HF 507

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to the environment; providing zero discharge grants to municipalities
for wastewater treatment facilities; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections
446A.02, by adding a subdivision; 446A.072, subdivision 5a.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 446A.02, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Zero discharge facility. new text end

new text begin "Zero discharge facility" means a wastewater
treatment plant that either discharges treated effluent to an aquifer or reuses all effluent
for other purposes.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 446A.072, subdivision 5a, is amended to read:

Subd. 5a.

Type and amount of assistance.

(a) For a municipality receiving grant
funding from the USDA/RECD, the authority shall provide assistance in the form of a
grant of up to one-half of the eligible grant amount determined by USDA/RECD. A
municipality may not receive a grant under this paragraph for more than $4,000,000
or $15,000 per existing connection, whichever is less, unless specifically approved by
law. In the case of a sanitary district or other multijurisdictional project for which the
USDA/RECD is unable to fully fund up to one-half of the eligible grant amount, the
authority may provide up to an additional $1,000,000 for each additional municipality
participating up to a maximum of $8,000,000 or $15,000 per existing connection,
whichever is less, but not to exceed the maximum grant level determined by the
USDA/RECD as needed to keep the project affordable.

(b) For a municipality not receiving grant funding from the USDA/RECD, the
authority shall provide assistance in the form of a loan for the eligible project costs
that exceed five percent of the market value of properties in the project service area. A
municipality may not receive a loan under this paragraph for more than $4,000,000 or
$15,000 per existing connection, whichever is less, unless specifically approved by law.
In the case of a sanitary district or other multijurisdictional project, the authority may
provide a loan under this paragraph for up to an additional $1,000,000 for each additional
municipality participating up to a maximum of $8,000,000 or $15,000 per existing
connection, whichever is less, unless specifically approved by law. A loan under this
paragraph must bear no interest, must be repaid as provided in subdivision 7, and must
only be provided in conjunction with a loan from the water pollution control revolving
fund under section 446A.07.

(c) Notwithstanding the limits in paragraphs (a) and (b), for a municipality receiving
supplemental assistance under this section after January 1, 2002, if the authority
determines that the municipality's construction and installation costs are significantly
increased due to geological conditions of crystalline bedrock or karst areas and discharge
limits that are more stringent than secondary treatment, the authority shall provide
assistance in the form of half grant and half loan. Assistance from the authority may not
be more than $25,000 per existing connection. Any additional grant amount received
for the same project must be used to reduce the amount of the municipality's loan from
the water pollution control revolving fund that exceeds five percent of the market value
of properties in the project service area.

new text begin (d) Notwithstanding the limits in paragraph (a), for a municipality receiving grant
funding for a zero discharge facility from the USDA/RECD, the authority shall provide
assistance in the form of a grant of up to 100 percent of the eligible grant amount
determined by the USDA/RECD. A municipality may not receive a grant under this
paragraph for more than $8,000,000 or $30,000 per existing connection, whichever
is less, unless specifically approved by law. In the case of a sanitary district or other
multijurisdictional project for which the USDA/RECD is unable to fully fund up to
one-half of the eligible grant amount, the authority may provide up to an additional
$2,000,000 for each additional municipality participating, up to a maximum of
$16,000,000 or $30,000 per existing connection, whichever is less, but not to exceed the
maximum grant level determined by the USDA/RECD as needed to keep the project
affordable.
new text end

new text begin (e) Notwithstanding the limits in paragraph (b), for a municipality not receiving
grant funding from the USDA/RECD, the authority shall provide assistance in the form of
a grant for the eligible project costs of up to 75 percent for a zero discharge facility. A
municipality may not receive a grant under this paragraph for more than $8,000,000 or
$30,000 per existing connection, whichever is less, unless specifically approved by law.
In the case of a sanitary district or other multijurisdictional project, the authority may
provide up to an additional $2,000,000 for each additional municipality participating, up
to a maximum of $16,000,000 or $30,000 per existing connection, whichever is less,
unless specifically approved by law.
new text end