1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to natural resources; appropriating money to develop statewide plan to 
1.3 	reduce chloride contamination in waters of the state, for training to reduce chloride 
1.4 	contamination, and for feasibility analysis of chloride alternatives and water 
1.5 	softening changes.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. STATEWIDE PLAN TO REDUCE CHLORIDE CONTAMINATION IN 
1.8 	WATERS OF THE STATE; APPROPRIATION.
 1.9 	$....... in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of 
1.10 	the Pollution Control Agency to develop a statewide plan to reduce chloride contamination 
1.11 	in the waters of the state and to require annual reporting of salt use by state agencies and 
1.12 	local governments. The commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency must develop the 
1.13 	plan in consultation with the commissioner of health and the Board of Regents of the 
1.14 	University of Minnesota. This is a onetime appropriation.

1.15 	Sec. 2. TRAINING TO REDUCE CHLORIDE CONTAMINATION IN WATERS 
1.16 	OF THE STATE; APPROPRIATION.
 1.17 	$....... in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of 
1.18 	the Pollution Control Agency to provide training in best practices to reduce chloride 
1.19 	contamination in waters of the state.

2.1 	Sec. 3. CHLORIDE ALTERNATIVES AND WATER SOFTENER ANALYSIS; 
2.2 	APPROPRIATION.
 2.3 	(a) $....... in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the Board of Regents 
2.4 	of the University of Minnesota to perform an analysis of the costs, benefits, and feasibility 
2.5 	of:
2.6 	(1) requiring use of alternatives to chemicals or products currently in use that contribute 
2.7 	to chloride contamination in waters of the state. As part of this analysis, the Board of Regents 
2.8 	must quantify all significant sources of chloride in waters of the state;
2.9 	(2) requiring centralized water softening at drinking water treatment plants;
2.10 	(3) prohibiting sale of water softening systems that do not allow the operator to reduce 
2.11 	the amount of salt used by the softener; and
2.12 	(4) any other potentially viable methods identified by the Board of Regents for reducing 
2.13 	chloride contamination in waters of the state.
2.14 	(b) The appropriation in this section is a onetime appropriation.

2.15 	Sec. 4. REPORTING.
 2.16 	By January 15, 2021, the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency and the Board 
2.17 	of Regents of the University of Minnesota must submit the materials developed under 
2.18 	sections 1 and 3 to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives 
2.19 	and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural resources 
2.20 	policy.