as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 02/28/2017 08:45am
A bill for an act
relating to waters; providing for improving water quality; establishing improvement
goal; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 103A.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
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It is the goal of the state to accelerate
the pace of progress for improving water-quality protection and restoration to reach a goal
of 25 percent improvement in water quality by 2025. Progress must be reviewed by and
based on measures reported by the cooperating agencies listed under subdivision 2 or as
described in local water management plans approved and adopted under chapter 103B.
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The Departments of Agriculture,
Health, and Natural Resources, the Pollution Control Agency, the Board of Water and Soil
Resources, the Metropolitan Council, the Public Facilities Authority, and the Environmental
Quality Board must jointly conduct a broad public and stakeholder engagement process
across the state seeking input on how to achieve the goal under subdivision 1. The process
must consider, but is not limited to, water safety and quality parameters such as chloride,
infectious agents, phosphorus, sediment, nitrates, lead, and other factors that can contribute
to biological and human health risks. The Clean Water Council and local government
representatives must be consulted before the public and stakeholder input process begins.
The initial public and stakeholder input process must be completed by November 15, 2017.
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The public and stakeholder input
process must include, but is not limited to, obtaining input on:
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(1) what additional data or analyses are needed and how the data or analyses can be used
to accomplish and measure progress toward the goal;
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(2) mechanisms to provide assurance, accountability, and cost-benefit measures for
accomplishing progress toward the goal;
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(3) what changes to the Clean Water Legacy Act or other state statutes or agency
programs would be helpful to accelerate and sustain progress toward the goal;
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(4) what local government programs or authorities could be added or modified to
accelerate and sustain progress toward the goal;
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(5) options to prioritize, sequence, and locate multiple-benefit practices, projects, and
infrastructure needed to accelerate and sustain progress toward the goal;
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(6) options to leverage nonstate funding for practices, projects, and infrastructure needed
to accelerate and sustain progress toward the goal;
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(7) how technology and private sector roles or investments could be used to accelerate
and sustain progress toward the goal;
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(8) how to accomplish personal, community, ecological, and economic health objectives
and goals as part of accelerating and sustaining progress toward the water quality
improvement goal; and
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(9) information deemed relevant and useful according to the objectives outlined in
sections 103A.212, 103H.001, and 114D.10 and other related information deemed relevant
and useful by the Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources, the Pollution
Control Agency, the Board of Water and Soil Resources, the Metropolitan Council, the
Public Facilities Authority, and the Environmental Quality Board.
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By December 15, 2017, the cooperating
agencies must jointly submit a report to the governor and the Legislative Water Commission
on the results of the public input process. The report must include any policy and budget
recommendations based on the input received.
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This section is effective the day following final enactment.
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