SF 3409

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 04/04/2016 08:53am

A bill for an act
relating to environment; appropriating money to assess state water infrastructure
needs and funding sources; requiring reports.

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

Section 1. new text begin WASTEWATER RATES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT;
APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of the Pollution Control Agency to improve survey tools and data collection related to
statewide wastewater and sanitary sewer rates and the assessment of current and future
wastewater infrastructure needs throughout the state. The commissioner must consult with
the Public Facilities Authority and may hire consultants with expertise in evaluating and
implementing environmental finance survey tools. At a minimum, the commissioner must:
new text end

new text begin (1) review data from the wastewater infrastructure needs survey conducted by the
Pollution Control Agency;
new text end

new text begin (2) identify gaps in existing survey data for statewide wastewater and sanitary sewer
rates and recommend how to improve collection of rates data to facilitate the comparison
of wastewater rates between jurisdictions;
new text end

new text begin (3) identify gaps in existing survey data on the age of statewide wastewater
and sanitary sewer infrastructure and recommend how to improve collection of the
infrastructure data, including information on the age and design of wastewater treatment
facilities;
new text end

new text begin (4) identify gaps in existing survey data related to current and future wastewater and
sanitary sewer infrastructure needs and projections and evaluate options for improving
data and data collection on current and future infrastructure needs;
new text end

new text begin (5) identify gaps in existing survey data related to current operation and maintenance
costs and debt service costs for public wastewater and sanitary sewer systems and evaluate
options for improving the data;
new text end

new text begin (6) implement a best practices survey tool or system for collecting wastewater and
sanitary sewer rate and infrastructure data, as well as data on future infrastructure need
projections, and make the information available on a biennial basis; and
new text end

new text begin (7) submit a report to the chairs of the legislative committees with jurisdiction
over environment finance by January 1, 2018, describing the results of the work under
clauses (1) to (6).
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin DRINKING WATER RATES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT;
APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of health to improve survey tools and data collection related to statewide drinking
water rates and the assessment of current and future drinking water infrastructure needs
throughout the state. The commissioner must consult with the Public Facilities Authority
and may hire consultants with expertise in evaluating and implementing environmental
finance survey tools. The commissioner must cooperate with the United States
Environmental Protection Agency as required by law to ensure continued participation in
the drinking water state revolving fund program. At a minimum, the commissioner must:
new text end

new text begin (1) review data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency's drinking
water and infrastructure needs survey and any other Minnesota-specific drinking water
data related to rates and infrastructure needs;
new text end

new text begin (2) identify gaps in existing survey data for statewide water rates and recommend
how to improve collection of rates data to facilitate the comparison of water rates between
jurisdictions;
new text end

new text begin (3) identify gaps in existing survey data on the age of statewide drinking water
infrastructure and recommend how to improve collection of drinking water infrastructure
data, including information on the age and design of drinking water treatment facilities
and drinking water infrastructure;
new text end

new text begin (4) identify gaps in existing survey data related to current and future drinking water
infrastructure needs and projections and evaluate options for improving data and data
collection on current and future infrastructure needs;
new text end

new text begin (5) identify gaps in existing survey data related to current operation and maintenance
costs and debt service costs for public drinking water systems and evaluate options for
improving the data;
new text end

new text begin (6) implement a best practices survey tool or system for collecting drinking water
rate and infrastructure data, as well as data on future infrastructure need projections, and
make this information available on a biennial basis; and
new text end

new text begin (7) submit a report to the chairs of the legislative committees with jurisdiction
over environment finance by January 1, 2018, describing the results of the work under
clauses (1) to (6).
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin PROJECTED WASTEWATER AND DRINKING WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS; APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) $....... in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to the Public
Facilities Authority to perform, in consultation with the commissioners of health and the
Pollution Control Agency, a detailed study and analysis of total wastewater, sanitary
sewer, and drinking water infrastructure needs for the state based on available data. At
a minimum, the authority must:
new text end

new text begin (1) project the ability of local governments to fund water and wastewater
infrastructure projects, based on an analysis of trends in local government debt, revenues,
rates, and collection rates;
new text end

new text begin (2) project the ability of market rate financing mechanisms and subsidized funding
by state and federal sources to fund local water and wastewater infrastructure projects; and
new text end

new text begin (3) assess the gap between infrastructure needs and the ability of available funding
sources to pay for them over the next ten years.
new text end

new text begin (b) The Public Facilities Authority must submit the results of the assessment
under paragraph (a) to the chairs of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over
environment finance by January 1, 2018.
new text end