HF 3065

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 02/26/2018 02:33pm

A bill for an act
relating to environment; appropriating money for environmental science and permit
review.

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

Section 1. new text begin APPROPRIATION; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE REVIEW.
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new text begin (a) $500,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of administration for a grant to the Minnesota
Environmental Science and Economic Review Board (MESERB), a municipal joint powers
organization under Minnesota Statutes, section 471.59, to review the scientific validity and
technical accuracy of:
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new text begin (1) water-quality standards;
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new text begin (2) total maximum daily load studies (TMDLs);
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new text begin (3) watershed restoration and protection strategies (WRAPs); and
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new text begin (4) national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permits issued after August
1, 2017, with new or more restrictive effluent-limit requirements for publicly owned
wastewater treatment facilities outside the seven-county metropolitan area as defined under
Minnesota Statutes, section 473.121, subdivision 2.
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new text begin (b) MESERB may select the reviews to be conducted under paragraph (a). MESERB
must provide a copy of any reviews under paragraph (a) to the commissioner of the Pollution
Control Agency and any applicable permittee. On or before January 1 each year, MESERB
must submit a report summarizing the reviews performed under paragraph (a) to the
commissioner and the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees
having jurisdiction over capital investment and environment policy and finance.
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new text begin (c) This appropriation is available until expended. Money not expended for reviews
under this section may be used for reviews under section 2.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; ANALYSIS OF COST AND WATER QUALITY
IMPACT FOR MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER.
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new text begin (a) $500,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of administration for a grant to the Minnesota
Environmental Science and Economic Review Board (MESERB), a municipal joint powers
organization under Minnesota Statutes, section 471.59, to review draft national pollutant
discharge elimination system (NPDES) permits according to paragraphs (b) and (c).
new text end

new text begin (b) MESERB may select the permits to be reviewed under this section, but must give
preference to reviewing any draft NPDES permit that has new effluent limit requirements
for a publicly owned wastewater treatment facility outside the seven-county metropolitan
area, as defined under Minnesota Statutes, section 473.121, subdivision 2, when the Pollution
Control Agency issues the notice for public comment for the permit. Any review must
analyze:
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new text begin (1) the costs to the permittee to comply with the permit and the impact on user rates;
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new text begin (2) the environmental benefit of permit compliance; and
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new text begin (3) the technical accuracy of the permit requirements.
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new text begin (c) Upon completion of a review, MESERB must provide a copy of the review to the
permittee and the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency. By January 1 each year,
MESERB must submit a report summarizing its findings in each permit review performed
in the previous calendar year to the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency and to
the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction
over capital investment and environment finance and policy.
new text end

new text begin (d) This appropriation is available until expended. Money not expended for reviews
under this section may be used for reviews under section 1.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end