Minnesota Session Laws - 2026 Regular Session
Key: (1) language to be deleted (2) new language
CHAPTER 79--H.F.No. 4224
An act
relating to environment; modifying notice requirements for water discharges;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 115.061.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 115.061, is amended to read:
115.061 DUTY TO NOTIFY; AVOIDING WATER POLLUTION.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), it is the duty of every person to notify the agency immediately of the discharge, accidental or otherwise, of any substance or material under its control which, if not recovered, may cause pollution of waters of the state, and the responsible person shall recover as rapidly and as thoroughly as possible such substance or material and take immediately such other action as may be reasonably possible to minimize or abate pollution of waters of the state caused thereby.
(b) Notification is not required under paragraph (a) for a discharge of five gallons or less of petroleum, as defined in section 115C.02, subdivision 10. This paragraph does not affect the other requirements of paragraph (a).
(c) Promptly after notifying the agency of a discharge under paragraph (a), a publicly owned treatment works or a publicly or privately owned domestic sewer system owner must provide noticenew text begin of the dischargenew text end to deleted text begin thedeleted text end potentially impactednew text begin downstream users, including thenew text end publicnew text begin , Tribal governments,new text end and deleted text begin to any downstreamdeleted text end drinking water deleted text begin facility that may be impacted by the dischargedeleted text end new text begin facilitiesnew text end . Notice deleted text begin to the public and to any drinking water facilitydeleted text end must be made using the most efficient communications system available to the facility owner such as in person, telephone call, radio, social media, web page, or another expedited form. In addition, signage must be posted at all impacted public use areas within the same jurisdiction or notification must be provided to the entity that has jurisdiction over any impacted public use areas. A notice under this paragraph must include the date and time of the discharge, a description of the material released, a warning of the potential public health risk, and the permittee's contact information.
(d) The agency must provide guidance that includes but is not limited to methods and protocols for providing timely notice under this section.
Presented to the governor May 6, 2026
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes