SF 1824

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 10/01/2015 02:38pm

A bill for an act
relating to environment; requiring water quality strategic plan for Red River of
the North; requiring minimum water quality standards; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin APPROPRIATION; RED RIVER OF THE NORTH WATER
QUALITY STRATEGIC PLAN.
new text end

new text begin (a) $500,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2016 from the clean water fund to the
commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for a grant to the Red River
Basin Commission for development of a water quality strategic plan for the Red River of
the North, in cooperation with the Red River Board of the International Joint Commission.
The appropriation must be matched by equal amounts from both North Dakota and
Manitoba and a proportionate amount from South Dakota.
new text end

new text begin (b) The plan must include, but is not limited to, consistency in water quality goals and
objectives for the Red River of the North and pollution reduction allocations for both point
and nonpoint sources on the Red River of the North and for individual major watersheds
tributary to the Red River of the North. The Red River Basin Commission must involve
the interests of local, state, and federal government, business and industry, environmental
groups, and Red River basin landowners. The Red River Basin Commission must report
progress on the plan to the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions
with jurisdiction over environment policy and finance by February 15 in 2016 and 2017
and must submit the completed plan by December 31, 2017.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin MINIMUM WATER QUALITY STANDARDS.
new text end

new text begin Until the Red River of the North water quality strategic plan is completed and
submitted to the legislature according to section 1, the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency must not require a current permittee that discharges to the Red River of the North
to meet standards above the minimum standards for water quality that are set by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency and that are applicable in North Dakota.
new text end