HF 3660

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/19/2018 04:49pm

A bill for an act
relating to environment; implementing terms of recent settlement between state
and 3M Company; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016,
section 116.155, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new
law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 115B.

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

Section 1.

[115B.52] WATER QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY ACCOUNT.

Subdivision 1.

Definition.

For purposes of this section and section 115B.53, the term
"settlement" means the agreement and order entered on February 20, 2018, settling litigation
commenced by the state against the 3M Company under section 115B.17, subdivision 7.

Subd. 2.

Establishment.

The water quality and sustainability account is established as
an account in the remediation fund. The account consists of revenue deposited in the account
under the terms of the settlement and earnings on the investment of money in the account.

Subd. 3.

Expenditures.

Money in the account is appropriated to the commissioner of
the Pollution Control Agency and to the commissioner of natural resources for the purposes
authorized under the settlement.

Subd. 4.

Reporting.

The commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency and the
commissioner of natural resources must jointly submit:

(1) a quarterly report to the Legislative Water Commission on expenditures from the
water quality and sustainability account during the previous quarter; and

(2) by November 1 each year, a report to the legislature on expenditures from the water
quality and sustainability account during the previous fiscal year and a spending plan for
anticipated expenditures from the account during the current fiscal year.

Sec. 2.

[115B.53] WATER QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY STAKEHOLDERS.

The commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency and the commissioner of natural
resources must work with stakeholders to identify and recommend projects to receive funding
from the water quality and sustainability account under the settlement. Stakeholders include,
at a minimum, representatives of the agency, the Department of Natural Resources, east
metropolitan area municipalities, and the 3M Company.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 116.155, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Creation.

The remediation fund is created as a special revenue fund in
the state treasury to provide a reliable source of public money for response and corrective
actions to address releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants, agricultural
chemicals, and petroleum, and for environmental response actions at qualified landfill
facilities for which the agency has assumed such responsibility, including perpetual care of
such facilities. The specific purposes for which the general portion of the fund may be spent
are provided in subdivision 2. In addition to the general portion of the fund, the fund contains
two three accounts described in subdivisions 4 and 5 to 5a.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 116.155, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

Subd. 5a.

Water quality and sustainability account.

The water quality and sustainability
account is as described in section 115B.52.