2004 Minnesota Statutes

     116G.15 Mississippi River critical area. 

    (a) The federal Mississippi National River and Recreation 
 Area established pursuant to United States Code, title 16, 
 section 460zz-2(k), is designated an area of critical concern in 
 accordance with this chapter.  The governor shall review the 
 existing Mississippi River critical area plan and specify any 
 additional standards and guidelines to affected communities in 
 accordance with section 116G.06, subdivision 2, paragraph (b), 
 clauses (3) and (4), needed to insure preservation of the area 
 pending the completion of the federal plan. 

    The results of an environmental impact statement prepared 
 under chapter 116D begun before and completed after July 1, 
 1994, for a proposed project that is located in the Mississippi 
 River critical area north of the United States Army Corps of 
 Engineers Lock and Dam Number One must be submitted in a report 
 to the chairs of the environment and natural resources policy 
 and finance committees of the house of representatives and the 
 senate prior to the issuance of any state or local permits and 
 the authorization for an issuance of any bonds for the project.  
 A report made under this paragraph shall be submitted by the 
 responsible governmental unit that prepared the environmental 
 impact statement, and must list alternatives to the project that 
 are determined by the environmental impact statement to be 
 economically less expensive and environmentally superior to the 
 proposed project and identify any legislative actions that may 
 assist in the implementation of environmentally superior 
 alternatives.  This paragraph does not apply to a proposed 
 project to be carried out by the Metropolitan Council or a 
 metropolitan agency as defined in section 473.121. 

    (b) If the results of an environmental impact statement 
 required to be submitted by paragraph (a) indicate that there is 
 an economically less expensive and environmentally superior 
 alternative, then no member agency of the Environmental Quality 
 Board shall issue a permit for the facility that is the subject 
 of the environmental impact statement, other than an 
 economically less expensive and environmentally superior 
 alternative, nor shall any government bonds be issued for the 
 facility, other than an economically less expensive and 
 environmentally superior alternative, until after the 
 legislature has adjourned its regular session sine die in 1996. 

    HIST: 1991 c 303 s 8; 1994 c 639 art 6 s 1; 1995 c 254 art 1 s 
 71