HF 2280

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/17/2021 11:16am

A bill for an act
relating to environment; establishing a grant program to clean up contaminated
tax-forfeited property; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION; TAX-FORFEITED PROPERTIES;
PILOT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For the purposes of this section, the terms in this
subdivision have the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of employment and economic development.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Hazardous substance" has the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 115B.02,
subdivision 8.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Petroleum" has the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 115C.02,
subdivision 10.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Pollutant or contaminant" has the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section
115B.02, subdivision 13.
new text end

new text begin (f) "Release" has the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 115B.02, subdivision
15.
new text end

new text begin (g) "Tank" has the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 115C.02, subdivision
14.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Pilot project; grants. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must establish a pilot project to award
grants to counties to remediate tax-forfeited properties contaminated by a release or
threatened release of a hazardous substance or a pollutant or contaminant.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Eligible expenditures. new text end

new text begin (a) A grant awarded to a county under this section may
be expended for:
new text end

new text begin (1) cleaning up or removing a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance or
a pollutant or contaminant from a tax-forfeited property;
new text end

new text begin (2) costs for assessing, testing, and monitoring associated with cleaning up or removing
a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance or a pollutant or contaminant from
a tax-forfeited property; and
new text end

new text begin (3) transporting a hazardous substance or a pollutant or contaminant off site, or storing,
treating, destroying, or securing disposition of the substance or the pollutant or contaminant
off site, if the commissioner determines that the actions are necessary to protect public
health or welfare.
new text end

new text begin (b) The expenditures allowed under this subdivision apply to cleaning up or removing
a release or threatened release of petroleum only if:
new text end

new text begin (1) the release or threatened release is from a tank; and
new text end

new text begin (2) the cleanup or removal is ineligible to receive reimbursement under Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 115C.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Application. new text end

new text begin A county seeking a grant under this section must file an application
with the commissioner on a form prescribed by the commissioner. The application must
contain, at a minimum:
new text end

new text begin (1) a description of the tax-forfeited property;
new text end

new text begin (2) the results of any testing or monitoring indicating the presence of a hazardous
substance or a pollutant or contaminant on the tax-forfeited property or the reason for
suspecting that a hazardous substance or a pollutant or contaminant is present on the
tax-forfeited property;
new text end

new text begin (3) a proposed remediation plan describing any assessment and removal activities
proposed;
new text end

new text begin (4) the estimated cost of the proposed remediation plan;
new text end

new text begin (5) the source and amount of nongrant money that will be contributed to the remediation
plan; and
new text end

new text begin (6) any other information required by the commissioner.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Awarding grants. new text end

new text begin In awarding grants under this section, the commissioner
may modify a county's proposed remediation plan.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Limitations. new text end

new text begin (a) No county may be awarded more than one grant per year under
this section.
new text end

new text begin (b) A grant awarded under this section may not exceed 85 percent of the estimated cost
of the proposed remediation plan.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Expiration. new text end

new text begin This section expires June 30, 2023.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2022 and $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of employment and economic development for awarding
grants under section 1. If the appropriation for either year is insufficient, the appropriation
for the other year is available for it.
new text end