report is complete.

129.7 	Sec. 34. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116.182, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
129.8 		Subd. 5.Rules. (a) The agency shall adopt rules for the administration of the financial 
129.9 	assistance program. For wastewater treatment projects, the rules must include:
129.10 	(1) application requirements;
129.11 	(2) criteria for the ranking of projects in order of priority based on factors including the 
129.12 	type of project and the degree of environmental impact, and scenic and wild river standards; 
129.13 	and
129.14 	(3) criteria for determining essential project components.
129.15 	(b) Notwithstanding any provision in Minnesota Rules, chapter 7077, to the contrary, 
129.16 	for purposes of Minnesota Rules, parts 7077.0117, 7077.0118, and 7077.0119, the 
129.17 	commissioner must assign 40 points if a municipality is proposing a project to address 
129.18 	emerging contaminants, as defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. 
129.19 	This paragraph expires June 30, 2030.

129.20 	Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116.943, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
129.21 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have 
129.22 	the meanings given.
129.23 	(b) "Adult mattress" means a mattress other than a crib mattress or toddler mattress.
129.24 	(c) "Air care product" means a chemically formulated consumer product labeled to 
129.25 	indicate that the purpose of the product is to enhance or condition the indoor environment 
129.26 	by eliminating odors or freshening the air.
129.27 	(d) "Automotive maintenance product" means a chemically formulated consumer product 
129.28 	labeled to indicate that the purpose of the product is to maintain the appearance of a motor 
129.29 	vehicle, including products for washing, waxing, polishing, cleaning, or treating the exterior 
129.30 	or interior surfaces of motor vehicles. Automotive maintenance product does not include 
129.31 	automotive paint or paint repair products.
130.1 	(e) "Carpet or rug" means a fabric marketed or intended for use as a floor covering.
130.2 	(f) "Cleaning product" means a finished product used primarily for domestic, commercial, 
130.3 	or institutional cleaning purposes, including but not limited to an air care product, an 
130.4 	automotive maintenance product, a general cleaning product, or a polish or floor maintenance 
130.5 	product.
130.6 	(g) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency.
130.7 	(h) "Cookware" means durable houseware items used to prepare, dispense, or store food, 
130.8 	foodstuffs, or beverages. Cookware includes but is not limited to pots, pans, skillets, grills, 
130.9 	baking sheets, baking molds, trays, bowls, and cooking utensils.
130.10 	(i) "Cosmetic" means articles, excluding soap:
130.11 	(1) intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise 
130.12 	applied to the human body or any part thereof for the purpose of cleansing, beautifying, 
130.13 	promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance; and
130.14 	(2) intended for use as a component of any such article.
130.15 	(j) "Currently unavoidable use" means a use of PFAS that the commissioner has 
130.16 	determined by rule under this section to be essential for health, safety, or the functioning 
130.17 	of society and for which alternatives are not reasonably available.
130.18 	(k) "Fabric treatment" means a substance applied to fabric to give the fabric one or more 
130.19 	characteristics, including but not limited to stain resistance or water resistance.
130.20 	(l) "Intentionally added" means PFAS deliberately added during the manufacture of a 
130.21 	product where the continued presence of PFAS is desired in the final product or one of the 
130.22 	product's components to perform a specific function.
130.23 	(m) "Juvenile product" means a product designed or marketed for use by infants and 
130.24 	children under 12 years of age:
130.25 	(1) including but not limited to a baby or toddler foam pillow; bassinet; bedside sleeper; 
130.26 	booster seat; changing pad; child restraint system for use in motor vehicles and aircraft; 
130.27 	co-sleeper; crib mattress; highchair; highchair pad; infant bouncer; infant carrier; infant 
130.28 	seat; infant sleep positioner; infant swing; infant travel bed; infant walker; nap cot; nursing 
130.29 	pad; nursing pillow; play mat; playpen; play yard; polyurethane foam mat, pad, or pillow; 
130.30 	portable foam nap mat; portable infant sleeper; portable hook-on chair; soft-sided portable 
130.31 	crib; stroller; and toddler mattress; and
131.1 	(2) not including a children's electronic product such as a personal computer, audio and 
131.2 	video equipment, calculator, wireless phone, game console, handheld device incorporating 
131.3 	a video screen, or any associated peripheral such as a mouse, keyboard, power supply unit, 
131.4 	or power cord; or an adult mattress; and
131.5 	(3) not including:
131.6 	(i) an off-highway vehicle made for children;
131.7 	(ii) an all-terrain vehicle made for children;
131.8 	(iii) an off-highway motorcycle made for children;
131.9 	(iv) a snowmobile made for children;
131.10 	(v) an electric-assisted bicycle made for children; or
131.11 	(vi) a replacement part for a vehicle described in items (i) through (v).
131.12 	(n) "Manufacturer" means the person that creates or produces a product or whose brand 
131.13 	name is affixed to the product. In the case of a product imported into the United States, 
131.14 	manufacturer includes the importer or first domestic distributor of the product if the person 
131.15 	that manufactured or assembled the product or whose brand name is affixed to the product 
131.16 	does not have a presence in the United States.
131.17 	(o) "Medical device" has the meaning given "device" under United States Code, title 
131.18 	21, section 321, subsection (h).
131.19 	(p) "Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances" or "PFAS" means a class of 
131.20 	fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom.
131.21 	(q) "Product" means an item manufactured, assembled, packaged, or otherwise prepared 
131.22 	for sale to consumers, including but not limited to its product components, sold or distributed 
131.23 	for personal, residential, commercial, or industrial use, including for use in making other 
131.24 	products.
131.25 	(r) "Product component" means an identifiable component of a product, regardless of 
131.26 	whether the manufacturer of the product is the manufacturer of the component.
131.27 	(s) "Ski wax" means a lubricant applied to the bottom of snow runners, including but 
131.28 	not limited to skis and snowboards, to improve their grip or glide properties. Ski wax includes 
131.29 	related tuning products.
132.1 	(t) "Textile" means an item made in whole or part from a natural or synthetic fiber, yarn, 
132.2 	or fabric. Textile includes but is not limited to leather, cotton, silk, jute, hemp, wool, viscose, 
132.3 	nylon, and polyester.
132.4 	(u) "Textile furnishings" means textile goods of a type customarily used in households 
132.5 	and businesses, including but not limited to draperies, floor coverings, furnishings, bedding, 
132.6 	towels, and tablecloths.
132.7 	(v) "Upholstered furniture" means an article of furniture that is designed to be used for 
132.8 	sitting, resting, or reclining and that is wholly or partly stuffed or filled with any filling 
132.9 	material.

132.10 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

132.11 	Sec. 36. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116.943, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
132.12 		Subd. 5.Prohibitions. (a) Beginning January 1, 2025, a person may not sell, offer for 
132.13 	sale, or distribute for sale in this state the following products if the product contains 
132.14 	intentionally added PFAS:
132.15 	(1) carpets or rugs;
132.16 	(2) cleaning products;
132.17 	(3) cookware;
132.18 	(4) cosmetics;
132.19 	(5) dental floss;
132.20 	(6) fabric treatments;
132.21 	(7) juvenile products;
132.22 	(8) menstruation products;
132.23 	(9) textile furnishings;
132.24 	(10) ski wax; or
132.25 	(11) upholstered furniture.
132.26 	(b) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit the sale, offering for sale, or distribution of a product 
132.27 	that contains intentionally added PFAS only in internal components that do not come into 
132.28 	direct contact with a person's skin or mouth during reasonably foreseeable use or abuse of 
132.29 	the product.
133.1 	(b) (c) The commissioner may by rule identify additional products by category or use 
133.2 	that may not be sold, offered for sale, or distributed for sale in this state if they contain 
133.3 	intentionally added PFAS and designate effective dates. A prohibition adopted under this 
133.4 	paragraph must be effective no earlier than January 1, 2025, and no later than January 1, 
133.5 	2032. The commissioner must prioritize the prohibition of the sale of product categories 
133.6 	that, in the commissioner's judgment, are most likely to contaminate or harm the state's 
133.7 	environment and natural resources if they contain intentionally added PFAS.
133.8 	(c) (d) Beginning January 1, 2032, a person may not sell, offer for sale, or distribute for 
133.9 	sale in this state any product that contains intentionally added PFAS, unless the commissioner 
133.10 	has determined by rule that the use of PFAS in the product is a currently unavoidable use. 
133.11 	The commissioner may specify specific products or product categories for which the 
133.12 	commissioner has determined the use of PFAS is a currently unavoidable use. The 
133.13 	commissioner may not determine that the use of PFAS in a product is a currently unavoidable 
133.14 	use if the product is listed in paragraph (a).
133.15 	(d) (e) The commissioner may not take action under paragraph (b) (c) or (c) (d) with 
133.16 	respect to a pesticide, as defined under chapter 18B, a fertilizer, an agricultural liming 
133.17 	material, a plant amendment, or a soil amendment as defined under chapter 18C, unless the 
133.18 	commissioner of agriculture approves the action.

133.19 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

133.20 	Sec. 37. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 325E.3892, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
133.21 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have 
133.22 	the meanings given.
133.23 	(b) "Covered product" means any of the following products or product components:
133.24 	(1) jewelry;
133.25 	(2) toys;
133.26 	(3) cosmetics and personal care products;
133.27 	(4) puzzles, board games, card games, and similar games;
133.28 	(5) play sets and play structures;
133.29 	(6) outdoor games;
133.30 	(7) school supplies, except ink pens and mechanical pencils;
133.31 	(8) pots and pans;
134.1 	(9) cups, bowls, and other food containers;
134.2 	(10) craft supplies and jewelry-making supplies;
134.3 	(11) chalk, crayons, children's paints, and other art supplies except professional artist 
134.4 	materials, including but not limited to oil-based paints, water-based paints, paints, pastels, 
134.5 	pigments, ceramic glazes, and markers;
134.6 	(12) fidget spinners;
134.7 	(13) costumes, costume accessories, and children's and seasonal party supplies;
134.8 	(14) keys, key chains, and key rings; and
134.9 	(15) clothing, footwear, headwear, and accessories.
134.10 	(c) "Pastels" means a crayon composed of powdered pigments bonded with gum or resin.

134.11 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

134.12 	Sec. 38. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 325E.3892, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
134.13 		Subd. 2.Prohibition. (a) A person must not import, manufacture, sell, hold for sale, or 
134.14 	distribute or offer for use in this state any covered product containing:
134.15 	(1) lead at more than 0.009 percent by total weight (90 parts per million); or
134.16 	(2) cadmium at more than 0.0075 percent by total weight (75 parts per million).
134.17 	(b) This section does not apply to:
134.18 	(1) covered products containing lead or cadmium, or both, when regulation is preempted 
134.19 	by federal law; or
134.20 	(2) covered products that contain lead only in solder used in internal components or in 
134.21 	pen tips so long as:
134.22 	(i) the product is not imported, manufactured, sold, held for sale, distributed, or offered 
134.23 	for use in this state after July 1, 2028; and
134.24 	(ii) the manufacturer of the product submits biennial reports to the commissioner of the 
134.25 	Pollution Control Agency that explain the barriers to removing lead from the product, 
134.26 	progress toward adoption of lead-free alternatives, and a timeline for full adoption of those 
134.27 	alternatives.

134.28 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

135.1 	Sec. 39. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 325F.072, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
135.2 		Subd. 3.Prohibition. (a) No person, political subdivision, or state agency shall 
135.3 	manufacture or knowingly sell, offer for sale, distribute for sale, or distribute for use in this 
135.4 	state, and no person shall use in this state, class B firefighting foam containing PFAS 
135.5 	chemicals.
135.6 	(b) This subdivision does not apply to the manufacture, sale, distribution, or use of class 
135.7 	B firefighting foam for which the inclusion of PFAS chemicals is required by federal law, 
135.8 	including but not limited to Code of Federal Regulations, title 14, section 139.317. If a 
135.9 	federal requirement to include PFAS chemicals in class B firefighting foam is revoked after 
135.10 	January 1, 2024, class B firefighting foam subject to the revoked requirements is no longer 
135.11 	exempt under this paragraph effective one year after the day of revocation.
135.12 	(c) This subdivision does not apply to the manufacture, sale, distribution, or use of class 
135.13 	B firefighting foam for purposes of use at an airport, as defined under section 360.013, 
135.14 	subdivision 39, until the state fire marshal makes a determination that:
135.15 	(1) the Federal Aviation Administration has provided policy guidance on the transition 
135.16 	to fluorine-free firefighting foam;
135.17 	(2) a fluorine-free firefighting foam product is included in the Federal Aviation 
135.18 	Administration's Qualified Product Database; and
135.19 	(3) a firefighting foam product included in the database under clause (2) is commercially 
135.20 	available in quantities sufficient to reliably meet the requirements under Code of Federal 
135.21 	Regulations, title 14, part 139.
135.22 	(d) Until the state fire marshal makes a determination under paragraph (c), the operator 
135.23 	of an airport using class B firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals must, on or before 
135.24 	December 31 each calendar year, submit a report to the state fire marshal regarding the 
135.25 	status of the airport's conversion to class B firefighting foam products without intentionally 
135.26 	added PFAS, the disposal of class B firefighting foam products with intentionally added 
135.27 	PFAS, and an assessment of the factors listed in paragraph (c) as applied to the airport.
135.28 	(e) Until January 1, 2028, this subdivision does not apply to the manufacture, sale, 
135.29 	distribution, or use of class B firefighting foam for use in hangar fixed firefighting systems 
135.30 	at an airport, as defined under section 360.013, subdivision 39. The commissioner of the 
135.31 	Pollution Control Agency, in consultation with the state fire marshal, may provide the 
135.32 	operator of an airport using class B firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals one year 
135.33 	extensions beyond this date upon a showing that the need for additional time is beyond the 
136.1 	operator's control and that public safety and the environment will be protected during the 
136.2 	period of the extension.

136.3 	Sec. 40. [325F.998] SKIN-LIGHTENER NOTICE REQUIRED.
136.4 		Subdivision 1.Notice required. After August 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the 
136.5 	commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency must send a notice to retailers who sell 
136.6 	skin-lightening products that states that selling skin-lightening products that contain mercury 
136.7 	is illegal and subject to penalties. Additionally, the commissioner must engage in outreach 
136.8 	to retailers who sell skin-lightening products in order to convey the dangers of using 
136.9 	skin-lightening products that contain mercury.
136.10 		Subd. 2.Certification. Businesses who receive notice from the commissioner must 
136.11 	self-certify on a form prescribed by the commissioner that they have received the notice 
136.12 	and will comply with the law.

136.13 	Sec. 41. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 446A.07, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
136.14 		Subd. 8.Other uses of revolving fund. (a) The clean water revolving fund may be used 
136.15 	as provided in title VI of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, including the following 
136.16 	uses:
136.17 	(1) to buy or refinance the debt obligation of governmental units for treatment works 
136.18 	where debt was incurred and construction begun after March 7, 1985, at or below market 
136.19 	rates;
136.20 	(2) to guarantee or purchase insurance for local obligations to improve credit market 
136.21 	access or reduce interest rates;
136.22 	(3) to provide a source of revenue or security for the payment of principal and interest 
136.23 	on revenue or general obligation bonds issued by the authority if the bond proceeds are 
136.24 	deposited in the fund;
136.25 	(4) to provide loan guarantees, loans, or set-aside for similar revolving funds established 
136.26 	by a governmental unit other than state agencies, or state agencies under sections 17.117, 
136.27 	103F.725, subdivision 1a, and 116J.617;
136.28 	(5) to earn interest on fund accounts; and
136.29 	(6) to pay the reasonable costs incurred by the authority and the Pollution Control Agency 
136.30 	of administering the fund and conducting activities required under the Federal Water Pollution 
137.1 	Control Act, including water quality management planning under section 205(j) of the act 
137.2 	and water quality standards continuing planning under section 303(e) of the act;.
137.3 	(b) The clean water revolving fund may be used to provide additional subsidization as 
137.4 	permitted under the federal Water Pollution Control Act and other federal law to provide 
137.5 	principal forgiveness or grants:
137.6 	(7) to provide principal forgiveness or grants to the extent permitted under the Federal 
137.7 	Water Pollution Control Act and other federal law, (1) based on the affordability criteria 
137.8 	and requirements established for the wastewaterwater infrastructure funding program under 
137.9 	section 446A.072; and
137.10 	(8) to provide loans, principal forgiveness, or grants to the extent permitted under the 
137.11 	Federal Water Pollution Control Act and other federal law (2) for 25 percent of project costs 
137.12 	up to a maximum of $1,000,000 for projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy 
137.13 	efficiency improvements, or other environmentally innovative activities.; and
137.14 	(3) for 50 percent of project costs up to a maximum of $3,000,000 for projects that 
137.15 	address emerging contaminants as defined by the United States Environmental Protection 
137.16 	Agency.
137.17 	(b) Amounts spent under paragraph (a), clause (6), may not exceed the amount allowed 
137.18 	under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
137.19 	(c) Principal forgiveness or grants provided under paragraph (a), clause (8), may not 
137.20 	exceed 25 percent of the eligible project costs as determined by the Pollution Control Agency 
137.21 	for project components directly related to green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency 
137.22 	improvements, or other environmentally innovative activities, up to a maximum of 
137.23 	$1,000,000.

137.24 	Sec. 42. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 473.355, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
137.25 		Subd. 2.Grants. (a) The Metropolitan Council must establish a grant program to provide 
137.26 	grants to cities, counties, townships, Tribal governments, and implementing agencies for 
137.27 	the following purposes:
137.28 	(1) removing and planting shade trees on public land to provide environmental benefits;
137.29 	(2) replacing trees lost to forest pests, disease, or storms; and
137.30 	(3) establishing a more diverse community forest better able to withstand disease and 
137.31 	forest pests.
138.1 	(b) Any tree planted with money granted under this section must be a climate-adapted 
138.2 	species to Minnesota.

138.3 	Sec. 43. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 473.859, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
138.4 		Subd. 2.Land use plan. (a) A land use plan must include the water management plan 
138.5 	required by section 103B.235, and shall designate the existing and proposed location, 
138.6 	intensity and extent of use of land and water, including lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams, 
138.7 	natural drainage courses, and adjoining land areas that affect water natural resources, for 
138.8 	agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial and other public and private purposes, or 
138.9 	any combination of such purposes.
138.10 	(b) A land use plan must contain a protection element, as appropriate, for historic sites, 
138.11 	the matters listed in the water management plan required by section 103B.235, and an 
138.12 	element for protection and development of access to direct sunlight for solar energy systems.
138.13 	(c) A land use plan must also include a housing element containing standards, plans and 
138.14 	programs for providing adequate housing opportunities to meet existing and projected local 
138.15 	and regional housing needs, including but not limited to the use of official controls and land 
138.16 	use planning to promote the availability of land for the development of low and moderate 
138.17 	income housing.
138.18 	(d) A land use plan must also include an assessment of the impact of all land use 
138.19 	designations and easements on access to aggregate resources and the local government's 
138.20 	goals, intentions, and priorities concerning aggregate and other natural resources, 
138.21 	transportation infrastructure, land use compatibility, habitat, agricultural preservation, and 
138.22 	other planning priorities, considering information regarding supply from the Minnesota 
138.23 	Geological Survey Information Circular No. 46.
138.24 	(e) A land use plan must also include an inventory and projections pertaining to 
138.25 	greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled that are generated from activity that 
138.26 	occurs within the local government's jurisdiction. The inventory and projections must include 
138.27 	the emission sources from transportation, land use, energy use, solid waste, and, where 
138.28 	available and applicable, livestock and agriculture. The inventory and projections must 
138.29 	include the estimated impact of strategies, including efficient land use and compact growth, 
138.30 	that reduce or naturally sequester greenhouse gas emissions across sectors.

138.31 	Sec. 44. Laws 2023, chapter 60, article 1, section 2, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

138.32	Subd. 2.Environmental Analysis and Outcomes
 		79,311,000
		72,785,000

139.1	Appropriations by Fund
	
139.2		2024
	2025
	
139.3	General
	60,103,000
	53,047,000
	
139.4	Environmental
	18,959,000
	19,533,000
	
139.5	Remediation
	249,000
	205,000
	
139.6 	(a) $122,000 the first year and $125,000 the 
139.7 	second year are from the general fund for:
139.8 	(1) a municipal liaison to assist municipalities 
139.9 	in implementing and participating in the 
139.10 	rulemaking process for water quality standards 
139.11 	and navigating the NPDES/SDS permitting 
139.12 	process;
139.13 	(2) enhanced economic analysis in the 
139.14 	rulemaking process for water quality 
139.15 	standards, including more-specific analysis 
139.16 	and identification of cost-effective permitting;
139.17 	(3) developing statewide economic analyses 
139.18 	and templates to reduce the amount of 
139.19 	information and time required for 
139.20 	municipalities to apply for variances from 
139.21 	water quality standards; and
139.22 	(4) coordinating with the Public Facilities 
139.23 	Authority to identify and advocate for the 
139.24 	resources needed for urban, suburban, and 
139.25 	Greater Minnesota municipalities to achieve 
139.26 	permit requirements.
139.27 	(b) $216,000 the first year and $219,000 the 
139.28 	second year are from the environmental fund 
139.29 	for a monitoring program under Minnesota 
139.30 	Statutes, section 116.454.
139.31 	(c) $132,000 the first year and $137,000 the 
139.32 	second year are for monitoring water quality 
139.33 	and operating assistance programs.
140.1 	(d) $390,000 the first year and $399,000 the 
140.2 	second year are from the environmental fund 
140.3 	for monitoring ambient air for hazardous 
140.4 	pollutants.
140.5 	(e) $106,000 the first year and $109,000 the 
140.6 	second year are from the environmental fund 
140.7 	for duties related to harmful chemicals in 
140.8 	children's products under Minnesota Statutes, 
140.9 	sections 116.9401 to 116.9407. Of this 
140.10 	amount, $68,000 the first year and $70,000 
140.11 	the second year are transferred to the 
140.12 	commissioner of health.
140.13 	(f) $128,000 the first year and $132,000 the 
140.14 	second year are from the environmental fund 
140.15 	for registering wastewater laboratories.
140.16 	(g) $1,492,000 the first year and $1,519,000 
140.17 	the second year are from the environmental 
140.18 	fund to continue perfluorochemical 
140.19 	biomonitoring in eastern metropolitan 
140.20 	communities, as recommended by the 
140.21 	Environmental Health Tracking and 
140.22 	Biomonitoring Advisory Panel, and to address 
140.23 	other environmental health risks, including air 
140.24 	quality. The communities must include Hmong 
140.25 	and other immigrant farming communities. 
140.26 	Of this amount, up to $1,226,000 the first year 
140.27 	and $1,248,000 the second year are for transfer 
140.28 	to the commissioner of health.
140.29 	(h) $61,000 the first year and $62,000 the 
140.30 	second year are from the environmental fund 
140.31 	for the listing procedures for impaired waters 
140.32 	required under this act.
140.33 	(i) $72,000 the first year and $74,000 the 
140.34 	second year are from the remediation fund for 
141.1 	the leaking underground storage tank program 
141.2 	to investigate, clean up, and prevent future 
141.3 	releases from underground petroleum storage 
141.4 	tanks and for the petroleum remediation 
141.5 	program for vapor assessment and 
141.6 	remediation. These same annual amounts are 
141.7 	transferred from the petroleum tank fund to 
141.8 	the remediation fund.
141.9 	(j) $500,000 the first year is to facilitate the 
141.10 	collaboration and modeling of greenhouse gas 
141.11 	impacts, costs, and benefits of strategies to 
141.12 	reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions. 
141.13 	This is a onetime appropriation.
141.14 	(k) $50,266,000 the first year and $50,270,000 
141.15 	the second year are to establish and implement 
141.16 	a local government climate resiliency and 
141.17 	water infrastructure grant program for local 
141.18 	governmental units and Tribal governments. 
141.19 	Of this amount, $49,100,000 each year is for 
141.20 	grants to support communities in planning and 
141.21 	implementing projects that will allow for 
141.22 	adaptation for a changing climate. At least 40 
141.23 	percent of the money granted under this 
141.24 	paragraph must be for projects in areas that 
141.25 	meet environmental justice criteria. By 
141.26 	December 30, 2027, the commissioner must 
141.27 	submit a report on the use of grant money to 
141.28 	the chairs and ranking minority members of 
141.29 	the legislative committees with jurisdiction 
141.30 	over environment and natural resources 
141.31 	finance. This appropriation is available until 
141.32 	June 30, 2027. The base for this appropriation 
141.33 	in fiscal year 2026 and beyond is $270,000.
142.1 	(l) $75,000 the first year is for a grant to the 
142.2 	city of Fergus Falls to address water-quality 
142.3 	concerns at Lake Alice.
142.4 	(m) $150,000 the first year is for a grant to 
142.5 	Rice County to address water-quality concerns 
142.6 	at French Lake.
142.7 	(n) $75,000 the first year is for a grant to 
142.8 	Ramsey County to address water-quality 
142.9 	concerns at Round Lake.
142.10 	(o) Recipients of money appropriated in 
142.11 	paragraphs (l), (m), and (n) may use the grants 
142.12 	to contract for water-quality improvement 
142.13 	services, testing, necessary infrastructure, 
142.14 	training, and maintenance.
142.15 	(p) $2,070,000 the first year and $2,070,000 
142.16 	the second year are from the environmental 
142.17 	fund to develop and implement a program 
142.18 	related to emerging issues, including 
142.19 	Minnesota's PFAS Blueprint.
142.20 	(q) $1,820,000 the first year and $1,820,000 
142.21 	the second year are from the environmental 
142.22 	fund to support improved management of data 
142.23 	collected by the agency and its partners and 
142.24 	regulated parties to facilitate decision-making 
142.25 	and public access.
142.26 	(r) $500,000 the first year is from the general 
142.27 	fund for the report on firefighter turnout gear 
142.28 	and biomonitoring required under this act. Of 
142.29 	this amount, up to $250,000 $425,000 may be 
142.30 	transferred to the commissioner of health for 
142.31 	biomonitoring of firefighters. This 
142.32 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2027.
142.33 	(s) $500,000 the first year is to develop 
142.34 	protocols to be used by agencies and 
143.1 	departments for sampling and testing 
143.2 	groundwater, surface water, public drinking 
143.3 	water, and private wells for microplastics and 
143.4 	nanoplastics and to begin implementation. The 
143.5 	commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency 
143.6 	may transfer money appropriated under this 
143.7 	paragraph to the commissioners of agriculture, 
143.8 	natural resources, and health to implement the 
143.9 	protocols developed. This is a onetime 
143.10 	appropriation and is available until June 30, 
143.11 	2025.
143.12 	(t) $50,000 the first year is from the 
143.13 	remediation fund for the work group on PFAS 
143.14 	manufacturer fees and report required under 
143.15 	this act.
143.16 	(u) $387,000 the first year and $90,000 the 
143.17 	second year are to develop and implement the 
143.18 	requirements for fish kills under Minnesota 
143.19 	Statutes, sections 103G.216 and 103G.2165. 
143.20 	Of this amount, up to $331,000 the first year 
143.21 	and $90,000 the second year may be 
143.22 	transferred to the commissioners of health, 
143.23 	natural resources, agriculture, and public 
143.24 	safety and to the Board of Regents of the 
143.25 	University of Minnesota as necessary to 
143.26 	implement those sections. The base for this 
143.27 	appropriation for fiscal year 2026 and beyond 
143.28 	is $7,000.
143.29 	(v) $63,000 the first year and $92,000 the 
143.30 	second year are for transfer to the 
143.31 	commissioner of health for amending the 
143.32 	health risk limit for PFOS. This is a onetime 
143.33 	appropriation and is available until June 30, 
143.34 	2026.
144.1 	(w) $5,000,000 the first year is for community 
144.2 	air-monitoring grants as provided in this act. 
144.3 	This is a onetime appropriation and is 
144.4 	available until June 30, 2027.
144.5 	(x) $2,333,000 the first year and $2,333,000 
144.6 	the second year are to adopt rules and 
144.7 	implement air toxics emissions requirements 
144.8 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 116.062. 
144.9 	The general fund appropriations are onetime 
144.10 	and are available until June 30, 2027. The base 
144.11 	for this appropriation is $0 in fiscal year 2026 
144.12 	and $1,400,000 from the environmental fund 
144.13 	in fiscal year 2027 and beyond.

144.14 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively from July 1, 2023.

144.15 	Sec. 45. Laws 2023, chapter 60, article 1, section 2, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

144.16	Subd. 7.Resource Management and Assistance
 		82,000,000
		57,974,000

144.17	Appropriations by Fund
	
144.18		2024
	2025
	
144.19	General
	38,464,000
	13,850,000
	
144.20	Environmental
	43,536,000
	44,124,000
	
144.21 	(a) Up to $150,000 the first year and $150,000 
144.22 	the second year may be transferred from the 
144.23 	environmental fund to the small business 
144.24 	environmental improvement loan account 
144.25 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 116.993.
144.26 	(b) $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 
144.27 	the second year are for competitive recycling 
144.28 	grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 
144.29 	115A.565. Of this amount, $300,000 the first 
144.30 	year and $300,000 the second year are from 
144.31 	the general fund, and $700,000 the first year 
144.32 	and $700,000 the second year are from the 
145.1 	environmental fund. This appropriation is 
145.2 	available until June 30, 2027.
145.3 	(c) $694,000 the first year and $694,000 the 
145.4 	second year are from the environmental fund 
145.5 	for emission-reduction activities and grants to 
145.6 	small businesses and other 
145.7 	nonpoint-emission-reduction efforts. Of this 
145.8 	amount, $100,000 the first year and $100,000 
145.9 	the second year are to continue work with 
145.10 	Clean Air Minnesota, and the commissioner 
145.11 	may enter into an agreement with 
145.12 	Environmental Initiative to support this effort.
145.13 	(d) $18,450,000 the first year and $18,450,000 
145.14 	the second year are from the environmental 
145.15 	fund for SCORE block grants to counties.
145.16 	(e) $119,000 the first year and $119,000 the 
145.17 	second year are from the environmental fund 
145.18 	for environmental assistance grants or loans 
145.19 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 115A.0716.
145.20 	(f) $400,000 the first year and $400,000 the 
145.21 	second year are from the environmental fund 
145.22 	for grants to develop and expand recycling 
145.23 	markets for Minnesota businesses. This 
145.24 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2027.
145.25 	(g) $767,000 the first year and $770,000 the 
145.26 	second year are from the environmental fund 
145.27 	for reducing and diverting food waste, 
145.28 	redirecting edible food for consumption, and 
145.29 	removing barriers to collecting and recovering 
145.30 	organic waste. Of this amount, $500,000 each 
145.31 	year is for grants to increase food rescue and 
145.32 	waste prevention. This appropriation is 
145.33 	available until June 30, 2027.
146.1 	(h) $2,797,000 the first year and $2,811,000 
146.2 	the second year are from the environmental 
146.3 	fund for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes, 
146.4 	section 473.844.
146.5 	(i) $318,000 the first year and $324,000 the 
146.6 	second year are from the environmental fund 
146.7 	to address chemicals in products, including to 
146.8 	implement and enforce flame retardant 
146.9 	provisions under Minnesota Statutes, section 
146.10 	325F.071, and perfluoroalkyl and 
146.11 	polyfluoroalkyl substances in food packaging 
146.12 	provisions under Minnesota Statutes, section 
146.13 	325F.075. Of this amount, $78,000 the first 
146.14 	year and $80,000 the second year are 
146.15 	transferred to the commissioner of health.
146.16 	(j) $180,000 the first year and $140,000 the 
146.17 	second year are for quantifying climate-related 
146.18 	impacts from projects for environmental 
146.19 	review. This is a onetime appropriation. This 
146.20 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2026.
146.21 	(k) $1,790,000 the first year and $70,000 the 
146.22 	second year are for accelerating pollution 
146.23 	prevention at small businesses. Of this amount, 
146.24 	$1,720,000 the first year is for transfer to the 
146.25 	environmental fund for zero-interest loans
146.26 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 116.993, to 
146.27 	phase out high-polluting equipment, products, 
146.28 	and processes and replace with new options. 
146.29 	This appropriation is available until June 30, 
146.30 	2027. This is a onetime appropriation.
146.31 	(l) $190,000 the first year and $190,000 the 
146.32 	second year are to support the Greenstep Cities 
146.33 	program. This is a onetime appropriation. This 
146.34 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2026.
147.1 	(m) $420,000 the first year is to complete a 
147.2 	study on the viability of recycling solar energy 
147.3 	equipment. This is a onetime appropriation 
147.4 	and is available until June 30, 2026.
147.5 	(n) $650,000 the first year and $650,000 the 
147.6 	second year are from the environmental fund 
147.7 	for Minnesota GreenCorps investment.
147.8 	(o) $4,210,000 the first year and $210,000 the 
147.9 	second year are for PFAS reduction grants. 
147.10 	Of this amount, $4,000,000 the first year is 
147.11 	for grants to industry and public entities to 
147.12 	identify sources of PFAS entering facilities 
147.13 	and to develop pollution prevention and 
147.14 	reduction initiatives to reduce PFAS entering 
147.15 	facilities, prevent releases, and monitor the 
147.16 	effectiveness of these projects. Priority must 
147.17 	be given to projects in underserved 
147.18 	communities. This is a onetime appropriation 
147.19 	and is available until June 30, 2027.
147.20 	(p) $12,940,000 the first year and $12,940,000 
147.21 	the second year are for a waste prevention and 
147.22 	reduction grants and loan program. This is a 
147.23 	onetime appropriation and is available until 
147.24 	June 30, 2027. Of this amount in the first year, 
147.25 	$7,950,000 is for waste prevention and 
147.26 	reduction grants and loans and $3,000,000 is 
147.27 	for a grant to the owner of a biomass energy 
147.28 	generation plant in Shakopee that uses waste 
147.29 	heat from the generation of electricity in the 
147.30 	malting process to purchase a wood dehydrator 
147.31 	to facilitate disposal of wood that is infested 
147.32 	by the emerald ash borer. Of this amount in 
147.33 	the second year, $10,950,000 is for waste 
147.34 	prevention and reduction grants and loans, 
147.35 	including $1,000,000 for transfer to the 
148.1 	environmental fund for the purposes of 
148.2 	Minnesota Statutes, section 115A.0716. By 
148.3 	October 1, 2024, the commissioner of the 
148.4 	Pollution Control Agency must report to the 
148.5 	chairs and ranking minority members of the 
148.6 	legislative committees and divisions with 
148.7 	jurisdiction over environment and natural 
148.8 	resources on the use of money appropriated 
148.9 	for the wood dehydrator under this paragraph.
148.10 	(q) $16,562,000 the first year is for grants to 
148.11 	a Minnesota nonprofit corporation that owns 
148.12 	a cogeneration facility that serves a St. Paul 
148.13 	district heating and cooling system to preserve 
148.14 	existing biomass energy infrastructure for 
148.15 	purposes of local and regional emerald ash 
148.16 	borer response efforts. The commissioner of 
148.17 	the Pollution Control Agency may require the 
148.18 	nonprofit corporation to charge a fee per ton 
148.19 	of wood waste delivered to the facility. This 
148.20 	is a onetime appropriation and is available 
148.21 	until June 30, 2030.
148.22 	(r) $1,163,000 the first year and $1,115,000 
148.23 	the second year are from the environmental 
148.24 	fund for rulemaking and implementation of 
148.25 	the new PFAS requirements under Minnesota 
148.26 	Statutes, section 116.943. Of this amount, 
148.27 	$312,000 the first year and $468,000 the 
148.28 	second year are for transfer to the 
148.29 	commissioner of health.
148.30 	(s) $680,000 the first year is for the resource 
148.31 	management report required in this act. This 
148.32 	is a onetime appropriation and is available 
148.33 	until June 30, 2026.
148.34 	(t) $35,000 the second year is from the 
148.35 	environmental fund for the compostable 
149.1 	labeling requirements under Minnesota 
149.2 	Statutes, section 325E.046. The base for this 
149.3 	appropriation in fiscal year 2026 and beyond 
149.4 	is $68,000 from the environmental fund.
149.5 	(u) $175,000 the first year is for the 
149.6 	rulemaking required under this act providing 
149.7 	for the safe and lawful disposal of waste 
149.8 	treated seed. This appropriation is available 
149.9 	until June 30, 2025.
149.10 	(v) $1,000,000 the first year is for a lead tackle 
149.11 	reduction program that provides outreach, 
149.12 	education, and opportunities to safely dispose 
149.13 	of and exchange lead tackle throughout the 
149.14 	state. This is a onetime appropriation and is 
149.15 	available until June 30, 2027.
149.16 	(w) $17,000 the first year is for rulemaking 
149.17 	for the capital assistance program. This is a 
149.18 	onetime appropriation.
149.19 	(x) Any unencumbered grant and loan 
149.20 	balances in the first year do not cancel but are 
149.21 	available for grants and loans in the second 
149.22 	year. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, 
149.23 	section 16A.28, the appropriations 
149.24 	encumbered on or before June 30, 2025, as 
149.25 	contracts or grants for environmental 
149.26 	assistance awarded under Minnesota Statutes, 
149.27 	section 115A.0716; technical and research 
149.28 	assistance under Minnesota Statutes, section 
149.29 	115A.152; technical assistance under 
149.30 	Minnesota Statutes, section 115A.52; and 
149.31 	pollution prevention assistance under 
149.32 	Minnesota Statutes, section 115D.04, are 
149.33 	available until June 30, 2027.

149.34 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively from July 1, 2023.

150.1 	Sec. 46. Laws 2023, chapter 60, article 1, section 3, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

150.2	Subd. 6.Fish and Wildlife Management
 		111,125,000
		96,963,000

150.3	Appropriations by Fund
	
150.4		2024
	2025
	
150.5	General
	23,643,000
	9,888,000
	
150.6	Natural Resources
	2,082,000
	2,082,000
	
150.7	Game and Fish
	85,400,000
	84,993,000
	
150.8 	(a) $11,158,000 the first year and $11,158,000 
150.9 	the second year are from the heritage 
150.10 	enhancement account in the game and fish 
150.11 	fund only for activities specified under 
150.12 	Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, 
150.13 	paragraph (h), clause (1). Notwithstanding 
150.14 	Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, five 
150.15 	percent of this appropriation may be used for 
150.16 	expanding hunter and angler recruitment and 
150.17 	retention.
150.18 	(b) $982,000 the first year and $982,000 the 
150.19 	second year are from the general fund and 
150.20 	$1,675,000 the first year and $1,675,000 the 
150.21 	second year are from the game and fish fund 
150.22 	for statewide response and management of 
150.23 	chronic wasting disease. The commissioner 
150.24 	and the Board of Animal Health must each 
150.25 	submit annual reports on chronic wasting 
150.26 	disease activities funded in this biennium to 
150.27 	the chairs and ranking minority members of 
150.28 	the legislative committees and divisions with 
150.29 	jurisdiction over environment and natural 
150.30 	resources and agriculture. The general fund 
150.31 	base for this appropriation in fiscal year 2026 
150.32 	and beyond is $282,000.
150.33 	(c) $5,150,000 the first year and $3,250,000 
150.34 	the second year are for inspections, 
150.35 	investigations, and enforcement activities 
151.1 	taken for the white-tailed deer farm program 
151.2 	and for statewide response and management 
151.3 	of chronic wasting disease. This appropriation 
151.4 	is available until June 30, 2029.
151.5 	(d) $8,546,000 the first year and $8,546,000 
151.6 	the second year are from the deer management 
151.7 	account for the purposes identified in 
151.8 	Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.075, 
151.9 	subdivision 1.
151.10 	(e) $268,000 the first year and $268,000 the 
151.11 	second year are for increased capacity for 
151.12 	broadband utility licensing for state lands and 
151.13 	public waters. This is a onetime appropriation 
151.14 	and is available until June 30, 2028.
151.15 	(f) $10,000,000 the first year is for enhancing 
151.16 	prairies and grasslands and restoring wetlands 
151.17 	on state-owned wildlife management areas to 
151.18 	sequester more carbon and enhance climate 
151.19 	resiliency. This is a onetime appropriation and 
151.20 	is available until June 30, 2027.
151.21 	(g) $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the 
151.22 	second year are from the general fund and 
151.23 	$500,000 the first year and $500,000 the 
151.24 	second year are from the heritage enhancement 
151.25 	account in the game and fish fund for grants 
151.26 	for natural-resource-based education and 
151.27 	recreation programs serving youth under 
151.28 	Minnesota Statutes, section 84.976, and for 
151.29 	grant administration. Priority must be given 
151.30 	to projects benefiting underserved 
151.31 	communities. The base for this appropriation 
151.32 	in fiscal year 2026 and beyond is $500,000 
151.33 	from the heritage enhancement account in the 
151.34 	game and fish fund. The general fund 
151.35 	appropriation is onetime.
152.1 	(h) $2,300,000 the first year is for a grant to 
152.2 	the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior 
152.3 	Chippewa to expand Minnesota's wild elk 
152.4 	population and range. Consideration must be 
152.5 	given to moving elk from existing herds in 
152.6 	northwest Minnesota to the area of the Fond 
152.7 	du Lac State Forest and the Fond du Lac 
152.8 	Reservation in Carlton and southern St. Louis 
152.9 	Counties. The Fond du Lac Band of Lake 
152.10 	Superior Chippewa's elk reintroduction efforts 
152.11 	must undergo thorough planning with the 
152.12 	Department of Natural Resources to develop 
152.13 	necessary capture and handling protocols, 
152.14 	including protocols related to cervid disease 
152.15 	management, and to produce postrelease state 
152.16 	and Tribal elk comanagement plans. Of this 
152.17 	amount, $300,000 is for the department for 
152.18 	the purposes of this paragraph. This is a 
152.19 	onetime appropriation and is available until 
152.20 	June 30, 2026.
152.21 	(i) $767,000 the first year is from the heritage 
152.22 	enhancement account in the game and fish 
152.23 	fund to examine the effects of neonicotinoid 
152.24 	exposure on the reproduction and survival of 
152.25 	Minnesota's game species, including deer and 
152.26 	prairie chicken. This is a onetime 
152.27 	appropriation and is available until June 30, 
152.28 	2027.
152.29 	(j) $134,000 the first year and $134,000 the 
152.30 	second year are from the heritage enhancement 
152.31 	account in the game and fish fund for native 
152.32 	fish conservation and classification.
152.33 	(k) $82,000 the first year is for the native fish 
152.34 	reports required under this act. This is a 
152.35 	onetime appropriation.
153.1 	(l) $65,000 the first year is for preparing the 
153.2 	report on feral pigs and mink required under 
153.3 	this act and holding at least one public meeting 
153.4 	on the topic.
153.5 	(m) Up to $5,750,000 the first year and up to 
153.6 	$2,225,000 the second year are available for 
153.7 	transfer from the critical habitat private sector 
153.8 	matching account to the reinvest in Minnesota 
153.9 	fund for wildlife management areas 
153.10 	acquisition, restoration, and enhancement 
153.11 	according to Minnesota Statutes, section 
153.12 	84.943, subdivision 5b.
153.13 	(n) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, 
153.14 	section 297A.94, $300,000 the first year and 
153.15 	$300,000 the second year are from the heritage 
153.16 	enhancement account in the game and fish 
153.17 	fund for shooting sports facility grants under 
153.18 	Minnesota Statutes, section 87A.10, including 
153.19 	grants for archery facilities. Grants must be 
153.20 	matched with a nonstate match, which may 
153.21 	include in-kind contributions. This is a 
153.22 	onetime appropriation and is available until 
153.23 	June 30, 2026 2028. This appropriation must 
153.24 	be allocated as follows:
153.25 	(1) $200,000 each fiscal year is for grants of 
153.26 	$25,000 or less; and
153.27 	(2) $100,000 each fiscal year is for grants in 
153.28 	excess of $25,000.
153.29 	(o) $75,000 the first year is from the heritage 
153.30 	enhancement account in the game and fish 
153.31 	fund for enhanced fish stocking of white bass 
153.32 	and crappies in lakes in the metropolitan area 
153.33 	that have pier and shore fishing opportunities 
153.34 	where communities are currently underserved.
154.1 	(p) $1,633,000 the first year is for a grant to 
154.2 	the Board of Regents of the University of 
154.3 	Minnesota for chronic wasting disease 
154.4 	contingency plans developed by the Center 
154.5 	for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. 
154.6 	This is a onetime appropriation.
154.7 	(q) $900,000 the first year is to create new or 
154.8 	expand existing outreach and education 
154.9 	programs for non-native English-speaking 
154.10 	communities. Of this amount, $250,000 is for 
154.11 	the commissioner of the Pollution Control 
154.12 	Agency and $250,000 is for the Board of 
154.13 	Water and Soil Resources for this purpose. Up 
154.14 	to $400,000 may be used to expand the 
154.15 	Fishing in the Neighborhood program for 
154.16 	outreach to new and underserved audiences. 
154.17 	This appropriation may be used for community 
154.18 	outreach consultants for reaching new 
154.19 	audiences. This is a onetime appropriation and 
154.20 	is available until June 30, 2027.

154.21 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

154.22 	Sec. 47. MINNESOTA SUSTAINABLE FORAGING TASK FORCE.
 154.23 		Subdivision 1.Membership. (a) The task force shall consist of the following members:
154.24 	(1) two members of the senate, one appointed by the majority leader of the senate and 
154.25 	one appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
154.26 	(2) two members of the house of representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the 
154.27 	house of representatives and one appointed by the minority leader of the house of 
154.28 	representatives;
154.29 	(3) two members appointed by the Minnesota Mycological Society, of which one member 
154.30 	must be an owner of a small business;
154.31 	(4) two members appointed by the Minnesota Foraging Alliance, of which one member 
154.32 	must be from an underrepresented cultural group;
155.1 	(5) two scientists with expertise in botany, ecology, and environmental science appointed 
155.2 	by the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota;
155.3 	(6) three representatives of the Department of Natural Resources involved with managing 
155.4 	state parks, forestry, fish and wildlife, and public lands appointed by the commissioner of 
155.5 	natural resources;
155.6 	(7) one member of the Minnesota Ojibwe Tribe appointed by the Minnesota Indian 
155.7 	Affairs Council;
155.8 	(8) one member of the Minnesota Dakota Tribe appointed by the Minnesota Indian 
155.9 	Affairs Council; and
155.10 	(9) two representatives with expertise on local ecosystems, species recovery, and 
155.11 	sustainable harvesting appointed by the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota 
155.12 	Extension.
155.13 	(b) A member appointed under paragraph (a) may not be a registered lobbyist.
155.14 	(c) The appointing authorities must make the appointments by August 1, 2025.
155.15 		Subd. 2.Duties. The task force must:
155.16 	(1) gather and review data and information, including traditional ecological knowledge, 
155.17 	on the impact of foraging on species resilience, ecosystem health, and other aspects of 
155.18 	Minnesota's diverse biomes;
155.19 	(2) review existing regulations governing foraging activities on state lands;
155.20 	(3) develop recommendations for science-based, including traditional ecological 
155.21 	knowledge, foraging guidelines for state lands that balance public access with conservation 
155.22 	needs, setting limits on foraging activities only where supported by data. The 
155.23 	recommendations must be in the form of draft statutory or rule language and must be 
155.24 	consistent with Indigenous and other cultural practices and traditions;
155.25 	(4) develop recommendations for increasing public understanding of sustainable foraging 
155.26 	practices that include safety and ecological considerations;
155.27 	(5) solicit public input, when appropriate; and
155.28 	(6) develop recommendations for reduced-priced foraging permits.
155.29 		Subd. 3.Administrative support; meetings. (a) The Legislative Coordinating 
155.30 	Commission must provide administrative support and convene the first meeting by September 
155.31 	1, 2025.
156.1 	(b) The commissioner of natural resources must provide subject matter resources and 
156.2 	expertise, including information on the management of, and flora and fauna on, state lands, 
156.3 	as requested by the task force.
156.4 	(c) The task force must meet at regular intervals as often as necessary to accomplish the 
156.5 	goals enumerated under subdivision 2. Meetings of the task force are subject to the Minnesota 
156.6 	Open Meeting Law under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13D.
156.7 		Subd. 4.Chair. The task force must elect a chair at its first meeting from among the 
156.8 	legislative members.
156.9 		Subd. 5.Legislative recommendations; expiration. By February 28, 2026, the task 
156.10 	force must submit a written report containing its findings and recommendations to the 
156.11 	commissioner of natural resources and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the 
156.12 	legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over natural resources policy. The 
156.13 	recommendations in the report must be specific and actionable. The report must detail the 
156.14 	proposals for changes or additions to statute or rules to effectuate the task force's 
156.15 	recommendations. The task force expires March 15, 2026, or upon submission of the report 
156.16 	required by this subdivision, whichever occurs later.
156.17 		Subd. 6.Compensation; expense reimbursement. Members of the task force appointed 
156.18 	under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2), may receive per diem and 
156.19 	reimbursement for expenses as provided in the rules of their respective bodies. Other 
156.20 	members of the task force may be compensated and have expenses reimbursed as provided 
156.21 	in Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 3.

156.22 	Sec. 48. MORATORIUM ON FORAGING RULES.
 156.23 	The commissioner of natural resources shall not commence or complete any rulemaking 
156.24 	on foraging before July 1, 2027.

156.25 	Sec. 49. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN TIMBER PERMITS.
 156.26 	If the holder of a timber permit that expires in 2025 has been unable to cut and remove 
156.27 	some or all of the timber described in the permit, then, notwithstanding any provisions to 
156.28 	the contrary in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 90, the commissioner of natural resources must 
156.29 	grant an extension of the permit for two years without penalty or interest upon written 
156.30 	request to the commissioner by the holder of the permit.

156.31 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

157.1 	Sec. 50. AUDIT OF AGGREGATE TAX AND THE USE OF THE REVENUES 
157.2 	COLLECTED BY COUNTIES.
 157.3 	The Office of the Legislative Auditor is directed to conduct a program audit of the 
157.4 	aggregate production tax established by Minnesota Statutes, section 298.75, to include the 
157.5 	following by individual participating county and covering all fiscal years since the county 
157.6 	established the tax:
157.7 	(1) a report on total revenues collected by fiscal year;
157.8 	(2) a report on how revenues are distributed between maintenance, construction, and 
157.9 	reconstruction of roads, highways, and bridges;
157.10 	(3) a report as to the funding priority given to roads, highways, and bridges that service 
157.11 	or are impacted by aggregate operations;
157.12 	(4) a report as to whether the county distributes aggregate tax revenues on a project or 
157.13 	formula basis;
157.14 	(5) a report as to distribution and expenditure of funds for aggregate mine reclamation 
157.15 	activities; and
157.16 	(6) a report on how tax revenue deposited in the special reserve fund established in 
157.17 	Minnesota Statutes, section 298.75, subdivision 7, paragraph (c), clause (3), has been 
157.18 	expended since each county began collecting the tax.

157.19 	Sec. 51. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERMITTING 
157.20 	CHANGES TO PROTECT AGGREGATE RESOURCES.
 157.21 	By February 1, 2027, the commissioner of natural resources, in consultation with the 
157.22 	Minnesota Asphalt Paving Association, the Aggregate and Ready Mix Association of 
157.23 	Minnesota, the Association of Minnesota Counties, and other interested stakeholders, must 
157.24 	make recommendations to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative 
157.25 	committees with primary jurisdiction over environment and local government for statutory 
157.26 	changes that would facilitate local government permitting processes that adequately protect 
157.27 	the state's aggregate resources and foster environmentally responsible reclamation of former 
157.28 	aggregate mining sites.

157.29 	Sec. 52. REPEALER.
 157.30 	Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 103E.067; 116C.04, subdivision 11; 116C.991; and 
157.31 	116D.04, subdivision 5b, are repealed.

158.1 	ARTICLE 5
158.2 	STATE LANDS

158.3 	Section 1. ADDITION TO STATE PARK.
 158.4 	[85.012] [Subd. 11] Carley State Park, Wabasha County. The following area is added 
158.5 	to Carley State Park: That part of Section 32, Township 108 North, Range 11 West, Wabasha 
158.6 	County, Minnesota, described as follows: Beginning at the South Quarter corner stake of 
158.7 	said Section 32; thence North 15-1/2 degrees East along road 425 feet; thence North 17 
158.8 	degrees East 290 feet; thence North 53 degrees East 280 feet; thence North 17 degrees East 
158.9 	115 feet; thence North 6-1/2 degrees West 643 feet; thence North 72-1/2 degrees West 720 
158.10 	feet; thence North across river 690 feet; thence South 62 degrees East 263 feet along northerly 
158.11 	bank of river; thence North 250 feet to center of said Section 32; thence East 1,320 feet; 
158.12 	thence North 440 feet to river; thence North 54-1/2 degrees East 224 feet along center of 
158.13 	river; thence North 75 degrees East 192 feet; thence South 49 degrees East 115 feet; thence 
158.14 	North 79 degrees East 155 feet; thence North 62 degrees East 232 feet; thence North 86 
158.15 	degrees East 293 feet; thence North 64 degrees East 255 feet; thence South 3,368 feet, more 
158.16 	or less to the southeast corner of Section 32; thence West 2,643.13 feet to the place of 
158.17 	beginning.
158.18 	EXCEPTING therefrom that portion lying West of the centerline of Wabasha County 
158.19 	Road No. 4 owned by the State of Minnesota and A. M. Christenson.
158.20 	ALSO EXCEPTING that part of the East Half of Section 32, Township 108 North, 
158.21 	Range 11 West, Wabasha County, Minnesota, described as follows: Beginning at the South 
158.22 	Quarter corner stake of said Section 32; thence North 15-1/2 degrees East along road 425 
158.23 	feet; thence North 17 degrees East 290 feet; thence North 53 degrees East 280 feet; thence 
158.24 	South 80 degrees 02 minutes 23 seconds East 304.46 feet; thence North 6 degrees 12 minutes 
158.25 	49 seconds West 483.31 feet; thence South 89 degrees 54 minutes 25 seconds East 386.31 
158.26 	feet; thence North 1 degree 39 minutes 32 seconds East 358.66 feet; thence North 36 degrees 
158.27 	14 minutes 35 seconds East 693.46 feet; thence North 81 degrees 03 minutes 15 seconds 
158.28 	East 349.81 feet; thence North 1 degree 49 minutes 43 seconds West 298.16 feet; thence 
158.29 	North 79 degrees 04 minutes 47 seconds East 529.39 feet; thence South 35 degrees 46 
158.30 	minutes 01 seconds East to the east line of the Southeast Quarter of Section 32; thence 
158.31 	southerly along the east line of said Southeast Quarter to the southeast corner of said 
158.32 	Southeast Quarter of Section 32; thence on a bearing of West along the south line of said 
158.33 	Southeast Quarter 2,643.13 feet to the point of beginning.

158.34 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

159.1 	Sec. 2. PRIVATE SALE OF TAX-FORFEITED LAND; AITKIN COUNTY.
 159.2 	(a) Notwithstanding the public sale provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 282, or 
159.3 	other law to the contrary, Aitkin County may sell by private sale the tax-forfeited land 
159.4 	described in paragraph (c).
159.5 	(b) The conveyance must be in a form approved by the attorney general. The attorney 
159.6 	general may make changes to the land description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
159.7 	(c) The land to be sold is located in Aitkin County and is described as: the West 20 feet 
159.8 	of the East 932 feet of the South 208 feet of the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, 
159.9 	as in DOC 203542, Section 32, Township 46 North, Range 25 West (0.1 acres) (parcel 
159.10 	number 09-0-054803).
159.11 	(d) The county has determined that the county's land management interests would best 
159.12 	be served if the lands were returned to private ownership.

159.13 	Sec. 3. PRIVATE SALE OF TAX-FORFEITED LAND; AITKIN COUNTY.
 159.14 	(a) Notwithstanding the public sale provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 282, or 
159.15 	other law to the contrary, Aitkin County may sell by private sale the tax-forfeited lands 
159.16 	described in paragraph (c).
159.17 	(b) The conveyance must be in a form approved by the attorney general. The attorney 
159.18 	general may make changes to the land description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
159.19 	(c) The land to be sold is located in Aitkin County and is described as: the East 32 feet 
159.20 	of the West 250 feet of Lot 5 and the East 32 feet of the West 250 feet of the North 10 feet 
159.21 	of Lot 3, Hill City Realty Cos Fourth Addition, Section 14, Township 52 North, Range 26 
159.22 	West, Aitkin County, Minnesota (0.1 acres) (parcel number 57-1-073003).
159.23 	(d) The county has determined that the county's land management interests would best 
159.24 	be served if the lands were returned to private ownership.

159.25 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

159.26 	Sec. 4. PRIVATE SALE OF TAX-FORFEITED LAND; ITASCA COUNTY.
 159.27 	(a) Notwithstanding the public sale provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 282, or 
159.28 	other law to the contrary, Itasca County may sell by private sale the tax-forfeited lands 
159.29 	described in paragraph (c).
159.30 	(b) The conveyance must be in a form approved by the attorney general. The attorney 
159.31 	general may make changes to the land description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
160.1 	(c) The lands to be sold are located in Itasca County and are described as: That part of 
160.2 	the Southwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter, Section 15, Township 59 North, Range 24 
160.3 	west of the Fourth Principal Meridian, Itasca County, Minnesota, further described as 
160.4 	follows: Commencing at the northwest corner of said Southwest Quarter of the Southeast 
160.5 	Quarter; thence North 89 degrees 01 minutes 34 seconds East, assigned bearing, along the 
160.6 	north line of said Southwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter a distance of 255.80 feet to 
160.7 	the point of beginning; thence South 10 degrees 50 minutes 31 seconds East a distance of 
160.8 	604.37 feet; thence North 55 degrees 26 minutes 17 seconds East a distance of 672.63 feet, 
160.9 	more or less to the centerline of County Road 52; thence North 51 degrees 32 minutes 12 
160.10 	seconds West along said centerline a distance of 351.56 feet to said north line of the 
160.11 	Southwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter; thence South 89 degrees 01 minutes 34 seconds 
160.12 	West along said north line a distance of 392.39 feet to the point of beginning.
160.13 	(d) The county has determined that the county's land management interests would best 
160.14 	be served if the lands were returned to private ownership.

160.15 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

160.16 	Sec. 5. PRIVATE SALE OF TAX-FORFEITED LAND; ST. LOUIS COUNTY.
 160.17 	(a) Notwithstanding the public sale provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 282, or 
160.18 	other law to the contrary, St. Louis County may sell by private sale the tax-forfeited land 
160.19 	described in paragraph (c).
160.20 	(b) The conveyance must be in a form approved by the attorney general. The attorney 
160.21 	general may make changes to the land description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
160.22 	(c) The land to be sold is located in St. Louis County and is described as:
160.23 	(1) the easterly 15 feet of Lot 5, Block 47, West Duluth 6th Division, Section 7, Township 
160.24 	49, Range 14 (parcel number 010-4520-06505); and
160.25 	(2) that part of the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter described as follows: 
160.26 	beginning at the northwest corner continue due East parallel with the north boundary line 
160.27 	a distance of 330 feet to a point of beginning; thence due South parallel with the west 
160.28 	boundary line a distance of 400 feet to a point; thence due East parallel with the north 
160.29 	boundary line a distance of 190 feet to a point; thence due North parallel with the west 
160.30 	boundary a distance of 60 feet to a point; thence due East parallel with the north boundary 
160.31 	line a distance of 140 feet to a point; thence due North parallel with the west boundary line 
160.32 	a distance of 340 feet to a point; thence due West parallel with the north boundary line a 
161.1 	distance of 330 feet to the point of beginning, Section 14, Township 54, Range 20 (parcel 
161.2 	number 550-0020-02294).
161.3 	(d) The county has determined that the county's land management interests would best 
161.4 	be served if the lands were returned to private ownership.

161.5 	ARTICLE 6
161.6 	ELECTRONIC WASTE AND BATTERY STEWARDSHIP

161.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 115.071, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
161.8 		Subdivision 1.Remedies available. The provisions of sections 103F.701 to 103F.755, 
161.9 	this chapter and chapters 114C, 115A, and 116, and sections 325E.10 to 325E.1251 325E.12
161.10 	and 325E.32 and all rules, standards, orders, stipulation agreements, schedules of compliance, 
161.11 	and permits adopted or issued by the agency thereunder or under any other law now in force 
161.12 	or hereafter enacted for the prevention, control, or abatement of pollution may be enforced 
161.13 	by any one or any combination of the following: criminal prosecution; action to recover 
161.14 	civil penalties; injunction; action to compel or cease performance; or other appropriate 
161.15 	action, in accordance with the provisions of said chapters and this section.

161.16 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2028.

161.17 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 115A.121, is amended to read:
161.18 	115A.121 TOXICS AND POLLUTION PREVENTION EVALUATION; 
161.19 	CONSOLIDATED REPORT.
161.20 	The commissioner shall prepare and adopt a report on pollution prevention activities 
161.21 	required in chapters 115A, 115D, and 325E. The report must include activities required 
161.22 	under section 115A.1320. The commissioner must submit the report to the senate and house 
161.23 	of representatives committees having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources 
161.24 	by December 31, 2013, and every four years thereafter.

161.25 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2027.

161.26 	Sec. 3. [115A.1331] STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM FOR CIRCUIT BOARDS, 
161.27 	BATTERIES, AND ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS; DEFINITIONS.
161.28 	(a) The terms used in sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347 have the meanings given in this 
161.29 	section.
161.30 	(b) "Battery" means one or more galvanic cells, including any structural members, 
161.31 	insulative casing, and terminals.
162.1 	(c) "Board" means the Covered Products Reimbursement Board established under section 
162.2 	115A.1333.
162.3 	(d) "Brand" means a trademark, including both a registered and an unregistered trademark; 
162.4 	a logo; a name; a symbol; a word; an identifier; or a traceable mark that identifies a covered 
162.5 	product or other electrical product and identifies the owner or licensee of the brand as the 
162.6 	producer of the product.
162.7 	(e) "Circuit board" means a nonconductive substrate onto which one or more layers of 
162.8 	conductive paths have been printed or wires attached for mounting and interconnecting 
162.9 	electronic components, such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, integrated circuit 
162.10 	chips, and connecting wires. Circuit boards include printed circuit boards, printed wiring 
162.11 	boards, and any other style or type of circuit board.
162.12 	(f) "Collection site" means a physical location where a collector collects covered products 
162.13 	and other electrical products from members of the public and businesses. Collection site 
162.14 	includes a location regardless of whether it is operated permanently, temporarily, or for 
162.15 	purposes of a collection event.
162.16 	(g) "Collector" means a person that collects covered products and other electrical products 
162.17 	on behalf of the stewardship organization and receives reimbursement from the stewardship 
162.18 	organization for the collector's costs to collect and manage the products.
162.19 	(h) "Covered battery" means a battery of any type, physical size, or energy capacity 
162.20 	including but not limited to batteries designed and marketed for sale or resale for use in 
162.21 	lawn care equipment as defined in section 181A.116, off-highway vehicles, snowmobiles, 
162.22 	watercraft, tools, household items, lights, or devices powered by an internal combustion 
162.23 	engine. A covered battery does not include:
162.24 	(1) a lead acid battery subject to sections 325E.115 and 325E.1151;
162.25 	(2) a battery designed, manufactured, and intended solely for use in manufacturing, 
162.26 	industrial, or other commercial settings; or
162.27 	(3) a battery designed, manufactured, and intended solely for use in a medical device, 
162.28 	as defined in the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, United States Code, title 21, section 
162.29 	301 et seq.
162.30 	(i) "Covered circuit board" means any circuit board except a circuit board from:
162.31 	(1) a major appliance;
163.1 	(2) an appliance or tool powered by electrical power of equal to or greater than 240 volts 
163.2 	alternating current; or
163.3 	(3) an appliance or tool designed, manufactured, and intended solely for use in 
163.4 	manufacturing, industrial, or other commercial settings.
163.5 	(j) "Covered product" means:
163.6 	(1) a covered circuit board;
163.7 	(2) a covered battery;
163.8 	(3) a cathode-ray tube; or
163.9 	(4) a product that has a covered circuit board, a covered battery, or a cathode-ray tube 
163.10 	contained within it or otherwise attached or connected to it, except:
163.11 	(i) a medical device, as defined in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, United 
163.12 	States Code, title 21, section 301 et seq.;
163.13 	(ii) any device powered by an internal combustion engine;
163.14 	(iii) an off-highway vehicle, watercraft, or snowmobile; and
163.15 	(iv) a motor vehicle, as defined in section 168.002.
163.16 	(k) "Covered services" means collection, sorting, storage, transport, processing, repair, 
163.17 	refurbishment, reuse, recycling, reclamation of useful materials from, or disposal of covered 
163.18 	products, other electrical products, and residual materials.
163.19 	(l) "De minimis producer" means a producer that, in the most recent calendar year, had 
163.20 	fewer than 100 covered products that were sold in or into the state and for which the producer 
163.21 	was responsible.
163.22 	(m) "Facilitate a sale" means to assist a person in transferring title or possession of a 
163.23 	covered product or other electrical product, regardless of whether title or possession is ever 
163.24 	acquired by the person facilitating a sale, such as by operating an online marketplace, 
163.25 	publishing an offer for sale on a website, physically storing inventory of products, entering 
163.26 	into a contract to allow another person to list a product for sale, processing payment on 
163.27 	behalf of another person, entering into a contract with a buyer or a seller related to a sale, 
163.28 	or otherwise providing a sales process. Facilitate a sale does not include acting solely as:
163.29 	(1) an advertiser;
163.30 	(2) a payment processor; or
163.31 	(3) a common carrier.
164.1 	(n) "Full collection site" means a collection site that meets the requirements of section 
164.2 	115A.1341, subdivision 1, paragraph (b).
164.3 	(o) "Household hazardous waste collection program" means a program established under 
164.4 	section 115A.96 to collect and manage household hazardous waste as defined in that section.
164.5 	(p) "Independent auditor" means an independent and actively licensed certified public 
164.6 	accountant that is:
164.7 	(1) retained by the stewardship organization;
164.8 	(2) not otherwise employed by or affiliated with the stewardship organization; and
164.9 	(3) qualified to conduct an audit under section 115A.1337, subdivision 5, paragraph (b), 
164.10 	clause (8).
164.11 	(q) "Off-highway vehicle" has the meaning given in section 84.771.
164.12 	(r) "Organohalogenated chemical" has the meaning given in section 325F.071.
164.13 	(s) "Other electrical product" means an appliance or tool that is powered by electricity 
164.14 	provided through a flexible cord with an attached standardized plug intended for temporary, 
164.15 	manual connection to the electrical distribution system in a residential or commercial 
164.16 	structure. Other electrical product does not include:
164.17 	(1) a covered product;
164.18 	(2) a major appliance;
164.19 	(3) an appliance or tool powered by electrical power of greater than 240 volts alternating 
164.20 	current; or
164.21 	(4) an appliance or tool designed, manufactured, and intended solely for use in 
164.22 	manufacturing, industrial, or other commercial settings.
164.23 	(t) "Partial collection site" means a collection site that meets the requirements of section 
164.24 	115A.1341, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), and does not meet the requirements of paragraph 
164.25 	(b) of that subdivision.
164.26 	(u) "Participant" means a producer that is named by the stewardship organization as 
164.27 	meeting the producer's obligations under sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347 to contract with 
164.28 	a stewardship organization and to pay for a stewardship program that meets the producer's 
164.29 	obligations on the producer's behalf.
165.1 	(v) "Producer" means, with respect to a covered product or other electrical product that 
165.2 	is sold, including online sales; offered for sale or promotional purposes; or distributed in 
165.3 	or into the state:
165.4 	(1) a person that manufactured:
165.5 	(i) the covered product;
165.6 	(ii) any component of the covered product if the component is also a covered product; 
165.7 	or
165.8 	(iii) the other electrical product;
165.9 	(2) a person that imported into the United States:
165.10 	(i) the covered product;
165.11 	(ii) any component of the covered product if the component is also a covered product; 
165.12 	or
165.13 	(iii) the other electrical product; and
165.14 	(3) a person that owns or controls or is licensed to use a brand under which the covered 
165.15 	product or other electrical product is sold, including online sales; offered for sale or 
165.16 	promotional purposes; or distributed in or into the state.
165.17 	(w) "Responsible market" means a market for covered products and other electrical 
165.18 	products, for reusable or repairable components of covered products and other electrical 
165.19 	products, for reclaimed materials from covered products and other electrical products, or 
165.20 	for any other recyclable residues from covered products and other electrical products that:
165.21 	(1) reuses, recycles, or otherwise recovers materials and disposes of contaminants in a 
165.22 	manner that protects the environment and minimizes risks to public health and worker health 
165.23 	and safety;
165.24 	(2) complies with all applicable federal, state, and local statutes, rules, ordinances, and 
165.25 	other laws governing environmental, health, safety, and financial responsibility;
165.26 	(3) possesses all licenses and permits required by a federal or state agency or political 
165.27 	subdivision;
165.28 	(4) if operating in the state, recycles covered products and other electrical products to 
165.29 	the maximum extent practicable in accordance with section 115A.02, paragraph (b); and
165.30 	(5) minimizes adverse impacts to environmental justice areas.
165.31 	(x) "Snowmobile" has the meaning given in section 84.81, subdivision 3.
166.1 	(y) "Specialized battery or circuit board recycler" means a person that, if and as 
166.2 	applicable, is properly authorized by the commissioner or, if operating in another state, an 
166.3 	equivalent state or federal governmental body, to process, repair, refurbish, facilitate reuse 
166.4 	of, recycle, or reclaim useful materials from covered products.
166.5 	(z) "Stewardship organization" means a nonprofit organization as described in section 
166.6 	501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that enters into a contract with producers to draft 
166.7 	and submit a plan for a stewardship program under sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347, and 
166.8 	to be responsible for administering and implementing that plan on the producers' behalf.
166.9 	(aa) "Stewardship plan" means a plan that is prepared according to section 115A.1335 
166.10 	and submitted to the commissioner by a stewardship organization.
166.11 	(bb) "Stewardship program" means a system implemented by a stewardship organization 
166.12 	that provides and pays for covered services and all other activities described in a stewardship 
166.13 	plan approved by the commissioner under section 115A.1335, subdivision 4.
166.14 	(cc) "Watercraft" has the meaning given in section 86B.005, subdivision 18, 
166.15 	notwithstanding the exceptions contained therein.

166.16 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

166.17 	Sec. 4. [115A.1333] COVERED PRODUCTS REIMBURSEMENT BOARD.
166.18 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The Covered Products Reimbursement Board is 
166.19 	established to recommend reimbursement rates to the commissioner. Except as provided in 
166.20 	this section, chapter 15 does not apply to the board.
166.21 		Subd. 2.Membership. (a) By January 1, 2027, the commissioner must appoint the initial 
166.22 	membership of the Covered Products Reimbursement Board. Membership must consist of:
166.23 	(1) two members representing household hazardous waste collection programs;
166.24 	(2) two members representing collectors, according to paragraph (c); and
166.25 	(3) four members representing and nominated by the stewardship organization.
166.26 	(b) In making appointments under paragraph (a), the commissioner may not appoint 
166.27 	persons who are:
166.28 	(1) current or elected Minnesota state representatives or senators;
166.29 	(2) required to register as lobbyists under section 10A.03; or
166.30 	(3) employees of the agency.
167.1 	(c) Initial appointments under paragraph (a), clause (2), must represent potential 
167.2 	collectors. After January 1, 2028, whenever the terms of these members expire according 
167.3 	to subdivision 3, the new appointments must represent collectors. Members appointed under 
167.4 	paragraph (a), clause (2), must not represent household hazardous waste collection programs.
167.5 		Subd. 3.Terms; removal. Members serve for a term of four years, except that one 
167.6 	member appointed under subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (1); one member appointed 
167.7 	under subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (2); and two members appointed under subdivision 
167.8 	2, paragraph (a), clause (3), must be appointed to serve an initial term of two years, so that 
167.9 	membership terms are staggered. Members may be reappointed to another term following 
167.10 	the end of a term. The removal of members is governed by section 15.059, subdivision 4.
167.11 		Subd. 4.Quorum; voting. Meetings of the board must have at least a quorum of 
167.12 	members, consisting of six members. Recommendations of the board require the affirmative 
167.13 	vote of at least five members.
167.14 		Subd. 5.Administrative support; facilitator. (a) The commissioner must provide 
167.15 	administrative support to the board. The commissioner must ensure that all activities of the 
167.16 	board that require public notice, such as notice of meetings, agendas and materials related 
167.17 	to agenda items, and minutes, are published on the agency's publicly accessible website. 
167.18 	The commissioner must provide meeting space and public access for meetings conducted 
167.19 	by telephone or interactive technology.
167.20 	(b) The commissioner must contract for a professional facilitator for the board. The 
167.21 	facilitator must schedule and chair the meetings of the board but is not a member for purposes 
167.22 	of quorum or voting. The facilitator must ensure that all activities of the board that require 
167.23 	public notice are timely provided to the commissioner for publication.
167.24 		Subd. 6.Meetings. (a) The board must meet at least biannually and as necessary to meet 
167.25 	the requirements of subdivisions 7 to 9. Meetings may be scheduled at the request of the 
167.26 	facilitator or a majority of the members.
167.27 	(b) The board must comply with the Open Meeting Law under chapter 13D.
167.28 		Subd. 7.Recommendations for reimbursement rates. (a) By July 1, 2027, and annually 
167.29 	thereafter, the board must submit to the commissioner a recommendation for reimbursement 
167.30 	rates to collectors for the following calendar year.
167.31 	(b) Recommended rates must be differentiated by methods recommended by the board 
167.32 	under subdivision 4, such as local property lease or purchase costs, prevailing local wages, 
168.1 	or other factors to ensure convenient collection statewide according to section 115A.1335, 
168.2 	subdivision 3, and that all costs of collection are covered according to paragraph (c).
168.3 	(c) Recommended rates must cover all costs of collecting covered products and other 
168.4 	electrical products incurred by collectors, including at least:
168.5 	(1) labor and overhead;
168.6 	(2) covered services performed by a collector in accordance with section 115A.1337, 
168.7 	subdivision 1, paragraph (b);
168.8 	(3) necessary collection and storage structures and containers as provided in section 
168.9 	115A.1347, subdivision 1, paragraph (d);
168.10 	(4) employee training;
168.11 	(5) necessary safety equipment, including appropriate fire protection and suppression 
168.12 	equipment and supplies; and
168.13 	(6) any other costs determined necessary by the commissioner.
168.14 	(d) In making determinations under paragraph (c), clause (6), the commissioner may 
168.15 	consider data submitted according to section 115A.1337, subdivision 5; the volume of 
168.16 	covered products collected; the estimated volume of covered products sold in or into the 
168.17 	state; the estimated volume of covered products disposed of in the state; and other information 
168.18 	related to the effectiveness of the stewardship program.
168.19 	(e) The board must also consider any additional financial incentives necessary to induce 
168.20 	collectors to join the stewardship program in locations that would otherwise not be served, 
168.21 	so that the stewardship organization can meet or exceed the required convenience standards 
168.22 	under section 115A.1335, subdivision 3.
168.23 		Subd. 8.Review and approval of reimbursement rates. (a) Within 90 days after 
168.24 	receiving a recommendation on reimbursement rates submitted under subdivision 7, the 
168.25 	commissioner must review the recommendation and approve or reject the recommendation.
168.26 	(b) In conducting a review of a recommendation, the commissioner may consult with 
168.27 	interested parties.
168.28 	(c) For at least 30 days and before approving a recommendation under this subdivision, 
168.29 	the commissioner must post the recommendation on the agency's publicly accessible website 
168.30 	for public review and comment.
168.31 	(d) If the commissioner determines that a recommendation does not meet the requirements 
168.32 	of this section, the commissioner must reject the recommendation. The commissioner must 
169.1 	provide a written notice of determination describing the reasons for the rejection to the 
169.2 	board. The board must meet as necessary to submit a revised recommendation to the 
169.3 	commissioner.
169.4 	(e) After consultation under paragraph (b) and review of public comments under 
169.5 	paragraph (c), if the commissioner determines that a recommendation meets the requirements 
169.6 	of this section, the commissioner may approve the recommendation. The commissioner 
169.7 	must provide a written notice of approval to the board and to the stewardship organization. 
169.8 	In the notice, the commissioner must specify the effective date of the approved reimbursement 
169.9 	rates.
169.10 	(f) The stewardship organization must publish approved reimbursement rates on its 
169.11 	publicly accessible website within 30 days after receiving the commissioner's written notice 
169.12 	of approval. The commissioner may also publish the approved reimbursement rates on the 
169.13 	agency's publicly accessible website.
169.14 		Subd. 9.More-frequent rate changes. The board may, for good cause, submit a 
169.15 	recommendation for reimbursement rates to the commissioner at less than an annual interval. 
169.16 	The commissioner must review the recommendation according to subdivision 8. If the 
169.17 	commissioner rejects the recommendation, then the previously approved reimbursement 
169.18 	rates for that calendar year continue to be in effect.

169.19 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

169.20 	Sec. 5. [115A.1335] STEWARDSHIP PLAN AND BUDGET.
169.21 		Subdivision 1.Due date. By October 1, 2027, all producers must contract with a single 
169.22 	stewardship organization to act on the producers' behalf. By that date, the stewardship 
169.23 	organization must submit a single stewardship plan meeting the requirements of subdivision 
169.24 	2 to the commissioner to review for approval or rejection.
169.25 		Subd. 2.Plan content; budget requirement. (a) The stewardship plan must include:
169.26 	(1) identification of and contact information for the stewardship organization;
169.27 	(2) identification of and contact information for all other persons that the stewardship 
169.28 	organization has contracted, subcontracted, or partnered with to administer and implement 
169.29 	the stewardship program that are not participants identified in clause (3) or collectors or 
169.30 	persons providing covered services identified in clause (4), unless such participants, 
169.31 	collectors, or persons providing covered services are also in any way administering or 
169.32 	implementing the stewardship program beyond participation, collection, or provision of 
170.1 	covered services. The relationship of the other organizations and role in administration and 
170.2 	implementation of the stewardship program must be described;
170.3 	(3) identification of and contact information for all participants in the stewardship 
170.4 	program;
170.5 	(4) identification of and contact information for each collector; each person providing 
170.6 	covered services for covered products or other electrical products, including any collector 
170.7 	that will perform covered services other than collection; and each facility at which covered 
170.8 	products and other electrical products will be managed under the stewardship plan;
170.9 	(5) the address; county of location; and, in a form prescribed by the commissioner, 
170.10 	geolocation data for each collection site to be served by the stewardship organization under 
170.11 	the stewardship program and identification of the site as a full collection site, as a partial 
170.12 	collection site, or as operated by a household hazardous waste collection program;
170.13 	(6) a list of the brands covered under the stewardship program;
170.14 	(7) eligibility criteria for prospective collectors of covered products and other electrical 
170.15 	products under the stewardship program according to section 115A.1337, subdivision 3, 
170.16 	paragraph (c);
170.17 	(8) a description of how the stewardship program will accept and provide covered services 
170.18 	and reimbursement under this section to any household hazardous waste collection program 
170.19 	in a manner that is equal to the services and reimbursement provided to all other collectors, 
170.20 	if the operator of the household hazardous waste collection program requests covered 
170.21 	services and reimbursement;
170.22 	(9) a description of how the stewardship program will provide convenient, statewide 
170.23 	collection according to subdivision 3;
170.24 	(10) a description of how the stewardship organization will annually monitor and ensure 
170.25 	continuing compliance with the convenience standards under subdivision 3;
170.26 	(11) a description of how the stewardship organization will provide each collector served 
170.27 	by the stewardship program with the materials specified in section 115A.1337, subdivision 
170.28 	1, including specifications for appropriate containers, signage templates, and a copy of all 
170.29 	training and educational materials to be provided;
170.30 	(12) a description of how collection sites will be accessible according to section 
170.31 	115A.1337, subdivision 2;
171.1 	(13) the performance standards for persons providing covered services for covered 
171.2 	products and other electrical products on behalf of the stewardship organization and the 
171.3 	oversight methods by which the stewardship organization will ensure continuing compliance 
171.4 	with the performance standards. The performance standards must:
171.5 	(i) meet the requirements of section 115A.1337, subdivision 3;
171.6 	(ii) ensure that covered products and materials resulting from recycling covered products 
171.7 	are managed only by specialized battery or electronics recyclers and through responsible 
171.8 	markets; and
171.9 	(iii) ensure that other electrical products and materials resulting from recycling of other 
171.10 	electrical products are managed through responsible markets;
171.11 	(14) a description of methods by which the stewardship organization will ensure that 
171.12 	covered products and any other electrical products that are waste for which the stewardship 
171.13 	organization is responsible are managed while in the state in compliance with rules adopted 
171.14 	under section 116.07 for managing solid waste and hazardous waste and, when outside the 
171.15 	state, with all federal, state, and local requirements applicable to managing solid waste and 
171.16 	hazardous waste, as applicable;
171.17 	(15) a description of methods by which the stewardship organization will ensure that 
171.18 	covered products and any other electrical products for which the stewardship organization 
171.19 	is responsible are managed in compliance with safety and health requirements for employees 
171.20 	administered by the Department of Labor and Industry and with fire protection requirements 
171.21 	administered by the Department of Public Safety while in the state and, when outside the 
171.22 	state, with all federal, state, and local requirements applicable to safety and health 
171.23 	requirements for employees and fire protection requirements;
171.24 	(16) a description of methods by which the stewardship organization will ensure that 
171.25 	covered products and other electrical products for which the stewardship organization is 
171.26 	responsible are transported in compliance with applicable regulations incorporated by 
171.27 	reference under section 221.033 for transporting hazardous materials while in the state and, 
171.28 	when outside the state, with all federal, state, and local requirements applicable to 
171.29 	transportation of hazardous materials;
171.30 	(17) a statement of indemnification by the stewardship organization to collectors for 
171.31 	potential liability for improper downstream management of covered products and other 
171.32 	electrical products or residual materials by providers of covered services contracted for by 
171.33 	the stewardship organization and identified in the stewardship plan under clause (3);
172.1 	(18) a description of how the stewardship organization will determine the mass of covered 
172.2 	products and other electrical products for which it has provided covered services under the 
172.3 	stewardship program by county of collection and, for covered batteries and covered products 
172.4 	that have covered batteries contained within them or otherwise attached or connected to 
172.5 	them, by battery chemistry;
172.6 	(19) a description of the outreach and education methods and activities that the 
172.7 	stewardship organization will provide according to section 115A.1337, subdivision 4;
172.8 	(20) a description of how the stewardship organization will employ at least one full-time 
172.9 	employee who is solely dedicated to implementing the stewardship program in this state 
172.10 	and serving as the primary contact between the stewardship organization and the agency;
172.11 	(21) a description of the system by which the stewardship organization will provide 
172.12 	advance funding of or reimbursement to collectors in a manner that provides:
172.13 	(i) a clear process for submitting and paying invoices;
172.14 	(ii) reasonable timelines for reimbursement, at intervals no longer than monthly unless 
172.15 	otherwise agreed to by the person providing covered services to be reimbursed; and
172.16 	(iii) a third-party mediator to resolve disputes that arise between the stewardship 
172.17 	organization and a person providing covered services regarding determining or paying 
172.18 	reimbursements;
172.19 	(22) identification of groups of producers, such as by industry, covered product and 
172.20 	other electrical product type, or other method proposed by the stewardship organization, 
172.21 	and the proposed allocation of stewardship program costs among the groups of producers, 
172.22 	such that the costs of managing covered products or other electrical products produced by 
172.23 	a group of producers are not borne by other groups of producers;
172.24 	(23) a description of how the stewardship organization will comply with subdivision 6, 
172.25 	paragraph (b);
172.26 	(24) a description of how the stewardship organization will assist producers in complying 
172.27 	with the labeling requirements of section 115A.1347, subdivision 2, paragraph (a);
172.28 	(25) a description of how the stewardship organization will ensure that covered products 
172.29 	and other electrical products managed under the stewardship program are recycled to the 
172.30 	maximum extent practicable in accordance with section 115A.02, paragraph (b);
172.31 	(26) a description of how the stewardship organization will incentivize investment in 
172.32 	processes, product design and material use, technology, and personnel training that could 
173.1 	raise the future maximum extent practicable for recycling described in clause (25), including 
173.2 	consideration of covered product reuse, repair, and product life cycle;
173.3 	(27) a description of how the stewardship organization will annually report to the 
173.4 	commissioner the number, type, and volume of covered products and other electrical products 
173.5 	collected during each calendar year, specifying the categories of the covered products and 
173.6 	other electrical products and the chemistries of the covered batteries collected;
173.7 	(28) a description of how the stewardship organization will annually report to the 
173.8 	commissioner the end management, through reuse, repair, reclamation, recycling, or disposal, 
173.9 	of the covered products and other electrical products shipped from collection sites under 
173.10 	the stewardship program during each calendar year;
173.11 	(29) a description of how the stewardship organization will take action to decrease the 
173.12 	incidence of covered products in solid waste in the state according to section 115A.1337, 
173.13 	subdivision 4, paragraph (c), including providing collection opportunities under section 
173.14 	115A.1337, subdivision 2, paragraph (b);
173.15 	(30) a description of how the stewardship organization will assist persons providing 
173.16 	covered services after collection to identify, segregate, and properly manage 
173.17 	organohalogenated chemicals contained in or separated from covered products and reduce 
173.18 	the prevalence of organohalogenated chemicals in products derived from recycled covered 
173.19 	products; and
173.20 	(31) a description of how the stewardship organization will, where feasible, assist 
173.21 	producers in reducing the occurrence of organohalogenated chemicals in covered products.
173.22 	(b) By January 1, 2028, and by April 1 each year thereafter, the stewardship organization 
173.23 	must submit an anticipated annual budget for the stewardship program, broken down into 
173.24 	the stewardship program's estimated costs for administration, collection, sorting, storage, 
173.25 	transportation, processing, refurbishment, repair, reuse, recycling, disposal, and 
173.26 	communication costs, including the cost of fees under section 115A.1339 but not including 
173.27 	costs for lobbying, costs associated with litigation against the state, or penalties imposed 
173.28 	by the state. The budget is not subject to review and approval under subdivisions 4 and 5.
173.29 		Subd. 3.Convenience standards. (a) The stewardship plan must provide convenient, 
173.30 	statewide collection for all covered products that are offered to collectors by a person in the 
173.31 	state, regardless of:
173.32 	(1) a covered product's brand;
173.33 	(2) a covered battery's energy capacity or chemistry;
174.1 	(3) whether the producer of a covered product is a participant in the stewardship program; 
174.2 	or
174.3 	(4) whether the brand of a covered product is covered under the stewardship program.
174.4 	(b) The stewardship plan must meet the following convenience standards:
174.5 	(1) for each county with a population of 10,000 or less, maintain at least two full 
174.6 	collection sites;
174.7 	(2) for each county with a population greater than 10,000 but less than or equal to 
174.8 	100,000, maintain at least two full collection sites and at least one additional full collection 
174.9 	site for each additional 10,000 in population above a population of 10,000;
174.10 	(3) for each county with a population greater than 100,000, maintain at least 11 full 
174.11 	collection sites and at least one additional full collection site for each additional 50,000 in 
174.12 	population above a population of 100,000;
174.13 	(4) maintain a full collection site located within ten miles of the household of at least 
174.14 	95 percent of the residents of the state;
174.15 	(5) ensure no net loss in estimated collection convenience and capacity for covered 
174.16 	products of any type; and
174.17 	(6) any additional convenience standards that the commissioner determines are necessary 
174.18 	to provide convenient, statewide collection for covered products, including operation of 
174.19 	partial collection sites and additional full collection sites.
174.20 	(c) In making a determination under paragraph (b), clause (6), the commissioner may 
174.21 	consider data submitted according to section 115A.1337, subdivision 5; the volume of 
174.22 	covered products collected; the estimated volume of covered products sold in or into the 
174.23 	state; the estimated volume of covered products disposed of in the state; the stewardship 
174.24 	organization's plans under subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (28); and other information 
174.25 	related to the effectiveness of the stewardship program.
174.26 		Subd. 4.Review of stewardship plan; implementation. (a) Within 120 days after 
174.27 	receiving a complete stewardship plan submitted under this section, the commissioner must 
174.28 	determine whether the stewardship plan complies with the requirements of this section and 
174.29 	will ensure that elements required by subdivision 2, paragraph (a), will be met to the 
174.30 	maximum extent practicable. The commissioner must provide a written notice of 
174.31 	determination according to this subdivision.
175.1 	(b) In conducting a review of a stewardship plan, the commissioner may consult with 
175.2 	interested parties.
175.3 	(c) For at least 30 days and before approving a stewardship plan, the commissioner must 
175.4 	place the stewardship plan on the agency's publicly accessible website for public review 
175.5 	and comment.
175.6 	(d) If the commissioner determines that a stewardship plan fails to meet the requirements 
175.7 	of this section or will not ensure that elements required by subdivision 2, paragraph (a), will 
175.8 	be met to the maximum extent practicable, the commissioner must reject the stewardship 
175.9 	plan. The commissioner must provide a written notice of determination to the stewardship 
175.10 	organization describing the reasons for the rejection.
175.11 	(e) After any consultation under paragraph (b) and review of public comments received 
175.12 	under paragraph (c), if the commissioner determines that a stewardship plan meets the 
175.13 	requirements of subdivision 2, the commissioner must approve the stewardship plan. The 
175.14 	commissioner must provide a written notice of determination to the stewardship organization.
175.15 	(f) The stewardship organization must publish its approved stewardship plan on its 
175.16 	publicly accessible website within 30 days after receiving written notice of approval but is 
175.17 	not required to publish nonpublic data as defined under chapter 13. The commissioner may 
175.18 	publish the approved stewardship plan on the agency's publicly accessible website but must 
175.19 	not publish nonpublic data.
175.20 	(g) The stewardship organization must implement the stewardship plan approved by the 
175.21 	commissioner, including any amendments to the stewardship plan that are approved by the 
175.22 	commissioner according to subdivision 5, within 60 days after receiving written notice of 
175.23 	approval.
175.24 	(h) For each stewardship plan or amendment submitted to the commissioner for review, 
175.25 	the commissioner may consider the data submitted according to section 115A.1337, 
175.26 	subdivision 5, and other relevant information to establish requirements to improve the 
175.27 	effectiveness, performance, and awareness of the stewardship program.
175.28 		Subd. 5.Amending or terminating stewardship plan. (a) The stewardship organization 
175.29 	may amend a stewardship plan approved under subdivision 4 without review or approval 
175.30 	by the commissioner to make the changes specified in clauses (1) to (3). Within 30 days 
175.31 	after adopting an amendment under this paragraph, the stewardship organization must report 
175.32 	the amendment to the commissioner and must publish the amended stewardship plan on the 
175.33 	stewardship organization's publicly accessible website. The stewardship organization must 
176.1 	implement amendments made to a stewardship plan under this paragraph within 60 days 
176.2 	after adopting the amendment. The stewardship organization may:
176.3 	(1) add, terminate, or replace a collector, collection site, person providing covered 
176.4 	services, or facility at which covered services will be performed;
176.5 	(2) add or remove participants or brands covered under the stewardship plan; or
176.6 	(3) change contact staff or contact staff information for the stewardship organization, 
176.7 	participants, collectors, persons transporting covered products or other electrical products, 
176.8 	or facilities to be used for storage, processing, recycling, or disposal.
176.9 	(b) Except for an amendment under paragraph (a), a proposed amendment to a 
176.10 	stewardship plan approved under subdivision 4 must be submitted to and reviewed and 
176.11 	approved by the commissioner before it may be implemented by the stewardship organization. 
176.12 	The commissioner must review and approve or reject the proposed amendment according 
176.13 	to subdivision 4.
176.14 	(c) The stewardship organization with an approved stewardship plan must submit an 
176.15 	amended stewardship plan for review at least every five years according to this subdivision 
176.16 	and subdivision 4 if the commissioner has not during that time approved amendments 
176.17 	submitted for review under paragraph (b).
176.18 	(d) The stewardship organization may terminate a stewardship plan by providing at least 
176.19 	90 days' written notice to the commissioner and to all participants in the stewardship program. 
176.20 	Before the stewardship plan is terminated, each participant must meet the requirements of 
176.21 	section 115A.1335, subdivision 1, by contracting with a new stewardship organization, 
176.22 	which must submit and obtain the commissioner's approval for a stewardship plan.
176.23 	(e) The commissioner may terminate a stewardship plan for good cause, such as 
176.24 	significant noncompliance with this section; failure to ensure that covered products and 
176.25 	other electrical products collected in the state are being managed in responsible markets 
176.26 	and according to subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clauses (13) to (15); failure to timely submit 
176.27 	a stewardship plan for review according to paragraph (c); or failure to pay fees assessed 
176.28 	under section 115A.1339. If the commissioner terminates a stewardship plan, the 
176.29 	commissioner must provide the stewardship organization with written notice of termination 
176.30 	describing the good cause for termination. The commissioner must also notify all participants 
176.31 	in the stewardship program in writing using the contact information for the participants 
176.32 	provided in the stewardship plan.
177.1 		Subd. 6.Compliance. (a) The stewardship organization must comply with its stewardship 
177.2 	plan approved by the commissioner, including any amendments to the stewardship plan 
177.3 	that are made according to subdivision 5, paragraph (a) or (b).
177.4 	(b) The stewardship organization must comply with the reimbursement rates approved 
177.5 	by the commissioner.
177.6 	(c) The stewardship organization must ensure that all costs of the stewardship program 
177.7 	are fully paid for by producers as a whole, except for de minimis producers. All costs of 
177.8 	the stewardship program must be allocated fairly between groups of producers without any 
177.9 	fee, charge, surcharge, or any other cost to:
177.10 	(1) any member of the public;
177.11 	(2) any business other than a producer;
177.12 	(3) any collector;
177.13 	(4) any person providing covered services;
177.14 	(5) the state or any political subdivision;
177.15 	(6) de minimis producers; or
177.16 	(7) any other person who is not a producer.
177.17 	(d) In implementing paragraph (c), the stewardship organization must ensure that costs 
177.18 	of managing covered products and other electrical products produced by a group of producers 
177.19 	are not shifted to nor borne by any other group of producers.

177.20 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

177.21 	Sec. 6. [115A.1337] STEWARDSHIP ORGANIZATION DUTIES.
177.22 		Subdivision 1.Duties to collectors. (a) The stewardship organization must provide the 
177.23 	following to each collector:
177.24 	(1) reimbursement at the rates approved by the commissioner;
177.25 	(2) all covered services after the initial collection of covered products and other electrical 
177.26 	products by the collector;
177.27 	(3) containers as described in section 115A.1347, subdivision 1, paragraph (d);
177.28 	(4) consistent signage identifying a collection site;
177.29 	(5) training for collection site employees on identifying and safely handling and storing 
177.30 	covered batteries and covered products that have covered batteries contained within them 
178.1 	or otherwise attached or connected to them, including damaged, defective, or recalled 
178.2 	batteries, also known as DDR batteries;
178.3 	(6) educational materials that address the information described in subdivision 4, 
178.4 	paragraph (a), clause (3), for distribution to members of the public and businesses in 
178.5 	Minnesota. The educational materials must be made available in English and at least the 
178.6 	three most frequent languages spoken at home in the state other than English, according to 
178.7 	the state demographer; and
178.8 	(7) direction to an alternate collector whenever a collector determines and reports to the 
178.9 	stewardship organization, according to section 115A.1341, subdivision 1, paragraph (e), 
178.10 	that the collector cannot safely collect a covered product. The stewardship organization 
178.11 	must ensure that the covered product is collected by another collector.
178.12 	(b) The stewardship organization must allow a collector to perform covered services 
178.13 	other than collection if the collector meets the performance standards in the stewardship 
178.14 	plan under section 115A.1335, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (13), and the collector 
178.15 	is identified in the stewardship plan as providing covered services other than collection 
178.16 	according to section 115A.1335, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (4).
178.17 	(c) For covered services provided under paragraph (b), the stewardship organization 
178.18 	must reimburse the collector for the cost of the performed covered services according to 
178.19 	section 115A.1335, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (21).
178.20 	(d) A collector may request the stewardship organization to add a person to provide 
178.21 	covered services to the stewardship plan as an amendment under section 115A.1335, 
178.22 	subdivision 5, paragraph (a), and the stewardship organization must consider the request if 
178.23 	the person meets the performance standards in the stewardship plan.
178.24 		Subd. 2.Accessibility. (a) The stewardship organization must provide convenient, 
178.25 	equitable, and accessible service to all Minnesotans, including but not limited to people of 
178.26 	color; Minnesota Tribal governments as defined in section 10.65, subdivision 2; those that 
178.27 	are non-English speaking; immigrant and refugee communities; those with limited access 
178.28 	to transportation; and those in environmental justice areas.
178.29 	(b) The stewardship program must include collection opportunities beyond those required 
178.30 	under section 115A.1335, subdivision 3, to better serve populations under paragraph (a), 
178.31 	such as additional partial collection sites, individual pickup from households, and temporary 
178.32 	events to provide enhanced collection availability.
179.1 	(c) Where feasible, the stewardship organization must encourage establishing collection 
179.2 	sites in proximity to local public transit.
179.3 		Subd. 3.Oversight; eligibility of persons providing covered services. (a) The 
179.4 	stewardship organization must ensure that:
179.5 	(1) covered products and other electrical products managed under the stewardship 
179.6 	program are recycled to the maximum extent practicable in accordance with section 115A.02, 
179.7 	paragraph (b); and
179.8 	(2) residual materials are managed in compliance with applicable hazardous waste or 
179.9 	solid waste requirements by:
179.10 	(i) each person transporting covered products or other electrical products; and
179.11 	(ii) each facility listed in the stewardship plan at which storage, processing, recycling, 
179.12 	or disposal of covered products and other electrical products is performed.
179.13 	(b) To ensure that covered products and other electrical products are managed to the 
179.14 	maximum extent practicable in accordance with section 115A.02, paragraph (b), the 
179.15 	commissioner may require performance standards and oversight methods in lieu of or in 
179.16 	addition to the performance standards and oversight methods used by a stewardship 
179.17 	organization under paragraph (a) and section 115A.1335, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), 
179.18 	clause (13), for persons providing covered services for covered products and other electrical 
179.19 	products. The commissioner may consider data submitted under subdivision 5; the availability 
179.20 	and feasibility of technology, processes, and methods for managing covered products and 
179.21 	other electrical products; and other information related to the effectiveness of the stewardship 
179.22 	program.
179.23 	(c) The stewardship organization must allow any person that agrees to operate or 
179.24 	continues to operate a full collection site in compliance with section 115A.1341 and any 
179.25 	household hazardous waste collection program to serve as a collector. The stewardship 
179.26 	organization must consider allowing any person that agrees to operate or continues to operate 
179.27 	a partial collection site in compliance with section 115A.1341 to serve as a collector. Except 
179.28 	for a household hazardous waste collection program, a stewardship organization may 
179.29 	terminate a collector and cease payment to the collector for good cause.
179.30 		Subd. 4.Stewardship program effectiveness. (a) To support the effectiveness of the 
179.31 	stewardship program, the stewardship organization must provide outreach and education 
179.32 	to:
180.1 	(1) persons that might sell, offer for sale or promotional purposes, or distribute covered 
180.2 	products or other electrical products in or into the state, to inform the persons of the 
180.3 	requirements of section 115A.1347, subdivision 2;
180.4 	(2) potential collectors and persons who are collecting covered products before the 
180.5 	effective date of this section to inform the collectors how to request coverage by the 
180.6 	stewardship program; and
180.7 	(3) members of the public to raise awareness of:
180.8 	(i) public health and safety and environmental risks caused by improperly charging, 
180.9 	storing, and disposing of covered batteries and covered products that have covered batteries 
180.10 	contained within them or otherwise attached or connected to them;
180.11 	(ii) public health and environmental risks caused by improperly disposing of covered 
180.12 	products;
180.13 	(iii) methods to safely charge and store covered batteries and covered products that have 
180.14 	covered batteries contained within them or otherwise attached or connected to them;
180.15 	(iv) the benefits of repairing, reusing, and recycling covered products and other electrical 
180.16 	products in contrast to disposal; and
180.17 	(v) the existence of the stewardship program and the ability to recycle covered products 
180.18 	and other electrical products at no cost, including the location and convenience of collection 
180.19 	sites in the state.
180.20 	(b) The stewardship organization must maintain a publicly accessible website to locate 
180.21 	collection sites through map-based and text-based searches.
180.22 	(c) The stewardship organization must, in addition to the requirements of paragraphs 
180.23 	(a) and (b), take action to decrease the incidence of covered products in solid waste generated 
180.24 	in the state as soon as practicable and to the maximum extent achievable. The commissioner 
180.25 	may determine the effectiveness of the stewardship program using information from waste 
180.26 	composition studies conducted under section 115A.412 and other information available to 
180.27 	the commissioner and may require the stewardship organization to submit information and 
180.28 	implement actions to decrease the incidence of covered products in solid waste in accordance 
180.29 	with section 115A.1335, subdivisions 2, paragraph (a), clause (29); and 3, paragraph (b), 
180.30 	clause (6).
180.31 		Subd. 5.Reporting. (a) The stewardship organization must report an amendment to the 
180.32 	stewardship plan made under section 115A.1335, subdivision 5, paragraph (a), to the 
180.33 	commissioner within 30 days after making the amendment.
181.1 	(b) By April 1 each year, the stewardship organization must report to the commissioner, 
181.2 	in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, on the stewardship organization's 
181.3 	activities during the preceding calendar year. The stewardship organization must also submit 
181.4 	a copy of the report to the board. The report must include:
181.5 	(1) the address, county of location, and geolocation data for each collection site used by 
181.6 	the stewardship organization under the stewardship program during the preceding calendar 
181.7 	year;
181.8 	(2) the number, type, and volume of covered products and other electrical products 
181.9 	collected during each calendar year, specifying the categories of the covered products and 
181.10 	other electrical products and the chemistries of the covered batteries collected, in accordance 
181.11 	with section 115A.1335, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (27);
181.12 	(3) the end management, through reuse, repair, reclamation, recycling, or disposal, of 
181.13 	the covered products and other electrical products shipped from collection sites under the 
181.14 	stewardship program, in accordance with section 115A.1335, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), 
181.15 	clause (28);
181.16 	(4) the effectiveness of the stewardship organization's actions to decrease the incidence 
181.17 	of covered products in solid waste in the state, in accordance with section 115A.1335, 
181.18 	subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (29), including the support of partial collection sites;
181.19 	(5) a description of the actions taken by the stewardship organization regarding 
181.20 	identification, management, and reduction in prevalence of organohalogenated chemicals 
181.21 	in covered products under section 115A.1335, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clauses (30) 
181.22 	and (31);
181.23 	(6) the results of the oversight according to section 115A.1335, subdivision 2, paragraph 
181.24 	(a), clause (13), verifying that the performance standards were met by each of the persons 
181.25 	providing covered services;
181.26 	(7) a description of outreach and education activities performed by the stewardship 
181.27 	organization during the preceding calendar year according to subdivision 4;
181.28 	(8) a financial report on the stewardship program, including actual costs and funding 
181.29 	compared to the budget for the year submitted under section 115A.1335, subdivision 2, 
181.30 	paragraph (b). The financial report must include an audit report of the stewardship program 
181.31 	by an independent auditor. The independent auditor must be selected by the stewardship 
181.32 	organization and approved or rejected by the commissioner. If the commissioner rejects an 
181.33 	independent auditor, the stewardship organization must select a different independent auditor 
182.1 	for approval or rejection by the commissioner. The independent audit must meet the 
182.2 	requirements of Accounting Standards Update 2018-08, Not-for-Profit Entities (Topic 958), 
182.3 	Financial Accounting Standards Board, as amended;
182.4 	(9) the proposed and actual budget for the year in which the report is submitted; and
182.5 	(10) starting on the second April after the stewardship organization's first stewardship 
182.6 	plan is approved by the commissioner, and then every third year thereafter, a performance 
182.7 	audit of the stewardship program. The performance audit must conform to audit standards 
182.8 	established by the United States Government Accountability Office; the National Association 
182.9 	of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers; or another nationally recognized organization 
182.10 	approved by the commissioner.
182.11 		Subd. 6.Organization of the stewardship organization. (a) The stewardship 
182.12 	organization may function as a coordinating board and contract, subcontract, or partner with 
182.13 	any other person to administer and implement the stewardship program.
182.14 	(b) A contract, subcontract, or partnership established according to paragraph (a) must 
182.15 	be described under section 115A.1335, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (2).
182.16 	(c) Notwithstanding any contract, subcontract, or partnership established according to 
182.17 	paragraph (a), the stewardship organization must:
182.18 	(1) remain responsible for compliance with sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347;
182.19 	(2) submit a single stewardship plan meeting the requirements of sections 115A.1331 
182.20 	to 115A.1347;
182.21 	(3) submit a single report according to subdivision 5 meeting the requirements of sections 
182.22 	115A.1331 to 115A.1347;
182.23 	(4) serve as the single point of contact for reporting and reimbursement for:
182.24 	(i) each collector;
182.25 	(ii) each person providing covered services for covered products or other electrical 
182.26 	products, including any collector that will perform covered services other than collection; 
182.27 	and
182.28 	(iii) each facility at which covered products and other electrical products will be managed 
182.29 	under the stewardship plan; and
182.30 	(5) serve as the single point of contact for the agency.

182.31 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2028.

183.1 	Sec. 7. [115A.1339] FEES.
183.2 		Subdivision 1.Administrative fees. (a) By January 1, 2028, and by July 1 each year 
183.3 	thereafter, the commissioner must calculate the sum of all costs that the agency incurs under 
183.4 	sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347, exclusive of recovery and management of covered 
183.5 	products under subdivision 2. The sum calculated for the period preceding January 1, 2028, 
183.6 	must include the agency's costs of implementing sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347. For 
183.7 	the purposes of this paragraph, costs of the board are considered costs incurred by the 
183.8 	agency.
183.9 	(b) Notwithstanding section 16A.1283, the commissioner must assess administrative 
183.10 	fees at an amount that is adequate to reimburse the agency's sum costs of administering 
183.11 	sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347. The stewardship organization must pay the assessed 
183.12 	administrative fees by the due dates set by the commissioner.
183.13 		Subd. 2.Recovery and proper management fees.  (a) When the commissioner intends 
183.14 	to spend money for the recovery and proper management of covered products under section 
183.15 	115A.1343, subdivision 1, notwithstanding section 16A.1283, the commissioner must assess 
183.16 	the estimated cost of recovery and proper management of covered products to the stewardship 
183.17 	organization.
183.18 	(b) The cost under paragraph (a) must not include any subsequent remediation of the 
183.19 	real properties where the covered products are located nor the cost of any environmental 
183.20 	assessment of the properties to determine appropriate subsequent remediation under other 
183.21 	law. Such costs must not be paid from any funds assessed, collected, or appropriated under 
183.22 	this section. The stewardship organization must pay the assessed recovery and management 
183.23 	fee by the due date set by the commissioner.
183.24 	(c) If, after the covered products have been recovered and properly managed, the actual 
183.25 	cost of recovery and proper management of the recovered products is less than the fee paid 
183.26 	by the stewardship organization, the commissioner must refund the excess payment. If the 
183.27 	cost of recovery and proper management exceeds the fee paid by the stewardship 
183.28 	organization, the commissioner must assess the stewardship organization for the deficit. 
183.29 	The stewardship organization must pay the assessed recovery and management fee deficit 
183.30 	by the due date set by the commissioner.
183.31 		Subd. 3.Disposition of fees. The total amount of net fees collected under this section 
183.32 	must not exceed the amount necessary to reimburse agency costs as calculated under 
183.33 	subdivisions 1 and 2. All fees received under subdivisions 1 and 2 must be deposited in the 
183.34 	state treasury and credited to a product stewardship account in the special revenue fund. 
184.1 	The amount collected under this section is annually appropriated to the commissioner to 
184.2 	implement and enforce sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347.

184.3 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2027.

184.4 	Sec. 8. [115A.1341] COLLECTOR DUTIES.
184.5 		Subdivision 1.Accepting covered products. (a) All collectors must accept covered 
184.6 	products without imposing a fee, charge, surcharge, or other cost to any person other than 
184.7 	the stewardship organization.
184.8 	(b) At a full collection site, a collector must accept from any person at least ten covered 
184.9 	products daily of any brand, any type, any physical size, and, in the case of covered batteries 
184.10 	and covered products that have covered batteries contained within them or otherwise attached 
184.11 	or connected to them, any energy capacity or chemistry, unless the collector determines a 
184.12 	specific covered product cannot be safely collected by the collector at a specific collection 
184.13 	site at a specific time under paragraph (e). A full collection site must be open to receiving 
184.14 	covered products at least 12 operating hours per week, 50 weeks each calendar year.
184.15 	(c) At a partial collection site, a collector must accept from any person covered products 
184.16 	of any brand, but may limit the number, type, physical size, and, in the case of covered 
184.17 	batteries and covered products that have covered batteries contained within them or otherwise 
184.18 	attached or connected to them, the energy capacity or chemistry of the covered battery of 
184.19 	the covered products accepted.
184.20 	(d) A household hazardous waste collection program may accept covered products at 
184.21 	any collection site it operates. The household hazardous waste collection program may limit 
184.22 	the persons from which it will accept covered products and may limit the number, type, 
184.23 	physical size, and, in the case of covered batteries and covered products that have covered 
184.24 	batteries contained within them or otherwise attached or connected to them, the energy 
184.25 	capacity or chemistry of the covered battery of the covered products accepted. The 
184.26 	stewardship organization may count a collection site operated by the household hazardous 
184.27 	waste collection program as a full collection site when demonstrating compliance with the 
184.28 	convenience standards of section 115A.1335, subdivision 3, if the household hazardous 
184.29 	waste collection program voluntarily agrees in writing with the stewardship organization 
184.30 	to comply with paragraph (b) at the site.
184.31 	(e) A collector that determines that it cannot safely accept a specific covered product 
184.32 	must document the reason for not accepting the covered product and immediately notify 
184.33 	the stewardship organization of the nonacceptance in order to allow the stewardship 
185.1 	organization to arrange for alternate collection of the covered product under section 
185.2 	115A.1337, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (7).
185.3 		Subd. 2.Accepting other electrical products. A collector may accept other electrical 
185.4 	products from a person. If a collector accepts other electrical products, the collector may 
185.5 	not impose a fee, charge, surcharge, or other cost to any person other than the stewardship 
185.6 	organization.
185.7 		Subd. 3.Storing accepted products. A collector must manage and store all accepted 
185.8 	covered products and other electrical products safely and in compliance with section 
185.9 	115A.1347, subdivision 1, paragraphs (c) and (d).
185.10 		Subd. 4.Training. A collector must ensure and document that training is provided for 
185.11 	collection site employees on identifying and safely handling and storing covered batteries 
185.12 	and covered products that have covered batteries contained within them or otherwise attached 
185.13 	or connected to them, including damaged, defective, or recalled batteries, also known as 
185.14 	DDR batteries. The collector may provide the training or may receive training from the 
185.15 	stewardship organization or the stewardship organization's representative.
185.16 		Subd. 5.Recordkeeping. A collector must maintain the following records for at least 
185.17 	three years and make them available to the commissioner for inspection:
185.18 	(1) records of covered products and other electrical products accepted at a collection 
185.19 	site;
185.20 	(2) records of covered products and other electrical products shipped from a collection 
185.21 	site; and
185.22 	(3) documentation of employee training. The three-year record retention period for 
185.23 	employee documentation begins on the day following the last day the employee worked for 
185.24 	the collector.

185.25 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2028.

185.26 	Sec. 9. [115A.1343] COVERED PRODUCTS RECOVERY AND PROPER 
185.27 	MANAGEMENT.
185.28 		Subdivision 1.Recovery and proper management. (a) In addition to any authority 
185.29 	granted by other law and without limiting that authority, whenever the commissioner 
185.30 	determines that covered products have been abandoned, improperly disposed of, or stored 
185.31 	on real property within the state in a manner not in compliance with sections 115A.1331 to 
185.32 	115A.1347 or with applicable rules adopted under section 116.07, subdivision 2, paragraph 
186.1 	(d), or 4, paragraph (g), the commissioner may issue an order under section 115.071, 
186.2 	subdivision 5; 116.07, subdivision 9; or 116.072, subdivision 1, requiring a person responsible 
186.3 	for the abandonment, improper disposal, or noncompliant storage of the covered products 
186.4 	to recover and properly manage the covered products according to sections 115A.1331 to 
186.5 	115A.1347 and applicable rules. An order under this paragraph must notify the person of 
186.6 	the provisions of this subdivision.
186.7 	(b) If a person that receives an order under paragraph (a) fails to complete the ordered 
186.8 	actions to recover and properly manage the covered products within the time specified in 
186.9 	the order, then after that time or upon expiration of the appeal period for the order, whichever 
186.10 	is later, the commissioner must notify the stewardship organization in writing of:
186.11 	(1) the commissioner's determination that the covered products have been abandoned, 
186.12 	improperly disposed of, or stored in a noncompliant manner;
186.13 	(2) the name of the person that was issued the order under paragraph (a) and the location 
186.14 	of the covered products;
186.15 	(3) the actions required to recover and properly manage the covered products; and
186.16 	(4) the amount of time that the stewardship organization may, with the consent of the 
186.17 	person, attempt to complete the actions to recover and properly manage the covered products 
186.18 	on behalf of the person.
186.19 	(c) If the stewardship organization intends to recover and properly manage the covered 
186.20 	products, the stewardship organization must notify the commissioner of its intent and submit 
186.21 	a plan to recover and properly manage the covered products to the commissioner. The 
186.22 	stewardship organization must comply with its submitted recovery and management plan.
186.23 	(d) If, after the period specified in paragraph (b), the ordered actions to recover and 
186.24 	properly manage the covered products have not been completed, or upon earlier notice from 
186.25 	the stewardship organization that it does not intend to take the actions, the commissioner 
186.26 	may recover and properly manage the covered products. The commissioner must estimate 
186.27 	the cost for a person contracted to the agency to perform the recovery and management. 
186.28 	The commissioner must assess the estimated cost to the stewardship organization according 
186.29 	to section 115A.1339, subdivision 2. After the stewardship organization pays the assessed 
186.30 	fee, the commissioner may recover and properly manage the covered products. Money 
186.31 	appropriated to the commissioner from the product stewardship account may be spent by 
186.32 	the commissioner to recover and properly manage the covered products.
187.1 	(e) In addition to the authority to enter upon any public or private property for the purpose 
187.2 	of obtaining information or conducting surveys or investigations under section 115A.06, 
187.3 	the commissioner or any designee or agent may enter upon the property to recover covered 
187.4 	products when acting under this subdivision.
187.5 		Subd. 2.Limited private right of action for recovery and proper management. (a) 
187.6 	The stewardship organization that recovers and properly manages covered products under 
187.7 	subdivision 1, paragraph (c), may maintain a civil action against a person issued an order 
187.8 	to recover and properly manage those covered products under subdivision 1, paragraph (a). 
187.9 	The stewardship organization is entitled to damages under this paragraph of twice its actual 
187.10 	cost of recovery and proper management of the covered products. Additional amounts 
187.11 	recoverable under this paragraph include an award of reasonable attorney fees and costs.
187.12 	(b) When the stewardship organization is assessed and pays the cost to recover and 
187.13 	properly manage covered products under subdivision 1, paragraph (d), and section 
187.14 	115A.1339, subdivision 2, the stewardship organization may maintain a civil action against 
187.15 	a person issued an order to recover and properly manage those covered products under 
187.16 	subdivision 1, paragraph (a). The stewardship organization is entitled to damages under this 
187.17 	paragraph equal to the cost of recovery and proper management of covered products assessed 
187.18 	by the commissioner to the stewardship organization. Additional amounts recoverable under 
187.19 	this paragraph include an award of reasonable attorney fees and costs.
187.20 	(c) The commissioner may not be a party to or be required to provide assistance or 
187.21 	otherwise participate in a civil action authorized under this subdivision unless subject to a 
187.22 	subpoena before a court of jurisdiction.

187.23 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2028.

187.24 	Sec. 10. [115A.1345] OTHER AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES.
187.25 		Subdivision 1.Limited private right of action against producers. (a) Except as 
187.26 	provided in paragraph (d), the stewardship organization may maintain a civil action against 
187.27 	one or more producers, except a de minimis producer, to recover a portion of the stewardship 
187.28 	organization's costs and additional amounts according to this subdivision.
187.29 	(b) Damages recoverable under this subdivision may not exceed a fair share of the actual 
187.30 	costs incurred by the plaintiff stewardship organization in managing covered products or 
187.31 	other electrical products of a defendant producer subject to section 115A.1347, subdivision 
187.32 	2, paragraph (b), and covered products or other electrical products of other producers that 
187.33 	were not participants. Additional amounts recoverable under this subdivision include an 
188.1 	award of reasonable attorney fees and costs. If a defendant producer did not participate in 
188.2 	the stewardship program established under sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347 during the 
188.3 	period in which covered products or other electrical products of the defendant producer 
188.4 	were managed by the plaintiff stewardship organization, a punitive sum of up to three times 
188.5 	the damages awarded may be assessed.
188.6 	(c) A plaintiff stewardship organization may establish a defendant producer's fair share 
188.7 	of the plaintiff's actual costs by providing the court with information establishing the process 
188.8 	by which the defendant producer's share of stewardship program costs would have been 
188.9 	allocated had the defendant producer been a participant in the program or paid its allocated 
188.10 	share if it was a participant. The plaintiff stewardship organization may use data from 
188.11 	producers similar in covered product, financial status, or market share to the defendant 
188.12 	producer to provide the information.
188.13 	(d) An action may not be commenced under this subdivision against a potential defendant 
188.14 	producer until 60 days after the plaintiff stewardship organization provides to all potential 
188.15 	defendants a written notice of the claim setting forth the amount of the claim and the basis 
188.16 	for the calculation of the amount.
188.17 	(e) No action may be brought under this subdivision against a person other than a 
188.18 	producer.
188.19 	(f) The commissioner may not be a party to or be required to provide assistance or 
188.20 	otherwise participate in a civil action authorized under this subdivision unless subject to a 
188.21 	subpoena before a court of jurisdiction.
188.22 		Subd. 2.Conduct authorized. A producer or stewardship organization that organizes 
188.23 	covered services for covered products or other electrical products under sections 115A.1331 
188.24 	to 115A.1347 is immune from liability for the conduct under state laws relating to antitrust, 
188.25 	restraint of trade, unfair trade practices, and other regulation of trade or commerce only to 
188.26 	the extent that the conduct is necessary to plan and implement the producer's or stewardship 
188.27 	organization's chosen system.
188.28 		Subd. 3.Duty to provide information. Upon request of the commissioner for purposes 
188.29 	of implementing sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347, a person must furnish to the 
188.30 	commissioner any information that the person has or may reasonably obtain.
188.31 		Subd. 4.Contracts. (a) Any person awarded a contract under chapter 16C for purchase 
188.32 	or lease of covered products or other electrical products that is found to be in violation of 
188.33 	sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347 is subject to the following sanctions:
189.1 	(1) the contract must be voided if the commissioner of administration determines that 
189.2 	the potential adverse impact to the state is exceeded by the benefit obtained from voiding 
189.3 	the contract; and
189.4 	(2) the contractor is subject to suspension and disbarment under Minnesota Rules, part 
189.5 	1230.1150.
189.6 	(b) If the attorney general establishes that any money, property, or benefit was obtained 
189.7 	by a contractor as a result of violating sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347, the court may, in 
189.8 	addition to any other remedy, order the disgorgement of the unlawfully obtained money, 
189.9 	property, or benefit.
189.10 		Subd. 5.Multistate implementation. The commissioner may participate in establishing 
189.11 	a regional multistate organization or compact to assist in carrying out the requirements of 
189.12 	sections 115A.1331 to 115A.1347.
189.13 		Subd. 6.Rules. The commissioner may adopt rules to implement sections 115A.1331 
189.14 	to 115A.1347. The 18-month time limit under section 14.125 does not apply to rulemaking 
189.15 	under this subdivision.

189.16 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2028.

189.17 	Sec. 11. [115A.1347] DISPOSAL PROHIBITIONS; BATTERY LABELING; 
189.18 	COVERED PRODUCT SALES RESTRICTION.
189.19 		Subdivision 1.Disposal prohibition. (a) A person may not place a covered product 
189.20 	into:
189.21 	(1) solid waste; or
189.22 	(2) a recycling container that a collector has not clearly marked for use for collecting 
189.23 	covered products.
189.24 	(b) A person must manage a covered product that is discarded by delivering the covered 
189.25 	product to a collection site or to a recycling facility for covered products.
189.26 	(c) Until recycled, covered products are not exempt from any applicable rules adopted 
189.27 	under section 116.07 for managing hazardous waste.
189.28 	(d) Covered batteries and covered products that have covered batteries contained within 
189.29 	them or otherwise attached or connected to them must be stored in containers that are:
189.30 	(1) designed, constructed, and used in a manner to suppress battery fires in the container 
189.31 	or to prevent ignition of materials outside the container; and
190.1 	(2) held in structures compliant with the local fire code.
190.2 		Subd. 2.Labeling and sale; requirements. (a) A person may not sell, including online 
190.3 	sales; offer for sale or promotional purposes; distribute in or into the state; or facilitate a 
190.4 	sale of a covered battery or covered product that has a covered battery contained within it 
190.5 	or otherwise attached or connected to it unless the covered battery and covered product is 
190.6 	labeled to identify the chemistry employed to store energy in the battery. Labeling under 
190.7 	this paragraph must be permanently marked on or affixed to the covered battery and covered 
190.8 	product and must use either language or graphics that identifies the battery chemistry 
190.9 	employed or a QR code compliant with International Organization of Standardization 
190.10 	18004:2015, that accesses equivalent data via the Internet that is available without fee or 
190.11 	requirement to create an account.
190.12 	(b) A person may not sell, including online sales; offer for sale or promotional purposes; 
190.13 	distribute in or into the state; or facilitate a sale of a covered product or other electrical 
190.14 	product unless the producer of the covered product or other electrical product is named as 
190.15 	a participant in a stewardship plan published under section 115A.1335, subdivision 4, 
190.16 	paragraph (f), or the brand is named as covered in a stewardship plan published under section 
190.17 	115A.1335, subdivision 4, paragraph (f), and the stewardship plan has not been terminated 
190.18 	under section 115A.1335, subdivision 5.
190.19 	(c) This subdivision does not apply to isolated and occasional sales of a covered product 
190.20 	or other electrical product that are not made in the normal course of business, as exempted 
190.21 	from sales tax under section 297A.67, subdivision 23.
190.22 	(d) This subdivision does not apply to sales, including online sales; offers for sale or 
190.23 	promotional purposes; distribution; or facilitation of a sale of a used covered product or 
190.24 	used other electrical product.

190.25 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2028.

190.26 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 115A.554, is amended to read:
190.27 	115A.554 AUTHORITY OF SANITARY DISTRICTS.
190.28 	A sanitary district has the authorities and duties of counties within the district's boundary 
190.29 	for purposes of sections 115A.0716; 115A.46, subdivisions 4 and 5; 115A.48; 115A.551; 
190.30 	115A.552; 115A.553; 115A.919; 115A.929; 115A.93; 115A.96, subdivision 6; 115A.961;
190.31 	116.072; 375.18, subdivision 14; 400.04; 400.06; 400.07; 400.08; 400.16; and 400.161.

190.32 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2028.

191.1 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116.92, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
191.2 		Subd. 6.Mercury thermometers prohibited. (a) A manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer 
191.3 	may not sell or distribute at no cost a thermometer containing mercury that was manufactured 
191.4 	after June 1, 2001.
191.5 	(b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to an electronic thermometer with a battery containing 
191.6 	mercury if the battery is in compliance with section 325E.125 subdivision 8l.
191.7 	(c) A manufacturer is in compliance with this subdivision if the manufacturer:
191.8 	(1) has received an exclusion or exemption from a state that is a member of the Interstate 
191.9 	Mercury Education and Reduction Clearinghouse (IMERC) for replacement parts when no 
191.10 	alternative is available or for an application when no feasible alternative is available;
191.11 	(2) submits a copy of the approved exclusion or exemption to the commissioner; and
191.12 	(3) meets all of the requirements in the approved exclusion or exemption for the 
191.13 	manufacturer's activities within the state.

191.14 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2028.

191.15 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116.92, is amended by adding a subdivision to 
191.16 	read:
191.17 		Subd. 8l.Ban; mercury in batteries. A person may not sell, offer for sale, or distribute 
191.18 	in or into the state:
191.19 	(1) an alkaline manganese battery that contains mercury that is not a button cell 
191.20 	nonrechargeable battery;
191.21 	(2) a nonrechargeable button cell battery that contains more than 25 milligrams of 
191.22 	mercury; or
191.23 	(3) a dry cell battery containing a mercuric oxide electrode.

191.24 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2028.

191.25 	Sec. 15. REPEALER.
 191.26 	Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 115A.1310, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 
191.27 	11, 12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, and 20; 115A.1312; 115A.1314; 115A.1316; 
191.28 	115A.1318; 115A.1320; 115A.1322; 115A.1323; 115A.1324; 115A.1326; 115A.1328; 
191.29 	115A.1330; 115A.9155; 115A.9157, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9; 115A.961, 
191.30 	subdivisions 1, 2, and 3; 325E.125; and 325E.1251, are repealed.

192.1 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2028.

192.2 	ARTICLE 7
192.3 	ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING REFORM

192.4 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 115.542, is amended to read:
192.5 	115.542 NOTICE REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLICLY OWNED WASTEWATER 
192.6 	TREATMENT FACILITIES.
192.7 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following terms have 
192.8 	the meanings given:
192.9 	(1) "permit" means a national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit 
192.10 	or state disposal system (SDS) permit; and
192.11 	(2) "permit applicant" means a person or entity submitting an application for a new 
192.12 	permit or renewal, modification, or revocation of an existing permit for a publicly owned 
192.13 	wastewater treatment facility.
192.14 		Subd. 2.Applicability. This section applies to all draft permits and permits for publicly 
192.15 	owned wastewater treatment facilities for which the commissioner of the Pollution Control 
192.16 	Agency makes a preliminary determination whether to issue or deny.
192.17 		Subd. 3.Prepublic notice review requirements. Unless waived by the permit applicant, 
192.18 	the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency must provide a permit applicant with a 
192.19 	copy of the draft permit and any fact sheets required by agency rules at least 30 days before 
192.20 	the distribution and public notice of the permit application and preliminary determination.
192.21 		Subd. 4.Permitting efficiency Public notice requirements. The commissioner must 
192.22 	prepare and issue a public notice of a completed application and the commissioner's 
192.23 	preliminary determination as to whether the permit should be issued or denied. The public 
192.24 	comment period must be at least 60 days for permit applications under this section but may 
192.25 	be reduced to 30 days if:
192.26 	(1) a request for the reduction is made by the permit applicant; and
192.27 	(2) the commissioner approves the request based on consideration of public or Tribal 
192.28 	interest in the permit action.
192.29 		Subd. 5.Permitting efficiency. Notwithstanding section 116.03, it is the goal of the 
192.30 	state that tier 2 permits for publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities be issued or 
192.31 	denied within 210 days following submission of a permit application.

193.1 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116.03, subdivision 2b, is amended to read:
193.2 		Subd. 2b.Permitting efficiency. (a) It is the goal of the state that environmental and 
193.3 	resource management permits be issued or denied within 90 days for tier 1 permits or 150 
193.4 	days for tier 2 permits following submission of a permit application. The commissioner of 
193.5 	the Pollution Control Agency shall must establish management systems designed to achieve 
193.6 	the goal. For the purposes of this section, "tier 1 permits" are permits that do not require 
193.7 	individualized actions or public comment periods, and "tier 2 permits" are permits that 
193.8 	require individualized actions or public comment periods. Goals established in this paragraph 
193.9 	do not apply to permit applications required due to agency enforcement actions.
193.10 	(b) The commissioner shall must prepare an annual permitting efficiency report that 
193.11 	includes statistics on meeting the tier 2 goal in paragraph (a) and the criteria for tier 2 by 
193.12 	permit categories. The report must also provide information on consultants regarding 
193.13 	achievement of the performance standards under paragraph (e), clauses (1) to (4). The report 
193.14 	is due must be submitted to the governor and to the chairs and ranking minority members 
193.15 	of the house of representatives and senate committees having jurisdiction over environment 
193.16 	policy and finance by October 1August 1 each year and must be posted on the agency's 
193.17 	website. Each report must include:
193.18 	(1) for each permit applications application that have has not met the goal, the report 
193.19 	must state the reasons for not meeting the goal. In stating the reasons for not meeting the 
193.20 	goal, the commissioner shall separately identify delays an explanation of whether the delay 
193.21 	was caused by the responsiveness of the proposer, lack of staff, scientific or technical 
193.22 	disagreements, or the level of public engagement. The report must specify;
193.23 	(2) for each permit that has not met the goal, the number of days from initial submission 
193.24 	of the application to the day of determination that the application is complete. The report 
193.25 	must aggregate;
193.26 	(3) a summary of the data for the year reporting period and assess an assessment of
193.27 	whether program or system changes are necessary to achieve the tier 2 goal. The report 
193.28 	must be posted on the agency's website and submitted to the governor and the chairs and 
193.29 	ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees having 
193.30 	jurisdiction over environment policy and finance. in paragraph (a);
193.31 	(4) a statement of the number of tier 2 permits completed within the reporting period 
193.32 	and, immediately following in parentheses, a statement of the percentage of total applications 
193.33 	received for that tier 2 permit category that the number represents, stated separately for 
193.34 	industrial and municipal permits; and
194.1 	(5) for permits that did not meet the goal due to lack of staff, a combined estimate of 
194.2 	the aggregate staff resources that would have been necessary for all affected permits to meet 
194.3 	the goal.
194.4 	(c) The commissioner shall must allow electronic submission of environmental review 
194.5 	and permit documents to the agency.
194.6 	(d) Within 30 business days of application for a permit subject to paragraph (a), the 
194.7 	commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency shall must notify the permit applicant, in 
194.8 	writing, whether the application is complete or incomplete. If the commissioner determines 
194.9 	that an application is incomplete, the notice to the applicant must enumerateof all 
194.10 	deficiencies, while citing specific provisions of the applicable rules and statutes, and must
194.11 	advise the applicant on how the deficiencies can be remedied. The applicant shall have five 
194.12 	business days to remedy all identified deficiencies before the commissioner determines that 
194.13 	the application is complete or incomplete. If the commissioner determines that the application 
194.14 	is complete, the noticecommissioner must confirm the application's tier 1 or tier 2 permit 
194.15 	status. If the commissioner believes that a complete application for a tier 2 construction 
194.16 	permit cannot be issued within the 150-day goal, the commissioner must provide notice to 
194.17 	the applicant with the commissioner's notice that the application is complete and, upon 
194.18 	request of the applicant, provide the permit applicant with a schedule estimating when the 
194.19 	agency will begin drafting the permit and issue the public notice of the draft permit. This 
194.20 	paragraph does not apply to an application for a permit that is subject to a grant or loan 
194.21 	agreement under chapter 446A.
194.22 	(e) The commissioner must credential consultants who meet the requirements of this 
194.23 	paragraph and must provide a logo or similar indicator with the credential that can be used 
194.24 	by a consultant in marketing their services. For purposes of this section, "consultant" means 
194.25 	a third-party professional representing a facility owner or operator to prepare or assist in 
194.26 	preparing a permit application or other similar documentation required by the commissioner 
194.27 	for authorizations under chapters 115 to 116. A consultant is credentialed on January 1 each 
194.28 	odd-numbered year if, in the preceding two years, the consultant:
194.29 	(1) submitted permit applications deemed complete under paragraph (d) at a rate of at 
194.30 	least 80 percent;
194.31 	(2) when applicable, met agreed-upon deadlines as part of a plan designed to increase 
194.32 	the coordination and efficiency of regulatory activities, such as a plan described under 
194.33 	section 116.035;
195.1 	(3) did not represent an owner or operator to prepare or assist in preparing a permit 
195.2 	application or other similar documentation when the owner or operator received a citation 
195.3 	under section 116.073, subdivision 1, paragraph (b); and
195.4 	(4) was not found in violation of Minnesota Rules, part 7000.0300, relating to duty of 
195.5 	candor.
195.6 	(f) If, after notifying the permit applicant that the application is complete, the 
195.7 	commissioner determines that additional information is needed, the commissioner must 
195.8 	notify the applicant. Upon notice under this paragraph, counting days toward the 90- or 
195.9 	150-day goal described in paragraph (a) stops until the applicant has responded with the 
195.10 	additional information. Once the applicant has responded with all the additional information 
195.11 	required, counting resumes from where it stopped. The applicant has 30 business days to 
195.12 	provide the additional information to the commissioner, but the commissioner may extend 
195.13 	the time upon the applicant's request.
195.14 	(e) (g) For purposes of this subdivision, "permit professional" means an individual not 
195.15 	employed by the Pollution Control Agency who:
195.16 	(1) has a professional license issued by the state of Minnesota in the subject area of the 
195.17 	permit;
195.18 	(2) has at least ten years of experience in the subject area of the permit; and
195.19 	(3) abides by the duty of candor applicable to employees of the Pollution Control Agency 
195.20 	under agency rules and complies with all applicable requirements under chapter 326.
195.21 	(f) (h) Upon the agency's request, an applicant relying on a permit professional must 
195.22 	participate in a meeting with the agency before submitting an application:
195.23 	(1) at least two weeks prior to the preapplication meeting, the applicant must submit at 
195.24 	least the following:
195.25 	(i) project description, including, but not limited to, scope of work, primary emissions 
195.26 	points, discharge outfalls, and water intake points;
195.27 	(ii) location of the project, including county, municipality, and location on the site;
195.28 	(iii) business schedule for project completion; and
195.29 	(iv) other information requested by the agency at least four weeks prior to the scheduled 
195.30 	meeting; and
195.31 	(2) during the preapplication meeting, the agency shall must provide for the applicant 
195.32 	at least the following:
196.1 	(i) an overview of the permit review program;
196.2 	(ii) a determination of which specific application or applications will be necessary to 
196.3 	complete the project;
196.4 	(iii) a statement notifying the applicant if the specific permit being sought requires a 
196.5 	mandatory public hearing or comment period;
196.6 	(iv) a review of the timetable established in the permit review program for the specific 
196.7 	permit being sought; and
196.8 	(v) a determination of what information must be included in the application, including 
196.9 	a description of any required modeling or testing.
196.10 	(g) (i) The applicant may select a permit professional to undertake the preparation of 
196.11 	the permit application and draft permit.
196.12 	(h) (j) If a preapplication meeting was held, the agency shall must, within seven business 
196.13 	days of receipt of an application, notify the applicant and submitting permit professional 
196.14 	that the application is complete or is denied, specifying the deficiencies of the application.
196.15 	(i) (k) Upon receipt of notice that the application is complete, the permit professional 
196.16 	shall must submit to the agency a timetable for submitting a draft permit. The permit 
196.17 	professional shall must submit a draft permit on or before the date provided in the timetable. 
196.18 	Within 60 days after the close of the public comment period, the commissioner shall must
196.19 	notify the applicant whether the permit can be issued.
196.20 	(j) (l) Nothing in this section shall be construed to modify:
196.21 	(1) any requirement of law that is necessary to retain federal delegation to or assumption 
196.22 	by the state; or
196.23 	(2) the authority to implement a federal law or program.
196.24 	(k) (m) The permit application and draft permit shall must identify or include as an 
196.25 	appendix all studies and other sources of information used to substantiate the analysis 
196.26 	contained in the permit application and draft permit. The commissioner shall must request 
196.27 	additional studies, if needed, and the permit applicant shall must submit all additional studies 
196.28 	and information necessary for the commissioner to perform the commissioner's responsibility 
196.29 	to review, modify, and determine the completeness of the application and approve the draft 
196.30 	permit.

197.1 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116.07, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:
197.2 		Subd. 4a.Permits. (a) The Pollution Control Agency may issue, continue in effect or 
197.3 	deny permits, under such conditions as it may prescribe for the prevention of pollution, for 
197.4 	the emission of air contaminants, or for the installation or operation of any emission facility, 
197.5 	air contaminant treatment facility, treatment facility, potential air contaminant storage 
197.6 	facility, or storage facility, or any part thereof, or for the sources or emissions of noise 
197.7 	pollution. The Pollution Control Agency may issue separate permits for constructing a 
197.8 	facility described in this paragraph and for its operation, except for a facility required to 
197.9 	complete a mandatory environmental impact statement under Minnesota Rules, part 
197.10 	4410.4400. The Pollution Control Agency must prioritize these permits in a manner that 
197.11 	minimizes the time required to construct and begin operation of the permitted facility while 
197.12 	complying with state and federal requirements.
197.13 	(b) The Pollution Control Agency may also issue, continue in effect or deny permits, 
197.14 	under such conditions as it may prescribe for the prevention of pollution, for the storage, 
197.15 	collection, transportation, processing, or disposal of waste, or for the installation or operation 
197.16 	of any system or facility, or any part thereof, related to the storage, collection, transportation, 
197.17 	processing, or disposal of waste.
197.18 	(c) The agency may not issue a permit to a facility without analyzing and considering 
197.19 	the cumulative levels and effects of past and current environmental pollution from all sources 
197.20 	on the environment and residents of the geographic area within which the facility's emissions 
197.21 	are likely to be deposited, provided that the facility is located in a community in a city of 
197.22 	the first class in Hennepin County that meets all of the following conditions:
197.23 	(1) is within a half mile of a site designated by the federal government as an EPA 
197.24 	superfund site due to residential arsenic contamination;
197.25 	(2) a majority of the population are low-income persons of color and American Indians;
197.26 	(3) a disproportionate percent of the children have childhood lead poisoning, asthma, 
197.27 	or other environmentally related health problems;
197.28 	(4) is located in a city that has experienced numerous air quality alert days of dangerous 
197.29 	air quality for sensitive populations between February 2007 and February 2008; and
197.30 	(5) is located near the junctions of several heavily trafficked state and county highways 
197.31 	and two one-way streets which carry both truck and auto traffic.
198.1 	(d) The Pollution Control Agency may revoke or modify any permit issued under this 
198.2 	subdivision and section 116.081 whenever it is necessary, in the opinion of the agency, to 
198.3 	prevent or abate pollution.
198.4 	(e) The Pollution Control Agency has the authority for approval over the siting, expansion, 
198.5 	or operation of a solid waste facility with regard to environmental issues. However, the 
198.6 	agency's issuance of a permit does not release the permittee from any liability, penalty, or 
198.7 	duty imposed by any applicable county ordinances. Nothing in this chapter precludes, or 
198.8 	shall be construed to preclude, a county from enforcing land use controls, regulations, and 
198.9 	ordinances existing at the time of the permit application and adopted pursuant to Minnesota 
198.10 	Statutes 2020, sections 366.10 to 366.181, or sections 394.21 to 394.37, or 462.351 to 
198.11 	462.365, with regard to the siting, expansion, or operation of a solid waste facility.
198.12 	(f) Except as prohibited by federal law, a person may commence construction, 
198.13 	reconstruction, replacement, or modification of any facility prior to the issuance of a 
198.14 	construction permit by the agency.
198.15 	(g) For the purposes of this subdivision, the Pollution Control Agency may require the 
198.16 	owners and operators of any emission facility, air containment treatment facility, treatment 
198.17 	facility, potential air containment storage facility, or storage facility, or any part thereof, to 
198.18 	conduct air dispersion modeling of air contaminants.

198.19 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116.07, subdivision 4d, is amended to read:
198.20 		Subd. 4d.Permit fees. (a) The agency may collect permit fees in amounts not greater 
198.21 	than those necessary to cover the reasonable costs of developing, reviewing, and acting 
198.22 	upon applications for agency permits and implementing and enforcing the conditions of the 
198.23 	permits pursuant to agency rules. Permit fees shall not include the costs of litigation. The 
198.24 	fee schedule must reflect reasonable and routine direct and indirect costs associated with 
198.25 	permitting, implementation, and enforcement. The agency may impose an additional 
198.26 	enforcement fee to be collected for a period of up to two years to cover the reasonable costs 
198.27 	of implementing and enforcing the conditions of a permit under the rules of the agency. 
198.28 	Any money collected under this paragraph shall be deposited in the environmental fund.
198.29 	(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), the agency shall collect an annual fee from the owner 
198.30 	or operator of all stationary sources, emission facilities, emissions units, air contaminant 
198.31 	treatment facilities, treatment facilities, potential air contaminant storage facilities, or storage 
198.32 	facilities subject to a notification, permit, or license requirement under this chapter, 
198.33 	subchapters I and V of the federal Clean Air Act, United States Code, title 42, section 7401 
198.34 	et seq., or rules adopted thereunder. The annual fee shall be used to pay for all direct and 
199.1 	indirect reasonable costs, including legal costs, required to develop and administer the 
199.2 	notification, permit, or license program requirements of this chapter, subchapters I and V 
199.3 	of the federal Clean Air Act, United States Code, title 42, section 7401 et seq., or rules 
199.4 	adopted thereunder. Those costs include the reasonable costs of reviewing and acting upon 
199.5 	an application for a permit; implementing and enforcing statutes, rules, and the terms and 
199.6 	conditions of a permit; emissions, ambient, and deposition monitoring; preparing generally 
199.7 	applicable regulations; responding to federal guidance; modeling, analyses, and 
199.8 	demonstrations; preparing inventories and tracking emissions; and providing information 
199.9 	to the public about these activities.
199.10 	(c) The agency shall set fees that:
199.11 	(1) will result in the collection, in the aggregate, from the sources listed in paragraph 
199.12 	(b), of an amount not less than $25 per ton of each volatile organic compound; pollutant 
199.13 	regulated under United States Code, title 42, section 7411 or 7412 (section 111 or 112 of 
199.14 	the federal Clean Air Act); and each pollutant, except carbon monoxide, for which a national 
199.15 	primary ambient air quality standard has been promulgated;
199.16 	(2) may result in the collection, in the aggregate, from the sources listed in paragraph 
199.17 	(b), of an amount not less than $25 per ton of each pollutant not listed in clause (1) that is 
199.18 	regulated under this chapter or air quality rules adopted under this chapter; and
199.19 	(3) shall collect, in the aggregate, from the sources listed in paragraph (b), the amount 
199.20 	needed to match grant funds received by the state under United States Code, title 42, section 
199.21 	7405 (section 105 of the federal Clean Air Act).
199.22 	The agency must not include in the calculation of the aggregate amount to be collected 
199.23 	under clauses (1) and (2) any amount in excess of 4,000 tons per year of each air pollutant 
199.24 	from a source. The increase in air permit fees to match federal grant funds shall be a surcharge 
199.25 	on existing fees. The commissioner may not collect the surcharge after the grant funds 
199.26 	become unavailable. In addition, the commissioner shall use nonfee funds to the extent 
199.27 	practical to match the grant funds so that the fee surcharge is minimized.
199.28 	(d) To cover the reasonable costs described in paragraph (b), the agency shall provide 
199.29 	in the rules promulgated under paragraph (c) for an increase in the fee collected in each 
199.30 	year by the percentage, if any, by which the Consumer Price Index for the most recent 
199.31 	calendar year ending before the beginning of the year the fee is collected exceeds the 
199.32 	Consumer Price Index for the calendar year 1989. For purposes of this paragraph the 
199.33 	Consumer Price Index for any calendar year is the average of the Consumer Price Index for 
199.34 	all-urban consumers published by the United States Department of Labor, as of the close 
200.1 	of the 12-month period ending on August 31 of each calendar year. The revision of the 
200.2 	Consumer Price Index that is most consistent with the Consumer Price Index for calendar 
200.3 	year 1989 shall be used.
200.4 	(e) Any money collected under paragraphs (b) to (d) must be deposited in the 
200.5 	environmental fund and must be used solely for the activities listed in paragraph (b).
200.6 	(f) Permit applicants who wish to construct, reconstruct, or modify a project may offer
200.7 	request expedited permitting under this paragraph. An applicant requesting expedited 
200.8 	permitting under this paragraph must agree to reimburse the agency for the costs of staff 
200.9 	time or consultant services needed to expedite the preapplication process and permit 
200.10 	development process through the final decision on the permit, including the analysis of 
200.11 	environmental review documents. The reimbursement shall be is in addition to permit 
200.12 	application fees imposed by law. When the agency determines that it needs additional 
200.13 	resources to develop the permit application in an expedited manner, and that expediting the 
200.14 	development is consistent with permitting program priorities, the agency may accept the 
200.15 	reimbursement. The commissioner must give the applicant an estimate of the timeline and 
200.16 	costs to be incurred by the commissioner. The estimate must include a brief description of 
200.17 	the tasks to be performed, a schedule for completing the tasks, and the estimated cost for 
200.18 	each task. If the applicant agrees to the estimated timeline and costs negotiated with the 
200.19 	commissioner, the applicant and the commissioner must enter into a written agreement 
200.20 	detailing the estimated costs for the expedited permit decision-making process to be incurred 
200.21 	by the agency to proceed accordingly. The agreement must also identify staff anticipated 
200.22 	to be assigned to the project. The agreement may provide that, if permitting is completed 
200.23 	ahead of the schedule set forth in the written agreement, the commissioner may retain any 
200.24 	fees that would have been due if the permitting had taken the time contemplated in the 
200.25 	written agreement. Fees retained by the commissioner under this paragraph are appropriated 
200.26 	to the commissioner for administering the commissioner's permitting duties. The 
200.27 	commissioner must not issue a permit until the applicant has paid all fees in full. The 
200.28 	commissioner must refund any unobligated balance of fees paid. Reimbursements accepted 
200.29 	by the agency are appropriated to the agency for the purpose of developing the permit or 
200.30 	analyzing environmental review documents. Reimbursement by a permit applicant shall 
200.31 	precede and not be contingent upon issuance of a permit; shall not affect the agency's decision 
200.32 	on whether to issue or deny a permit, what conditions are included in a permit, or the 
200.33 	application of state and federal statutes and rules governing permit determinations; and shall 
200.34 	not affect final decisions regarding environmental review.
200.35 	(g) The fees under this subdivision are exempt from section 16A.1285.

201.1 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116D.04, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
201.2 		Subd. 2a.When prepared. (a) Where there is potential for significant environmental 
201.3 	effects resulting from any major governmental action, the action must be preceded by a 
201.4 	detailed environmental impact statement prepared by the responsible governmental unit. 
201.5 	The environmental impact statement must be an analytical rather than an encyclopedic 
201.6 	document that describes the proposed action in detail, analyzes its significant environmental 
201.7 	impacts, discusses appropriate alternatives to the proposed action and their impacts, and 
201.8 	explores methods by which adverse environmental impacts of an action could be mitigated. 
201.9 	The environmental impact statement must also analyze those economic, employment, and 
201.10 	sociological effects that cannot be avoided should the action be implemented. To ensure its 
201.11 	use in the decision-making process, the environmental impact statement must be prepared 
201.12 	as early as practical in the formulation of an action.
201.13 	(b) The board shall by rule establish categories of actions for which environmental 
201.14 	impact statements and for which environmental assessment worksheets must be prepared 
201.15 	as well as categories of actions for which no environmental review is required under this 
201.16 	section. A mandatory environmental assessment worksheet is not required for the expansion 
201.17 	of an ethanol plant, as defined in section 41A.09, subdivision 2a, paragraph (b), or the 
201.18 	conversion of an ethanol plant to a biobutanol facility or the expansion of a biobutanol 
201.19 	facility as defined in section 41A.15, subdivision 2d, based on the capacity of the expanded 
201.20 	or converted facility to produce alcohol fuel, but must be required if the ethanol plant or 
201.21 	biobutanol facility meets or exceeds thresholds of other categories of actions for which 
201.22 	environmental assessment worksheets must be prepared. The responsible governmental unit 
201.23 	for an ethanol plant or biobutanol facility project for which an environmental assessment 
201.24 	worksheet is prepared is the state agency with the greatest responsibility for supervising or 
201.25 	approving the project as a whole.
201.26 	(c) A mandatory environmental impact statement is not required for a facility or plant 
201.27 	located outside the seven-county metropolitan area that produces less than 125,000,000 
201.28 	gallons of ethanol, biobutanol, or cellulosic biofuel annually, or produces less than 400,000 
201.29 	tons of chemicals annually, if the facility or plant is: an ethanol plant, as defined in section 
201.30 	41A.09, subdivision 2a, paragraph (b); a biobutanol facility, as defined in section 41A.15, 
201.31 	subdivision 2d; or a cellulosic biofuel facility. A facility or plant that only uses a cellulosic 
201.32 	feedstock to produce chemical products for use by another facility as a feedstock is not 
201.33 	considered a fuel conversion facility as used in rules adopted under this chapter.
201.34 	(d) The responsible governmental unit shall promptly publish notice of the completion 
201.35 	of an environmental assessment worksheet by publishing the notice in at least one newspaper 
202.1 	of general circulation in the geographic area where the project is proposed, by posting the 
202.2 	notice on a website that has been designated as the official publication site for publication 
202.3 	of proceedings, public notices, and summaries of a political subdivision in which the project 
202.4 	is proposed, or in any other manner determined by the board and shall provide copies of 
202.5 	the environmental assessment worksheet to the board and its member agencies. Comments 
202.6 	on the need for an environmental impact statement may be submitted to the responsible 
202.7 	governmental unit during a 30-day period following publication of the notice that an 
202.8 	environmental assessment worksheet has been completed. The responsible governmental 
202.9 	unit may extend the 30-day comment period for an additional 30 days one time. Further 
202.10 	extensions of the comment period may not be made unless approved by the project's proposer. 
202.11 	The responsible governmental unit's decision on the need for an environmental impact 
202.12 	statement must be based on the environmental assessment worksheet and the comments 
202.13 	received during the comment period, and must be made within 15 days after the close of 
202.14 	the comment period. The board's chair may extend the 15-day period by not more than 15 
202.15 	additional days upon the request of the responsible governmental unit.
202.16 	(e) An environmental assessment worksheet must also be prepared for a proposed action 
202.17 	whenever material evidence accompanying a petition by not less than 100 individuals who 
202.18 	reside or own property in the state, submitted before the proposed project has received final 
202.19 	approval by the appropriate governmental units, demonstrates that, because of the nature 
202.20 	or location of a proposed action, there may be potential for significant environmental effects.
202.21 	Petitions may be submitted by:
202.22 	(1) a Minnesota Tribal government as defined under section 10.65, subdivision 2; or
202.23 	(2) not less than 100 individuals who reside or own property in the state.
202.24 	(f) Petitions requesting the preparation of an environmental assessment worksheet under 
202.25 	paragraph (e) must be submitted to the board. The chair of the board or designee shall 
202.26 	determine the appropriate responsible governmental unit and forward the petition to it. A 
202.27 	decision on the need for an environmental assessment worksheet must be made by the 
202.28 	responsible governmental unit within 15 days after the petition is received by the responsible 
202.29 	governmental unit. The board's chair or designee may extend the 15-day period by not more 
202.30 	than 15 additional days upon request of the responsible governmental unit.
202.31 	(f) (g) Except in an environmentally sensitive location where Minnesota Rules, part 
202.32 	4410.4300, subpart 29, item B, applies, the proposed action is exempt from environmental 
202.33 	review under this chapter and rules of the board, if:
202.34 	(1) the proposed action is:
203.1 	(i) an animal feedlot facility with a capacity of less than 1,000 animal units; or
203.2 	(ii) an expansion of an existing animal feedlot facility with a total cumulative capacity 
203.3 	of less than 1,000 animal units;
203.4 	(2) the application for the animal feedlot facility includes a written commitment by the 
203.5 	proposer to design, construct, and operate the facility in full compliance with Pollution 
203.6 	Control Agency feedlot rules; and
203.7 	(3) the county board holds a public meeting for citizen input at least ten business days 
203.8 	before the Pollution Control Agency or county issuing a feedlot permit for the animal feedlot 
203.9 	facility unless another public meeting for citizen input has been held with regard to the 
203.10 	feedlot facility to be permitted. The exemption in this paragraph is in addition to other 
203.11 	exemptions provided under other law and rules of the board.
203.12 	(g) (h) The board may, before final approval of a proposed project, require preparation 
203.13 	of an environmental assessment worksheet by a responsible governmental unit selected by 
203.14 	the board for any action where environmental review under this section has not been 
203.15 	specifically provided for by rule or otherwise initiated.
203.16 	(h) (i) An early and open process must be used to limit the scope of the environmental 
203.17 	impact statement to a discussion of those impacts that, because of the nature or location of 
203.18 	the project, have the potential for significant environmental effects. The same process must 
203.19 	be used to determine the form, content, and level of detail of the statement as well as the 
203.20 	alternatives that are appropriate for consideration in the statement. In addition, the permits 
203.21 	that will be required for the proposed action must be identified during the scoping process. 
203.22 	Further, the process must identify those permits for which information will be developed 
203.23 	concurrently with the environmental impact statement. The board shall provide in its rules 
203.24 	for the expeditious completion of the scoping process. The determinations reached in the 
203.25 	process must be incorporated into the order requiring the preparation of an environmental 
203.26 	impact statement.
203.27 	(i) (j) The responsible governmental unit shall, to the extent practicable, avoid duplication 
203.28 	and ensure coordination between state and federal environmental review and between 
203.29 	environmental review and environmental permitting. Whenever practical, information 
203.30 	needed by a governmental unit for making final decisions on permits or other actions required 
203.31 	for a proposed project must be developed in conjunction with the preparation of an 
203.32 	environmental impact statement. When an environmental impact statement is prepared for 
203.33 	a project requiring multiple permits for which two or more agencies' decision processes 
203.34 	include either mandatory or discretionary hearings before a hearing officer before the 
204.1 	agencies' decision on the permit, the agencies may, notwithstanding any law or rule to the 
204.2 	contrary, conduct the hearings in a single consolidated hearing process if requested by the 
204.3 	proposer. All agencies having jurisdiction over a permit that is included in the consolidated 
204.4 	hearing shall participate. The responsible governmental unit shall establish appropriate 
204.5 	procedures for the consolidated hearing process, including procedures to ensure that the 
204.6 	consolidated hearing process is consistent with the applicable requirements for each permit 
204.7 	regarding the rights and duties of parties to the hearing, and shall use the earliest applicable 
204.8 	hearing procedure to initiate the hearing. All agencies having jurisdiction over a permit 
204.9 	identified in the draft environmental assessment worksheet scoping document must begin 
204.10 	reviewing any permit application upon publication of the notice of preparation of the 
204.11 	environmental impact statement.
204.12 	(j) (k) An environmental impact statement must be prepared and its adequacy determined 
204.13 	within 280 days after notice of its preparation unless the time is extended by consent of the 
204.14 	parties or by the governor for good cause. The responsible governmental unit shall determine 
204.15 	the adequacy of an environmental impact statement, unless within 60 days after notice is 
204.16 	published that an environmental impact statement will be prepared, the board chooses to 
204.17 	determine the adequacy of an environmental impact statement. If an environmental impact 
204.18 	statement is found to be inadequate, the responsible governmental unit has 60 days to prepare 
204.19 	an adequate environmental impact statement.
204.20 	(k) (l) The proposer of a specific action may include in the information submitted to the 
204.21 	responsible governmental unit a preliminary draft environmental impact statement under 
204.22 	this section on that action for review, modification, and determination of completeness and 
204.23 	adequacy by the responsible governmental unit. A preliminary draft environmental impact 
204.24 	statement prepared by the project proposer and submitted to the responsible governmental 
204.25 	unit must identify or include as an appendix all studies and other sources of information 
204.26 	used to substantiate the analysis contained in the preliminary draft environmental impact 
204.27 	statement. The responsible governmental unit shall require additional studies, if needed, 
204.28 	and obtain from the project proposer all additional studies and information necessary for 
204.29 	the responsible governmental unit to perform its responsibility to review, modify, and 
204.30 	determine the completeness and adequacy of the environmental impact statement.

204.31 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116D.04, subdivision 2b, is amended to read:
204.32 		Subd. 2b.Project prerequisites. (a) If an environmental assessment worksheet or an 
204.33 	environmental impact statement is required for a governmental action under subdivision 
205.1 	2a, a project may not be started and a final governmental decision may not be made to grant 
205.2 	a permit, approve a project, or begin a project, until:
205.3 	(1) a petition for an environmental assessment worksheet is dismissed;
205.4 	(2) a negative declaration has been issued on the need for an environmental impact 
205.5 	statement;
205.6 	(3) the environmental impact statement has been determined adequate; or
205.7 	(4) a variance has been granted from making an environmental impact statement by the 
205.8 	environmental quality board.
205.9 	(b) Nothing in this subdivision precludes a local unit of government from beginning to 
205.10 	review a feedlot permit application for a feedlot subject to environmental review under this 
205.11 	chapter.

205.12 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116D.04, subdivision 5a, is amended to read:
205.13 		Subd. 5a.Rules. The board shall, by January 1, 1981, promulgate rules in conformity 
205.14 	with this chapter and the provisions of chapter 15, establishing:
205.15 	(1) the governmental unit which shall be responsible for environmental review of a 
205.16 	proposed action;
205.17 	(2) the form and content of environmental assessment worksheets;
205.18 	(3) a scoping process in conformance with subdivision 2a, paragraph (h) (i);
205.19 	(4) a procedure for identifying during the scoping process the permits necessary for a 
205.20 	proposed action and a process for coordinating review of appropriate permits with the 
205.21 	preparation of the environmental impact statement;
205.22 	(5) a standard format for environmental impact statements;
205.23 	(6) standards for determining the alternatives to be discussed in an environmental impact 
205.24 	statement;
205.25 	(7) alternative forms of environmental review which are acceptable pursuant to 
205.26 	subdivision 4a;
205.27 	(8) a model ordinance which may be adopted and implemented by local governmental 
205.28 	units in lieu of the environmental impact statement process required by this section, providing 
205.29 	for an alternative form of environmental review where an action does not require a state 
205.30 	agency permit and is consistent with an applicable comprehensive plan. The model ordinance 
205.31 	shall provide for adequate consideration of appropriate alternatives, and shall ensure that 
206.1 	decisions are made in accordance with the policies and purposes of Laws 1980, chapter 
206.2 	447;
206.3 	(9) procedures to reduce paperwork and delay through intergovernmental cooperation 
206.4 	and the elimination of unnecessary duplication of environmental reviews;
206.5 	(10) procedures for expediting the selection of consultants by the governmental unit 
206.6 	responsible for the preparation of an environmental impact statement; and
206.7 	(11) any additional rules which are reasonably necessary to carry out the requirements 
206.8 	of this section.

206.9 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116D.045, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
206.10 		Subdivision 1.Assessment. The board must by rule adopt procedures to:
206.11 	(1) assess the proposer of a specific action for the responsible governmental unit's 
206.12 	reasonable costs of preparing, reviewing, and distributing the environmental impact statement. 
206.13 	The costs must be determined by the responsible governmental unit according to the rules 
206.14 	adopted by the board; and
206.15 	(2) authorize a responsible governmental unit to allow a proposer of a specific action to 
206.16 	prepare a draft environmental impact statement according to section 116D.04, subdivision 
206.17 	2a, paragraph (k) (l).

206.18 	Sec. 9. SCOPING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET NOT 
206.19 	REQUIRED FOR PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE A MANDATORY 
206.20 	ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
 206.21 	(a) The Environmental Quality Board must amend Minnesota Rules, part 4410.2100, as 
206.22 	follows:
206.23 	(1) to provide that an environmental assessment worksheet does not need to be prepared 
206.24 	for a project that falls within a mandatory environmental impact statement category under 
206.25 	Minnesota Rules, part 4410.4400, or other applicable law; and
206.26 	(2) to provide that a scoping process undertaken under Minnesota Rules, part 4410.2100, 
206.27 	must be completed no later than 280 days after the process begins.
206.28 	(b) The board may use the good-cause exemption under Minnesota Statutes, section 
206.29 	14.388, subdivision 1, clause (3), to adopt rules under this section, and Minnesota Statutes, 
206.30 	section 14.386, does not apply except as provided under Minnesota Statutes, section 14.388.

207.1 	Sec. 10. STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN REVISIONS.
 207.2 	The commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency must seek approval from the federal 
207.3 	Environmental Protection Agency for revisions to the state's federal Clean Air Act state 
207.4 	implementation plan if changes are needed to reflect the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, 
207.5 	section 116.07, subdivision 4a, as amended by this act.

207.6 	Sec. 11. REPORT ON USE OF AUTHORITY TO EXTEND TIMELINE FOR 
207.7 	CERTAIN AGENCY ACTIONS.
 207.8 	By February 15, 2028, the Board of Water and Soil Resources must report to the chairs 
207.9 	and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over 
207.10 	environment and natural resources policy on the number of extensions noticed under 
207.11 	Minnesota Statutes, section 15.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (f), that are made for any decision 
207.12 	under Minnesota Rules, chapter 8420, between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2027. 
207.13 	A local government unit must supply the board with information necessary to prepare the 
207.14 	report required by this section.

	ARTICLE 1	ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES APPROPRIATIONS........	Page.Ln 2.2	
	ARTICLE 2	ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TRUST FUND APPROPRIATIONS........	Page.Ln 38.6	
	ARTICLE 3	ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TRUST FUND COMMUNITY GRANTS APPROPRIATIONS........	Page.Ln 103.15	
	ARTICLE 4	ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES POLICY........	Page.Ln 103.24	
	ARTICLE 5	STATE LANDS........	Page.Ln 158.1	
	ARTICLE 6	ELECTRONIC WASTE AND BATTERY STEWARDSHIP........	Page.Ln 161.5	
	ARTICLE 7	ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING REFORM........	Page.Ln 192.2	

APPENDIX 

Repealed Minnesota Statutes: S2077-1 

103E.067 DITCH BUFFER STRIP; ANNUAL REPORTING.
The drainage authority shall annually submit a report to the Board of Water and Soil Resources for the calendar year including: 

(1) the number and types of actions for which viewers were appointed; 

(2) the number of miles of buffer strips established according to section 103E.021; 

(3) the number of drainage system inspections conducted; and 

(4) the number of violations of section 103E.021 identified and enforcement actions taken. 

115A.1310 DEFINITIONS.Subdivision 1.Scope. 
For the purposes of sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330, the following terms have the meanings given. 

Subd. 2.Cathode-ray tube or CRT. 
"Cathode-ray tube" or "CRT" means a vacuum tube or picture tube used to convert an electronic signal into a visual image. 

Subd. 3.Collection. 
"Collection" means the aggregation of covered electronic devices from households and includes all the activities up to the time the covered electronic devices are delivered to a recycler. 

Subd. 4.Collector. 
"Collector" means a public or private entity that receives covered electronic devices from households and arranges for the delivery of the devices to a recycler. 

Subd. 5.Computer. 
"Computer" means an electronic, magnetic, optical, electrochemical, or other high-speed data processing device performing logical, arithmetic, or storage functions, but does not include an automated typewriter or typesetter, a portable handheld calculator or device, or other similar device. 

Subd. 6.Computer monitor. 
"Computer monitor" means an electronic device that is a cathode-ray tube or flat panel display primarily intended to display information from a central processing unit or the Internet. 

Subd. 7.Covered electronic device. 
"Covered electronic device" means computers, including tablet computers and laptop computers, peripherals, facsimile machines, DVD players, video cassette recorders, and video display devices that are sold to a household by means of retail, wholesale, or electronic commerce. 

Subd. 8.Department. 
"Department" means the Department of Revenue. 

Subd. 9.Dwelling unit. 
"Dwelling unit" has the meaning given in section 238.02, subdivision 21a. 

Subd. 10.Household. 
"Household" means an occupant of a single detached dwelling unit or a single unit of a multiple dwelling unit located in this state who has used a video display device at a dwelling unit primarily for personal use. 

Subd. 11.Manufacturer. 
"Manufacturer" means a person who: 

(1) manufactures video display devices to be sold under its own brand as identified by its own brand label; or 

(2) sells video display devices manufactured by others under its own brand as identified by its own brand label. 

Subd. 12.Peripheral. 
"Peripheral" means a keyboard, printer, or any other device sold exclusively for external use with a computer that provides input or output into or from a computer. 

Subd. 12a.Phase I recycling credits. 
"Phase I recycling credits" means the number of pounds of covered electronic devices recycled by a manufacturer from households during program years one through nine, less the product of the number of pounds of video display devices sold to households during the same program year, multiplied by the proportion of sales a manufacturer is required to recycle. 

Subd. 12b.Phase II recycling credits. 
"Phase II recycling credits" means an amount calculated in a program year beginning July 1, 2019, and in each program year thereafter, according to the formula (1.5 x A) - (B - C), where: 

A = the number of pounds of covered electronic devices a manufacturer recycled or arranged to have collected and recycled during a program year from households located outside the 11-county metropolitan area, as defined in section 115A.1314, subdivision 2; 

B = the manufacturer's recycling obligation calculated for the same program year in section 115A.1320, subdivision 1, paragraph (g); and 

C = the number of pounds of covered electronic devices a manufacturer recycled or arranged to have collected and recycled, up to but not exceeding B, during the same program year from households in the 11-county metropolitan area. 

Subd. 12c.Portable battery. 
"Portable battery" means a rechargeable battery as defined in section 115A.9157. 

Subd. 13.Program year. 
"Program year" means the period from July 1 through June 30. 

Subd. 14.Recycler. 
"Recycler" means a public or private individual or entity who accepts covered electronic devices from households and collectors for the purpose of recycling. A manufacturer who takes products for refurbishment or repair is not a recycler. 

Subd. 15.Recycling. 
"Recycling" means the process of collecting and preparing video display devices or covered electronic devices for use in manufacturing processes or for recovery of usable materials followed by delivery of such materials for use. Recycling does not include the destruction by incineration or other process or land disposal of recyclable materials nor reuse, repair, or any other process through which video display devices or covered electronic devices are returned to use for households in their original form. 

Subd. 17.Retailer. 
"Retailer" means a person who sells, rents, or leases, through sales outlets, catalogs, or the Internet, a video display device to a household and not for resale in any form. 

Subd. 18.Sell or sale. 
"Sell" or "sale" means any transfer for consideration of title or of the right to use, by lease or sales contract, including, but not limited to, transactions conducted through sales outlets, catalogs, or the Internet, or any other similar electronic means either inside or outside of the state, by a person who conducts the transaction and controls the delivery of a video display device to a consumer in the state, but does not include a manufacturer's or distributor's wholesale transaction with a distributor or a retailer. 

Subd. 19.Television. 
"Television" means an electronic device that is a cathode-ray tube or flat panel display primarily intended to receive video programming via broadcast, cable, or satellite transmission or video from surveillance or other similar cameras. 

Subd. 20.Video display device. 
"Video display device" means a television or computer monitor that contains a cathode-ray tube or a flat panel screen that is marketed by manufacturers for use by households. Video display device does not include any of the following: 

(1) a video display device that is part of a motor vehicle or any component part of a motor vehicle assembled by, or for, a vehicle manufacturer or franchised dealer, including replacement parts for use in a motor vehicle; 

(2) a video display device, including a touch-screen display, that is functionally or physically part of a larger piece of equipment or is designed and intended for use in an industrial; commercial, including retail; library checkout; traffic control; kiosk; security, other than household security; border control; or medical setting, including diagnostic, monitoring, or control equipment; 

(3) a video display device that is contained within a clothes washer, clothes dryer, refrigerator, refrigerator and freezer, microwave oven, conventional oven or range, dishwasher, room air conditioner, dehumidifier, or air purifier; or 

(4) a telephone of any type. 

115A.1312 REGISTRATION PROGRAM.Subdivision 1.Requirements for sale. 
(a) On or after September 1, 2007, a manufacturer must not sell or offer for sale or deliver to retailers for subsequent sale a new video display device unless: 

(1) the video display device is labeled with the manufacturer's brand, which label is permanently affixed and readily visible; and 

(2) the manufacturer has filed a registration with the agency, as specified in subdivision 2. 

(b) A retailer must not sell, offer for sale, rent, or lease a video display device unless the video display device is labeled according to this subdivision and listed as registered on the agency website according to subdivision 2. 

(c) A retailer is not responsible for an unlawful sale under this subdivision if the manufacturer's registration expired or was revoked and the retailer took possession of the video display device prior to the expiration or revocation of the manufacturer's registration and the unlawful sale occurred within six months after the expiration or revocation. 

Subd. 2.Manufacturer registration. 
(a) By August 15 each year, a manufacturer of video display devices sold or offered for sale to households in the state must submit a registration to the agency that includes: 

(1) a list of the manufacturer's brands of video display devices offered for sale in this state; 

(2) the name, address, and contact information of a person responsible for ensuring compliance with this chapter; and 

(3) a certification that the manufacturer has complied and will continue to comply with the requirements of sections 115A.1312 to 115A.1318. 

(b) A manufacturer of video display devices sold or offered for sale to a household must include in the registration submitted under paragraph (a), a statement disclosing whether: 

(1) any video display devices sold to households exceed the maximum concentration values established for lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB's), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE's) under the RoHS (restricting the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment) Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and Council and any amendments thereto; or 

(2) the manufacturer has received an exemption from one or more of those maximum concentration values under the RoHS Directive that has been approved and published by the European Commission. 

(c) A manufacturer who begins to sell or offer for sale video display devices to households after August 15, 2016, and has not filed a registration under this subdivision must submit a registration to the agency within ten days of beginning to sell or offer for sale video display devices to households. 

(d) A registration must be updated within ten days after a change in the manufacturer's brands of video display devices sold or offered for sale to households. 

(e) A registration is effective upon receipt by the agency and is valid until August 15 each year. 

(f) The agency must review each registration and notify the manufacturer of any information required by this section that is omitted from the registration. Within 30 days of receipt of a notification from the agency, the manufacturer must submit a revised registration providing the information noted by the agency. 

(g) The agency must maintain on its website the names of manufacturers and the manufacturers' brands listed in registrations filed with the agency. The agency must update the website information promptly upon receipt of a new or updated registration. The website must contain prominent language stating, in effect, that sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330 are directed at household equipment and the manufacturers' brands list is, therefore, not a list of manufacturers qualified to sell to industrial, commercial, or other markets identified as exempt from the requirements of sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330. 

Subd. 3.Collector registration. 
 No person may operate as a collector of covered electronic devices from households unless that person has submitted a registration with the agency by July 15 each year on a form prescribed by the commissioner. Registration information must include the name, address, telephone number, and location of the business and a certification that the collector has complied and will continue to comply with the requirements of sections 115A.1312 to 115A.1318 and any regulations adopted by a local government unit for the jurisdiction in which the collector operates. A collector must indicate any end-of-life fees that will be charged at the collection point. A registration is effective upon receipt by the agency and is valid until July 15 each year. 

Subd. 4.Recycler registration. 
 No person may recycle video display devices generated by households unless that person has submitted a registration with the agency by July 15 each year on a form prescribed by the commissioner. Registration information must include the name, address, telephone number, and location of all recycling facilities under the direct control of the recycler that may receive covered electronic devices from households and a certification that the recycler has complied and will continue to comply with the requirements of sections 115A.1312 to 115A.1318. A registered recycler must conduct recycling activities that are consistent with this chapter. A registration is effective upon receipt by the agency and is valid until July 15 each year. 

115A.1314 MANUFACTURER REGISTRATION FEE.Subdivision 1.Registration fee. 
(a) Each manufacturer who registers under section 115A.1312 must, by August 15 each year, pay to the commissioner of revenue an annual registration fee, on a form and in a manner prescribed by the commissioner of revenue. The commissioner of revenue must deposit the fee in the state treasury and credit the fee to the environmental fund. 

(b) The registration fee for manufacturers that sell 100 or more video display devices to households in the state during the previous calendar year is $2,500, plus a variable recycling fee. The registration fee for manufacturers that sell fewer than 100 video display devices in the state during the previous calendar year is a variable recycling fee. The variable recycling fee is calculated according to the formula: 

[A - (B + C)] x D, where: 

A = the manufacturer's recycling obligation as determined under section 115A.1320; 

B = the number of pounds of covered electronic devices that a manufacturer recycled or arranged to have collected and recycled from households during the immediately preceding program year, as reported under section 115A.1316, subdivision 1; 

C = the number of phase I or phase II recycling credits a manufacturer elects to use to calculate the variable recycling fee; and 

D = the estimated per-pound cost of recycling, initially set at $0.50 per pound for manufacturers who recycle less than 50 percent of the manufacturer's recycling obligation; $0.40 per pound for manufacturers who recycle at least 50 percent but less than 90 percent of the manufacturer's recycling obligation; $0.30 per pound for manufacturers who recycle at least 90 percent but less than 100 percent of the manufacturer's recycling obligation; and $0.00 per pound for manufacturers who recycle 100 percent or more of the manufacturer's recycling obligation. 

(c) A manufacturer may petition the agency to waive the per-pound cost of recycling fee, element D in the formula in paragraph (b), required under this section. The agency shall direct the commissioner of revenue to waive the per-pound cost of recycling fee if the manufacturer demonstrates to the agency's satisfaction a good faith effort to meet its recycling obligation as determined under section 115A.1320. The petition must include: 

(1) documentation that the manufacturer has met at least 75 percent of its recycling obligation as determined under section 115A.1320; 

(2) a list of political subdivisions and public and private collectors with whom the manufacturer had a formal contract or agreement in effect during the previous program year to recycle or collect covered electronic devices; 

(3) the total amounts of covered electronic devices collected from both within and outside of the 11-county metropolitan area, as defined in subdivision 2; 

(4) a description of the manufacturer's best efforts to meet its recycling obligation as determined under section 115A.1320; and 

(5) any other information requested by the agency. 

(d) A manufacturer may retain phase I and phase II recycling credits to be added, in whole or in part, to the actual value of C, as reported under section 115A.1316, subdivision 2, during any succeeding program year, provided that no more than 25 percent of a manufacturer's recycling obligation A for any program year may be met with phase I and phase II recycling credits, separately or in combination, generated in a prior program year. A manufacturer may sell any portion or all of its phase I and phase II recycling credits to another manufacturer, at a price negotiated by the parties, who may use the credits in the same manner. 

(e) For the purpose of determining B in calculating a manufacturer's variable recycling fee using the formula under paragraph (b), starting with the program year beginning July 1, 2019, and continuing each year thereafter, the weight of covered electronic devices that a manufacturer recycled or arranged to have collected and recycled from households located outside the 11-county metropolitan area, as defined in subdivision 2, paragraph (b), is calculated at 1.5 times their actual weight. 

Subd. 2.Use of registration fees. 
(a) Registration fees may be used by the commissioner for: 

(1) implementing sections 115A.1312 to 115A.1330, including transfer to the commissioner of revenue to carry out the department's duties under section 115A.1320, subdivision 2, and transfer to the commissioner of administration for responsibilities under section 115A.1324; and 

(2) grants to counties outside the 11-county metropolitan area, as defined in paragraph (b), and to private entities that collect for recycling covered electronic devices in counties outside the 11-county metropolitan area, where the collection and recycling is consistent with the respective county's solid waste plan, for the purpose of carrying out the activities under sections 115A.1312 to 115A.1330. In awarding competitive grants under this clause, the commissioner must give preference to counties and private entities that are working cooperatively with manufacturers to help them meet their recycling obligations under section 115A.1318, subdivision 1. 

(b) The 11-county metropolitan area consists of the counties of Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright. 

115A.1316 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.Subdivision 1.Manufacturer reporting requirements. 
(a) By March 1 each year, each manufacturer must report to the agency using the form prescribed: 

(1) the total weight of each specific model of its video display devices sold to households during the previous calendar year; and 

(2) either: 

(i) the total weight of its video display devices sold to households during the previous calendar year; or 

(ii) an estimate of the total weight of its video display devices sold to households during the previous calendar year, calculated by multiplying the weight of its video display devices sold nationally times the quotient of Minnesota's population divided by the national population. All manufacturers with sales of 99 or fewer video display devices to households in the state during the previous calendar year must report using the method under this item for calculating sales. 

A manufacturer must submit with the report required under this paragraph a description of how the information or estimate was calculated. 

(b) By August 15 each year, each manufacturer must report to the agency: 

(1) the total weight of covered electronic devices the manufacturer collected from households and recycled or arranged to have collected and recycled during the preceding program year; 

(2) the number of phase I and phase II recycling credits the manufacturer has purchased and sold during the preceding program year; 

(3) the number of phase I and phase II recycling credits possessed by the manufacturer that the manufacturer elects to use in the calculation of its variable recycling fee under section 115A.1314, subdivision 1; and 

(4) the number of phase I and phase II recycling credits the manufacturer retains at the beginning of the current program year. 

(c) Upon request of the commissioner of revenue, the agency shall provide a copy of each report to the commissioner of revenue. 

Subd. 2.Recycler reporting requirements. 
(a) By July 15 each year, a recycler of covered electronic devices must report to the agency: 

(1) the total weight of covered electronic devices recycled during the preceding program year and must certify that the recycler has complied with section 115A.1318, subdivision 2; 

(2) the weight of video display devices recycled as part of covered electronic devices recycled during the previous program year; and 

(3) an estimate of the weight of portable batteries and any mercury-containing lamps that are associated with the covered electronic devices managed. 

(b) Upon request of the commissioner of revenue, the agency shall provide a copy of each report to the commissioner of revenue. 

Subd. 3.Collector reporting requirements. 
By July 15 each year, a collector must report separately to the agency using the form prescribed by the commissioner: 

(1) the total pounds of covered electronic devices collected in the state; 

(2) a list of all recyclers to whom collectors delivered covered electronic devices; and 

(3) whether the collector had a contract with a recycler or manufacturer to provide pounds toward meeting a manufacturer's obligation. 

115A.1318 RESPONSIBILITIES.Subdivision 1.Manufacturer responsibilities. 
(a) In addition to fulfilling the requirements of sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330, a manufacturer must comply with paragraphs (b) to (f). 

(b) A manufacturer must annually recycle or arrange for the collection and recycling of an amount of video display devices as determined by the agency in section 115A.1320, subdivision 1. A manufacturer must assume all financial responsibility associated with transporting and recycling covered electronic devices that are used to meet the manufacturer's recycling obligation determined under section 115A.1320 or that are counted as phase I or II recycling credits, including any necessary supplies. This excludes costs that are associated with receiving and aggregating covered electronic devices from households and all the activities up to the time that covered electronic devices are loaded for transport to a recycler or arranged for transportation to a recycler. 

(c) The obligations of a manufacturer apply only to video display devices received from households and do not apply to video display devices received from sources other than households. 

(d) A manufacturer must conduct and document due diligence assessments of collectors and recyclers it contracts with, including an assessment of items specified under subdivision 2. A manufacturer is responsible for maintaining, for a period of three years, documentation that all covered electronic devices recycled, partially recycled, or sent to downstream recycling operations comply with the requirements of subdivision 2. 

(e) A manufacturer must provide the agency with contact information for a person who can be contacted regarding the manufacturer's activities under sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1320. 

(f) Only the covered electronic devices that are recycled by a registered recycler that is certified by an ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board-accredited third-party certification body to an environmentally sound management standard are eligible to meet the manufacturer's obligation. 

Subd. 1a.Collector responsibilities. 
(a) Collection sites must be: 

(1) staffed; and 

(2) open to the public at a frequency adequate to meet the needs of the area being served. 

(b) A collector may limit the number of covered electronic devices or covered electronic devices by product type accepted per customer per day or per delivery at a collection site or service. 

(c) A collector must use only registered recyclers. 

Subd. 2.Recycler responsibilities. 
(a) As part of the report submitted under section 115A.1316, subdivision 2, a recycler must certify, except as provided in paragraph (b), that facilities that recycle covered electronic devices, including all downstream recycling operations: 

(1) use only registered collectors; 

(2) comply with all applicable health, environmental, safety, and financial responsibility regulations; 

(3) are licensed by all applicable governmental authorities; 

(4) use no prison labor to recycle video display devices; 

(5) possess liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000 for environmental releases, accidents, and other emergencies; 

(6) provide a report annually to each registered collector regarding the video display devices received from that entity; and 

(7) do not charge collectors for transporting, recycling, or any necessary supplies related to transporting or recycling covered electronic devices that meet a manufacturer's recycling obligation as determined under section 115A.1320, unless otherwise mutually agreed upon. 

(b) A nonprofit corporation that contracts with a correctional institution to refurbish and reuse donated computers in schools is exempt from paragraph (a), clauses (4) and (5). 

(c) Except to the extent otherwise required by law and unless agreed upon otherwise by the recycler or manufacturer, a recycler has no responsibility for any data that may be contained in a covered electronic device if an information storage device is included in the covered electronic device. 

Subd. 3.Retailer responsibilities. 
 A retailer who sells new video display devices shall provide information to households describing where and how they may recycle video display devices and advising them of opportunities and locations for the convenient collection of video display devices for the purpose of recycling. This requirement may be met by providing to households the agency's toll-free number and website address. Retailers selling through catalogs or the Internet may meet this requirement by including the information in a prominent location on the retailer's website. 

115A.1320 AGENCY AND DEPARTMENT DUTIES.Subdivision 1.Duties of agency. 
(a) The agency shall administer sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330. 

(b) The agency shall establish procedures for: 

(1) receipt and maintenance of the registration statements and certifications filed with the agency under section 115A.1312; and 

(2) making the statements and certifications easily available to manufacturers, retailers, and members of the public. 

(c) The agency shall annually review the following variables that are used to calculate a manufacturer's annual registration fee under section 115A.1314, subdivision 1: 

(1) the obligation-setting mechanism for manufacturers as specified under paragraph (g); 

(2) the estimated per-pound price of recycling covered electronic devices sold to households; and 

(3) the base registration fee. 

(d) If the agency determines that any of these values must be changed in order to improve the efficiency or effectiveness of the activities regulated under sections 115A.1312 to 115A.1330, or if the revenues exceed the amount that the agency determines is necessary, the agency shall submit recommended changes and the reasons for them to the chairs of the senate and house of representatives committees with jurisdiction over solid waste policy. 

(e) By May 1 each year, the agency shall publish a statewide recycling goal for all video display device waste that is the weight of all video display devices collected for recycling during each of the three most recently completed program years, excluding the most recently concluded program year, divided by two. 

(f) By May 1 each year, the agency shall determine each registered manufacturer's market share of video display devices to be collected and recycled based on the manufacturer's percentage share of the total weight of video display devices sold as reported to the agency under section 115A.1316, subdivision 1. 

(g) By May 1 each year, the agency shall provide each manufacturer with a determination of the manufacturer's share of video display devices to be collected and recycled. A manufacturer's market share of video display devices as specified in paragraph (f) is applied proportionally to the statewide recycling goal as specified in paragraph (e) to determine an individual manufacturer's recycling obligation. Upon request by the commissioner of revenue, the agency must provide the information submitted to manufacturers under this paragraph to the commissioner of revenue. 

(h) The agency shall provide a report to the governor and the legislature on the implementation of sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330. For each program year, the report must discuss the total weight of covered electronic devices recycled and a summary of information in the reports submitted by manufacturers and recyclers under section 115A.1316. The report must also discuss the various collection programs used by manufacturers to collect covered electronic devices; information regarding covered electronic devices that are being collected by persons other than registered manufacturers, collectors, and recyclers; and information about covered electronic devices, if any, being disposed of in landfills in this state. The report must examine which covered electronic devices, based on economic and environmental considerations, should be subject to the obligation-setting mechanism under paragraph (g). The report must include a description of enforcement actions under sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330. The agency may include in its report other information received by the agency regarding the implementation of sections 115A.1312 to 115A.1330. The report must be done in conjunction with the report required under section 115A.121. 

(i) The agency shall promote public participation in the activities regulated under sections 115A.1312 to 115A.1330 through public education and outreach efforts. 

(j) The agency shall enforce sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330 in the manner provided by sections 115.071, subdivisions 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6; and 116.072, except for those provisions enforced by the department, as provided in subdivision 2. The agency may revoke a registration of a collector or recycler found to have violated sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330. 

(k) The agency shall facilitate communication between counties, collection and recycling centers, and manufacturers to ensure that manufacturers are aware of video display devices available for recycling. 

(l) The agency shall post on its website the contact information provided by each manufacturer under section 115A.1318, subdivision 1, paragraph (e). 

Subd. 2.Additional duties. 
(a) The agency must collect the data submitted to it annually by each manufacturer on the total weight of each specific model of video display device sold to households, if provided; the total weight of video display devices sold to households; the total weight of covered electronic devices collected from households that are recycled; and data on phase I and phase II recycling credits, as required under section 115A.1316. The department must use this data to review each manufacturer's annual registration fee submitted to the department to ensure that the fee was calculated accurately. 

(b) The agency must estimate, for each registered manufacturer, the sales of video display devices to households during the previous program year, based on: 

(1) data provided by a manufacturer on sales of video display devices to households, including documentation describing how that amount was calculated and certification that the amount is accurate; or 

(2) if a manufacturer does not provide the data specified in clause (1), national data on sales of video display devices. 

The department must use the data specified in this subdivision to review each manufacturer's annual registration fee submitted to the department to ensure that the fee was calculated accurately according to the formula in section 115A.1314, subdivision 1. 

(c) The department must enforce section 115A.1314, subdivision 1. The audit, assessment, appeal, collection, enforcement, disclosure, and other administrative provisions of chapters 270B, 270C, and 289A that apply to the taxes imposed under chapter 297A apply to the fee imposed under section 115A.1314, subdivision 1. To enforce section 115A.1314, subdivision 1, the commissioner of revenue may grant extensions to pay, and impose and abate penalties and interest on, the fee due under section 115A.1314, subdivision 1, in the manner provided in chapters 270C and 289A as if the fee were a tax imposed under chapter 297A. 

(d) The department may disclose nonpublic data to the agency only when necessary for the efficient and effective administration of the activities regulated under sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330. Any data disclosed by the department to the agency retains the classification it had when in the possession of the department. 

115A.1322 OTHER RECYCLING PROGRAMS.
A city, county, or other public agency may not require households to use public facilities to recycle their covered electronic devices to the exclusion of other lawful programs available. Cities, counties, and other public agencies, including those awarded contracts by the agency under section 115A.1314, subdivision 2, are encouraged to work with manufacturers to assist them in meeting their recycling obligations under section 115A.1318, subdivision 1. Nothing in sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330 prohibits or restricts the operation of any program recycling covered electronic devices in addition to those provided by manufacturers or prohibits or restricts any persons from receiving, collecting, transporting, or recycling covered electronic devices, provided that those persons are registered under section 115A.1312. 

115A.1323 ANTICOMPETITIVE CONDUCT.
(a) A manufacturer that organizes collection or recycling under sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1322 is authorized to engage in anticompetitive conduct to the extent necessary to plan and implement its chosen organized collection or recycling system and is immune from liability under state laws relating to antitrust, restraint of trade, unfair trade practices, and other regulation of trade or commerce. 

(b) An organization of manufacturers, an individual manufacturer, and its officers, members, employees, and agents who cooperate with a political subdivision that organizes collection or recycling under this section are authorized to engage in anticompetitive conduct to the extent necessary to plan and implement the organized collection or recycling system, provided that the political subdivision actively supervises the participation of each entity. An organization, entity, or person covered by this paragraph is immune from liability under state law relating to antitrust, restraint of trade, unfair trade practices, and other regulation of trade or commerce. 

115A.1324 REQUIREMENTS FOR PURCHASES BY STATE AGENCIES.
(a) The Department of Administration must ensure that acquisitions of video display devices under chapter 16C are in compliance with or not subject to sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1318. 

(b) The solicitation documents must specify that the prospective responder is required to cooperate fully in providing reasonable access to its records and documents that evidence compliance with paragraph (a) and sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1318. 

(c) Any person awarded a contract under chapter 16C for purchase or lease of video display devices that is found to be in violation of paragraph (a) or sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1318 is subject to the following sanctions: 

(1) the contract must be voided if the commissioner of administration determines that the potential adverse impact to the state is exceeded by the benefit obtained from voiding the contract; 

(2) the contractor is subject to suspension and disbarment under Minnesota Rules, part 1230.1150; and 

(3) if the attorney general establishes that any money, property, or benefit was obtained by a contractor as a result of violating paragraph (a) or sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1318, the court may, in addition to any other remedy, order the disgorgement of the unlawfully obtained money, property, or benefit. 

115A.1326 REGULATING VIDEO DISPLAY DEVICES.
If the United States Environmental Protection Agency adopts regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regarding the handling, storage, or treatment of any type of video display device being recycled, those regulations are automatically effective in this state on the same date and supersede any rules previously adopted by the agency regarding the handling, storage, or treatment of all video display devices being recycled. 

115A.1328 MULTISTATE IMPLEMENTATION.
The agency and department are authorized to participate in the establishment of a regional multistate organization or compact to assist in carrying out the requirements of this chapter. 

115A.1330 LIMITATIONS.
Sections 115A.1310 to 115A.1330 expire if a federal law, or combination of federal laws, take effect that is applicable to all video display devices sold in the United States and establish a program for the collection and recycling or reuse of video display devices that is applicable to all video display devices discarded by households. 

115A.9155 DISPOSING OF CERTAIN DRY CELL BATTERIES.Subdivision 1.Prohibition. 
A person may not place in mixed municipal solid waste a dry cell battery containing mercuric oxide electrode, silver oxide electrode, nickel-cadmium, or sealed lead-acid that was purchased for use or used by a government agency, or an industrial, communications, or medical facility. 

Subd. 2.Manufacturer responsibility. 
(a) A manufacturer of batteries subject to subdivision 1 shall: 

(1) ensure that a system for the proper collection, transportation, and processing of waste batteries exists for purchasers in Minnesota; and 

(2) clearly inform each final purchaser of the prohibition on disposal of waste batteries and of the system or systems for proper collection, transportation, and processing of waste batteries available to the purchaser. 

(b) To ensure that a system for the proper collection, transportation, and processing of waste batteries exists, a manufacturer shall: 

(1) identify collectors, transporters, and processors for the waste batteries and contract or otherwise expressly agree with a person or persons for the proper collection, transportation, and processing of the waste batteries; or 

(2) accept waste batteries returned to its manufacturing facility. 

(c) At the time of sale of a battery subject to subdivision 1, a manufacturer shall provide in a clear and conspicuous manner a telephone number that the final consumer of the battery can call to obtain information on specific procedures to follow in returning the battery for recycling or proper disposal. The manufacturer may include the telephone number and notice of return procedures on an invoice or other transaction document held by the purchaser. The manufacturer shall provide the telephone number to the commissioner of the agency. 

(d) A manufacturer shall ensure that the cost of proper collection, transportation, and processing of the waste batteries is included in the sales transaction or agreement between the manufacturer and any purchaser. 

(e) A manufacturer that has complied with this subdivision is not liable under subdivision 1 for improper disposal by a person other than the manufacturer of waste batteries. 

115A.9157 RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES AND PRODUCTS.Subdivision 1.Definition. 
For the purpose of this section, "rechargeable battery" means a sealed nickel-cadmium battery, a sealed lead acid battery, or any other rechargeable battery, except a rechargeable battery governed by section 115A.9155 or exempted by the commissioner under subdivision 9. 

Subd. 2.Prohibition. 
Effective August 1, 1991, a person may not place in mixed municipal solid waste a rechargeable battery, a rechargeable battery pack, a product with a nonremovable rechargeable battery, or a product powered by rechargeable batteries or rechargeable battery pack, from which all batteries or battery packs have not been removed. 

Subd. 3.Collection and management costs. 
A manufacturer of rechargeable batteries or products powered by rechargeable batteries is responsible for the costs of collecting and managing its waste rechargeable batteries and waste products to ensure that the batteries are not part of the solid waste stream. 

Subd. 5.Collection and management programs. 
(a) By September 20, 1995, the manufacturers or their representative organization shall implement permanent programs, based on the results of the pilot projects required in Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 115A.9157, subdivision 4, that may be reasonably expected to collect 90 percent of the waste rechargeable batteries and the participating manufacturers' products powered by rechargeable batteries that are generated in the state. The batteries and products collected must be recycled or otherwise managed or disposed of properly. 

(b) In every odd-numbered year after 1995, each manufacturer or a representative organization shall provide information to the senate and house of representatives committees having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources and environment and natural resources finance that specifies at least the estimated amount of rechargeable batteries subject to this section sold in the state by each manufacturer and the amount of batteries each collected during the previous two years. A representative organization may report the amounts in aggregate for all the members of the organization. 

Subd. 6.List of participants. 
A manufacturer or its representative organization shall inform the committees listed in subdivision 5 when they begin participating in the projects and programs and immediately if they withdraw participation. 

Subd. 7.Contracts. 
A manufacturer or a representative organization of manufacturers may contract with the state or a political subdivision to provide collection services under this section. The manufacturer or organization shall fully reimburse the state or political subdivision for the value of any contractual services rendered under this subdivision. 

Subd. 8.Anticompetitive conduct. 
A manufacturer or organization of manufacturers and its officers, members, employees, and agents who participate in projects or programs to collect and properly manage waste rechargeable batteries or products powered by rechargeable batteries are immune from liability under state law relating to antitrust, restraint of trade, unfair trade practices, and other regulation of trade or commerce for activities related to the collection and management of batteries and products required under this section. 

Subd. 9.Exemptions. 
To ensure that new types of batteries do not add additional hazardous or toxic materials to the mixed municipal solid waste stream, the commissioner of the agency may exempt a new type of rechargeable battery from the requirements of this section if it poses no unreasonable hazard when placed in and processed or disposed of as part of a mixed municipal solid waste. 

115A.961 HOUSEHOLD BATTERIES; COLLECTION, PROCESSING, AND DISPOSAL.Subdivision 1.Definition. 
For the purposes of this section, "household batteries" means disposable or rechargeable dry cells commonly used as power sources for household or consumer products including, but not limited to, nickel-cadmium, alkaline, mercuric oxide, silver oxide, zinc oxide, lithium, and carbon-zinc batteries, but excluding lead acid batteries. 

Subd. 2.Program. 
(a) The commissioner, in consultation with other state agencies, political subdivisions, and representatives of the household battery industry, may develop household battery programs. The commissioner must coordinate the programs with the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources study on batteries. 

(b) The commissioner shall investigate options and develop guidelines for collection, processing, and disposal of household batteries. The options the commissioner may investigate include: 

(1) establishing a grant program for counties to plan and implement household battery collection, processing, and disposal projects; 

(2) establishing collection and transportation systems; 

(3) developing and disseminating educational materials regarding environmentally sound battery management; and 

(4) developing markets for materials recovered from the batteries. 

(c) The commissioner may also distribute funds to political subdivisions to develop battery management plans and implement those plans. 

Subd. 3.Participation. 
A political subdivision, on its own or in cooperation with others, may implement a program to collect, process, or dispose of household batteries. A political subdivision may provide financial incentives to any person, including public or private civic groups, to collect the batteries. 

116C.04 POWERS AND DUTIES.Subd. 11.Coordination. 
The Environmental Quality Board shall coordinate the implementation of an interagency compliance with existing state and federal lead regulations and report to the legislature by January 31, 1992, on the changes in programs needed to comply. 

116C.991 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW; SILICA SAND PROJECTS.
(a) Until a final rule is adopted pursuant to Laws 2013, chapter 114, article 4, section 105, paragraph (d), an environmental assessment worksheet must be prepared for any silica sand project that meets or exceeds the following thresholds, unless the project meets or exceeds the thresholds for an environmental impact statement under rules of the Environmental Quality Board and an environmental impact statement must be prepared: 

(1) excavates 20 or more acres of land to a mean depth of ten feet or more during its existence. The local government is the responsible governmental unit; or 

(2) is designed to store or is capable of storing more than 7,500 tons of silica sand or has an annual throughput of more than 200,000 tons of silica sand and is not required to receive a permit from the Pollution Control Agency. The Pollution Control Agency is the responsible governmental unit. 

(b) In addition to the contents required under statute and rule, an environmental assessment worksheet completed according to this section must include: 

(1) a hydrogeologic investigation assessing potential groundwater and surface water effects and geologic conditions that could create an increased risk of potentially significant effects on groundwater and surface water; 

(2) for a project with the potential to require a groundwater appropriation permit from the commissioner of natural resources, an assessment of the water resources available for appropriation; 

(3) an air quality impact assessment that includes an assessment of the potential effects from airborne particulates and dust; 

(4) a traffic impact analysis, including documentation of existing transportation systems, analysis of the potential effects of the project on transportation, and mitigation measures to eliminate or minimize adverse impacts; 

(5) an assessment of compatibility of the project with other existing uses; and 

(6) mitigation measures that could eliminate or minimize any adverse environmental effects for the project. 

116D.04 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS.Subd. 5b.Review of environmental assessment worksheets and environmental impact statements. 
By December 1, 2018, and every three years thereafter, the Environmental Quality Board, Pollution Control Agency, Department of Natural Resources, and Department of Transportation, after consultation with political subdivisions, shall submit to the governor and the chairs of the house of representatives and senate committees having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources a list of mandatory environmental assessment worksheet and mandatory environmental impact statement categories for which the agency or a political subdivision is designated as the responsible government unit, and for each worksheet or statement category, a document including: 

(1) intended historical purposes of the category; 

(2) whether projects that fall within the category are also subject to local, state, or federal permits; and 

(3) an analysis of and recommendations for whether the mandatory category should be modified, eliminated, or unchanged based on its intended outcomes and relationship to existing permits or other federal, state, or local laws or ordinances. 

325E.125 GENERAL AND SPECIAL PURPOSE BATTERY REQUIREMENTS.Subdivision 1.Labeling. 
(a) The manufacturer of a button cell battery that is to be sold in this state shall ensure that each battery contains no intentionally introduced mercury or is labeled to clearly identify for the final consumer of the battery the type of electrode used in the battery. 

(b) The manufacturer of a rechargeable battery that is to be sold in this state shall ensure that each rechargeable battery is labeled to clearly identify for the final consumer of the battery the type of electrode and the name of the manufacturer. The manufacturer of a rechargeable battery shall also provide clear instructions for properly recharging the battery. 

Subd. 2.Mercury content. 
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (c), a manufacturer may not sell, distribute, or offer for sale in this state an alkaline manganese battery that contains more than 0.025 percent mercury by weight. 

(b) On application, the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency may exempt a specific type of battery from the requirements of paragraph (a) or (d) if there is no battery meeting the requirements that can be reasonably substituted for the battery for which the exemption is sought. A battery exempted by the commissioner under this paragraph is subject to the requirements of section 115A.9155, subdivision 2. 

(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a manufacturer may not sell, distribute, or offer for sale in this state a button cell nonrechargeable battery not subject to paragraph (a) that contains more than 25 milligrams of mercury. 

(d) A manufacturer may not sell, distribute, or offer for sale in this state a dry cell battery containing a mercuric oxide electrode. 

(e) After January 1, 1996, a manufacturer may not sell, distribute, or offer for sale in this state an alkaline manganese battery, except an alkaline manganese button cell, that contains mercury unless the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency determines that compliance with this requirement is not technically and commercially feasible. 

Subd. 2a.Approval of new batteries. 
A manufacturer may not sell, distribute, or offer for sale in this state a nonrechargeable battery other than a zinc air, zinc carbon, silver oxide, lithium, or alkaline manganese battery, without first having received approval of the battery from the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency. The commissioner shall approve only batteries that comply with subdivision 1 and do not pose an undue hazard when disposed of. This subdivision is intended to ensure that new types of batteries do not add additional hazardous or toxic materials to the state's mixed municipal waste stream. 

Subd. 3.Rechargeable tools and appliances. 
(a) A manufacturer may not sell, distribute, or offer for sale in this state a rechargeable consumer product unless: 

(1) the battery can be easily removed by the consumer or is contained in a battery pack that is separate from the product and can be easily removed; and 

(2) the product and the battery are both labeled in a manner that is clearly visible to the consumer indicating that the battery must be recycled or disposed of properly and the battery must be clearly identifiable as to the type of electrode used in the battery. 

(b) "Rechargeable consumer product" as used in this subdivision means any product that contains a rechargeable battery and is primarily used or purchased to be used for personal, family, or household purposes. 

(c) On application by a manufacturer, the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency may exempt a rechargeable consumer product from the requirements of paragraph (a) if: 

(1) the product cannot be reasonably redesigned and manufactured to comply with the requirements prior to the effective date of Laws 1990, chapter 409, section 2; 

(2) the redesign of the product to comply with the requirements would result in significant danger to public health and safety; or 

(3) the type of electrode used in the battery poses no unreasonable hazards when placed in and processed or disposed of as part of mixed municipal solid waste. 

(d) An exemption granted by the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency under paragraph (c), clause (1), must be limited to a maximum of two years and may be renewed. 

Subd. 4.Rechargeable batteries and products; notice. 
(a) A person who sells rechargeable batteries or products powered by rechargeable batteries governed by section 115A.9157 at retail shall post the notice in paragraph (b) in a manner clearly visible to a consumer making purchasing decisions. 

(b) The notice must be at least four inches by six inches and state: 

"ATTENTION USERS OF RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES AND CORDLESS PRODUCTS: 

Under Minnesota law, manufacturers of rechargeable batteries, rechargeable battery packs, and products powered by nonremovable rechargeable batteries will provide a special collection system for these items by April 15, 1994. It is illegal to put rechargeable batteries in the garbage. Use the special collection system that will be provided in your area. Take care of our environment. 

DO NOT PUT RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES OR PRODUCTS POWERED BY NONREMOVABLE RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES IN THE GARBAGE." 

(c) Notice is not required for home solicitation sales, as defined in section 325G.06, or for catalogue sales. 

Subd. 5.Prohibitions. 
A manufacturer of rechargeable batteries or products powered by rechargeable batteries that does not participate in the pilot projects and programs required in section 115A.9157 may not sell, distribute, or offer for sale in this state rechargeable batteries or products powered by rechargeable batteries after January 1, 1992. 

After January 1, 1992, a person who first purchases rechargeable batteries or products powered by rechargeable batteries for importation into the state for resale may not purchase rechargeable batteries or products powered by rechargeable batteries made by any person other than a manufacturer that participates in the projects and programs required under section 115A.9157. 

325E.1251 PENALTY ENFORCEMENT.Subdivision 1.Penalty. 
Violation of section 325E.125 is a misdemeanor. A manufacturer who violates section 325E.125 is also subject to a minimum fine of $100 per violation. 

Subd. 2.Recovery of costs. 
Section 325E.125 may be enforced under section 115.071. In an enforcement action under this section in which the state prevails, the state may recover reasonable administrative expenses, court costs, and attorney fees incurred to take the enforcement action, in an amount to be determined by the court.