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116.182 Financial assistance program.

Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section, the terms defined in this subdivision have the meanings given them.

(b) "Agency" means the Pollution Control Agency.

(c) "Authority" means the Public Facilities Authority established in section 446A.03.

(d) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the pollution control agency.

(e) "Essential project components" means those components of a wastewater disposal system that are necessary to convey or treat a municipality's existing wastewater flows and loadings.

(f) "Municipality" means a county, home rule charter or statutory city, town, the Metropolitan Council, an Indian tribe or an authorized Indian tribal organization; or any other governmental subdivision of the state responsible by law for the prevention, control, and abatement of water pollution in any area of the state.

(g) "Outstanding international resource value waters" are the surface waters of the state in the Lake Superior Basin, other than Class 7 waters and those waters designated as outstanding resource value waters.

(h) "Outstanding resource value waters" are those that have high water quality, wilderness characteristics, unique scientific or ecological significance, exceptional recreation value, or other special qualities that warrant special protection.

Subd. 2. Applicability. This section governs the commissioner's certification of projects seeking financial assistance under section 103F.725, subdivision 1a; 446A.07; 446A.072; or 446A.073.

Subd. 3. Project review. The commissioner shall review a municipality's proposed project to determine whether it meets the criteria in this section and the rules adopted under this section. The review must include a determination of the essential project components for wastewater treatment projects.

Subd. 3a. Notification of other government units. In addition to other applicable statutes or rules that are required to receive financial assistance consistent with this subdivision, the commissioner may not approve or certify a project to the Public Facilities Authority for wastewater financial assistance unless the following requirements are met:

(1) prior to the initiation of the public facilities planning process for a new wastewater treatment system, the project proposer gives written notice to all municipalities within ten miles of the proposed project service area, including the county in which the project is located, the Office of Strategic and Long-Range Planning, and the Pollution Control Agency. The notice shall state the proposer's intent to begin the facilities planning process and provide a description of the need for the proposed project. The notice also shall request a response within 30 days of the notice date from all government units who wish to receive and comment on the future facilities plan for the proposed project;

(2) during development of the facility plan's analysis of service alternatives, the project proposer must request information from all municipalities and sanitary districts which have existing systems that have current capacity to meet the proposer's needs or can be upgraded to meet those needs. At a minimum, the proposer must notify in writing those municipalities and sanitary districts whose corporate limits or boundaries are within three miles of the proposed project's service area;

(3) 60 days prior to the municipality's public hearing on the facilities plan, a copy of the draft facilities plan and notice of the public hearing on the facilities plan must be given to the local government units who previously expressed interest in the proposed project under clause (1);

(4) for a proposed project located or proposed to be located outside the corporate limits of a city, the affected county has certified to the agency that the proposed project is consistent with the applicable county comprehensive plan and zoning and subdivision regulations; and

(5) copies of the notifications required under clauses (1) and (2), as well as the certification from the county and a summary of the comments received, must be included by the municipality in the submission of its facilities plan to the Pollution Control Agency, along with other required items as specified in the agency's rules.

This subdivision does not apply to the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District or the Metropolitan Council.

Subd. 4. Certification of approved projects. The commissioner shall certify to the authority each approved project, including for wastewater treatment projects a statement of the essential project components and associated costs.

Subd. 5. Rules. The agency shall adopt rules for the administration of the financial assistance program. For wastewater treatment projects, the rules must include:

(1) application requirements;

(2) criteria for the ranking of projects in order of priority based on factors including the type of project and the degree of environmental impact, and scenic and wild river standards; and

(3) criteria for determining essential project components.

Subd. 6. Transfer of funds. As the projects in the programs specified under section 116.18, except the program under subdivision 3c of that section, are completed, any amounts remaining from appropriations for the programs are appropriated to the authority for the wastewater infrastructure funding program in section 446A.072, provided this use of the funds does not violate applicable provisions of any bond or note resolutions, indentures, or other instruments, contracts, or agreements associated with the source of the funds.

HIST: 1992 c 601 s 10; 1994 c 628 art 3 s 9; 1994 c 632 art 2 s 32-35; 1996 c 463 s 60; 1998 c 404 s 39,40; 1999 c 86 art 1 s 24; 2000 c 492 art 1 s 44; 2005 c 20 art 1 s 32

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Revisor of Statutes