HF 3394
Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 02/17/2026 11:31 a.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to environment; providing for well testing to establish baseline groundwater
quality before certain construction; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 103H.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
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[103H.176] WELL TESTING IN RURAL AREAS.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end
new text begin Definitions. new text end
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For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
meanings given:
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(1) "landowner" means:
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(i) the landowner where a private well is located;
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(ii) a landowner's lessee if the lessee uses the private well; or
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(iii) the operator of a public well;
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(2) "project" means a project in a rural area that is required to prepare an environmental
assessment worksheet under Minnesota Rules, part 4410.4300; and
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(3) "rural area" means an area of the state not included within the boundaries of a statutory
city or home rule charter city.
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(a) Before construction begins for a project, the project
owner or operator must provide testing for water-supply wells according to this section to
establish a baseline for groundwater quality in the area of the project.
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(b) The project owner or operator must contract with an independent third party to collect
well samples and submit the samples for analysis at a laboratory accredited by the Department
of Health.
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(c) The project owner or operator must obtain landowner consent before sampling a
well. Samples must be collected from all wells located within a two-mile radius of the
proposed project, except that a well need not be sampled if the landowner does not consent
to sampling. The landowner must be given access, free of charge, to the test results for the
landowner's well.
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(d) The third-party contractor under paragraph (b) must submit the results of the well
testing to the Environmental Quality Board, which must maintain results in a database as
provided in section 103H.175, and to the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office.
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