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HF 3940

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/26/2018 05:45pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
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A bill for an act
relating to waters; appropriating money to reduce nutrients in Minnesota River
basin.

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

Section 1. new text begin APPROPRIATION; MINNESOTA RIVER BASIN; NUTRIENT
REDUCTION STRATEGY.
new text end

new text begin (a) $750,000 in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from the general fund to the Minnesota
State University Water Resource Center to convene a technical stakeholder group to design
a comprehensive nutrient reduction strategy for point and nonpoint sources in the Minnesota
River basin. By September 15, 2018, the stakeholder group must submit a workplan and
budget for implementing this section and submit the plan and budget to the Legislative
Water Commission for review. The stakeholder group is limited to the following invitees:
new text end

new text begin (1) Minnesota Pollution Control Agency;
new text end

new text begin (2) Board of Water and Soil Resources;
new text end

new text begin (3) Department of Natural Resources;
new text end

new text begin (4) Department of Agriculture;
new text end

new text begin (5) Association of Minnesota Counties;
new text end

new text begin (6) Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource Center;
new text end

new text begin (7) League of Minnesota Cities;
new text end

new text begin (8) city of Mankato;
new text end

new text begin (9) Minnesota Environmental Science and Economic Review Board;
new text end

new text begin (10) Minnesota Association of Townships;
new text end

new text begin (11) Conservation Minnesota;
new text end

new text begin (12) Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts;
new text end

new text begin (13) Minnesota AgriGrowth Council;
new text end

new text begin (14) Minnesota River Congress;
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new text begin (15) Minnesota Rural Water Association;
new text end

new text begin (16) Minnesota Corn Growers Association; and
new text end

new text begin (17) Minnesota Soybean Growers Association.
new text end

new text begin (b) By December 15, 2019, the stakeholder group must submit details of the strategy
and recommendations for an entity to administer the nutrient reduction plan to the chairs
and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and
divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural resources. The stakeholder group
must develop a strategy that includes a voluntary trading program between point and nonpoint
sources to address current and future water quality standards for nutrients in the Minnesota
River basin and identify eligible classes of participants. The stakeholder group must review
local water management plans, review current practice and science related to point-to-point
and point-to-nonpoint trading, identify any obstacles to trading in the Minnesota River
basin, and recommend appropriate actions to enhance trading opportunities to improve
water quality in the Minnesota River basin, including but not limited to developing
appropriate trading ratios and creating a trading exchange.
new text end

new text begin (c) Until adjournment of the legislative session that is held after the report is submitted
under paragraph (b), the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency, to the extent
allowable under the federal Clean Water Act, must use existing authority under federal and
state law and rules to ensure that permit holders in the Minnesota River basin are not required
to expend funds to design or implement wastewater technologies or other wastewater
treatment methodologies solely to comply with water-quality-based effluent limits, wasteload
allocations, or other effluent limit requirements derived from or otherwise based on the
river eutrophication standards in Minnesota Rules, parts 7050.0150, 7050.0220, and
7050.0222.
new text end