HF 4269

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/29/2018 04:29pm

A bill for an act
relating to clean water; appropriating money from the clean water fund.

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

Section 1. new text begin CLEAN WATER FUND APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Pollution Control Agency. new text end

new text begin $10,000 in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated
from the clean water fund to the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency to support
activities of the Clean Water Council according to Minnesota Statutes, section 114D.30,
subdivision 1. This is a onetime appropriation.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Department of Natural Resources. new text end

new text begin $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2019 is
appropriated from the clean water fund to the commissioner of natural resources to acquire
permanent conservation easements in targeted areas to protect the forests and shorelands
that supply clean water to lakes, rivers, and streams under Minnesota Statutes, section 84.66.
This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2022.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Board of Water and Soil Resources. new text end

new text begin (a) $4,412,000 in fiscal year 2019 is
appropriated from the clean water fund to the Board of Water and Soil Resources for a pilot
program to provide performance-based grants to local government units. The grants may
be used to implement projects that protect, enhance, and restore surface water quality in
lakes, rivers, and streams; protect groundwater from degradation; and protect sources of
drinking water. Projects must be identified in a comprehensive watershed plan developed
under the One Watershed, One Plan or metropolitan surface water management frameworks
or groundwater plans. Grant recipients must identify a nonstate match and may use other
legacy funds to supplement projects funded under this paragraph.
new text end

new text begin (b) $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from the clean water fund to the Board
of Water and Soil Resources for grants to protect and restore surface water and drinking
water; to keep water on the land; to protect, enhance, and restore water quality in lakes,
rivers, and streams; and to protect groundwater and drinking water, including feedlot water
quality and subsurface sewage treatment system projects and stabilization projects for stream
banks, stream channels, shoreline restorations, and ravines. The projects must use practices
demonstrated to be effective; be of long-lasting public benefit; include a match; and be
consistent with total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation plans, watershed
restoration and protection strategies (WRAPS), or local water management plans or their
equivalents. A portion of these funds may be used to seek administrative efficiencies through
shared resources by multiple local governmental units.
new text end

new text begin (c) $15,000,000 in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from the clean water fund to the
Board of Water and Soil Resources to purchase and restore permanent conservation sites
via easements or contracts to treat and store water on the land for water quality improvement
purposes and related technical assistance. This work may be done in cooperation with the
United States Department of Agriculture with a first priority use to accomplish a conservation
reserve enhancement program, or equivalent, in the state. Up to $....... is for deposit in a
monitoring and enforcement account.
new text end

new text begin (d) The board may shift grant or cost-share funds in this subdivision and may adjust the
technical and administrative assistance portion of the funds to leverage federal or other
nonstate funds or to address oversight responsibilities or high-priority needs identified in
local water management plans.
new text end

new text begin (e) The board must require grantees to specify the outcomes that will be achieved by
the grants before any grant awards.
new text end

new text begin (f) The appropriations in this subdivision are onetime and available until June 30, 2022.
Returned grant funds must be regranted consistent with the purposes of this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin University of Minnesota. new text end

new text begin $343,000 in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from
the clean water fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to provide
guidance documents and tools evaluating the clean water fund's return on investment to
measure impacts on water quality and human well-being as well as assist in future funding
decisions. This is a onetime appropriation.
new text end