Clean Water Council Legislative Update: 28 Feb 2023

Minnesota Clean Water Council sent this bulletin at 02/28/2023 07:00 AM CST

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Minnesota Clean Water Council

Highlights

Capitol

A LOT of water-related bills are being heard this week as the Legislature approaches its first policy committee deadline on Friday, March 10th. See below. 

The February budget forecast that the Legislature uses to "lock in" budget targets for the FY24-25 budget was released Monday, February 27th. Despite recent legislation to use inflation for both revenue and expenditures that could have reduced the surplus, it appears that additional revenues are anticipated over the November 2022 forecast. The result is a $17.5 billion surplus--which is the same amount projected in November. It breaks down as $12.5 million in "carry forward" (in effect, one-time money), and $5 billion in a "structural surplus" that could be used for ongoing new spending and/or tax reductions. 

Sales tax revenues (which affect the Clean Water Fund) are projected to be $26 million lower. This is a negligible change since the Clean Water Fund is less than two percent of all sales tax revenues. 

Check out the forecast documents here.

Bill Introductions & Upcoming Hearings

Bill Introductions

Bill Introductions

SF2068/HF1389: Advisory Council on Water Supply Systems and Wastewater Treatment Facilities reestablishment

SF2115/HF2075: Legacy; dedicated funding website maintenance funding provided, and money appropriated [This is likely a "vehicle bill" that will be amended later to become the omnibus Legacy Finance bill]

SF2119/HF1467: Coordination, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of environmental review improvement and permitting process for metallic mineral mining projects

SF2159/HF2004: Relating to metropolitan government; clarifying application of environmental review statutes to regional and local comprehensive land use planning

SF2190/HF714: Appropriation for $3 million from the Clean Water Fund for RIM easements for water storage

SF2191/HF1390: Appropriating money to develop a statewide drinking water safety action plan

SF2192/HF1394: Upper Mississippi River basin funding provided to protect lakes and acquire forest lands, report required, and money appropriated.

SF2205/HF68: Per diems increased for boards, councils, and commissions. [Includes Clean Water Council]

HF 2186, A bill for an act relating to capital investment; appropriating money for the water quality and storage program, working floodplains easements, and working grasslands easements; authorizing the sale and issuance of state bonds.

HF 2193, A bill for an act relating to water; appropriating money for scope of work for a plan to promote and protect clean water in Minnesota for the next 50 years.

Hearings This Week

Monday, February 27, 1:00 PM House Capital Investment

  • HF 24 (Jordan) Authority modified to ensure safe drinking water, drinking water revolving fund provisions modified, grant program established to replace lead drinking water service lines, grant program established for mapping lead service lines, report required, and money appropriated.

Monday, February 27, 3:30 p.m. House Ways and Means

  • HF669 (Lee, F) Safe routes to school grant program funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated. (Pending referral from Capital Investment) [This is one of the two omnibus capital investment bills]
  • HF670 (Lee, F) Library construction grant program funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated. (Pending referral from Capital Investment) [This is one of the two omnibus capital investment bills]

Tuesday, February 28, 1:00 PM House Taxes

  • HF1938 (Gomez) [Appears to be the Governor's tax proposals, which includes funding for soil and water conservation districts]

Tuesday, February 28, 1:00 PM House Agriculture Finance and Policy

  • H.F. 1492 (Klevorn) University of Minnesota; Forever Green Initiative funding provided, and money appropriated.
  • H.F. 1645 (Brand) Continuous living cover crops and cropping systems funding provided, and money appropriated.
  • H.F. 1314 (Pursell) Carbon storage contract provisions prohibited.
  • H.F. 1316 (Pursell) Soil health financial assistance program established, pilot program modified, and money appropriated.

Tuesday, February 28, 3:00 PM House Environment & Natural Resources Finance & Policy

Wednesday, March 1, 1:00 PM House Taxes

  • HF1938 (Gomez) [Appears to be the Governor's tax proposals, which includes funding for soil and water conservation districts]

Wednesday, March 1, 3:00 PM House Environment & Natural Resources Finance & Policy

  • HF955 (Hansen) Financial assurance required for feedlot permits, inventories and reports required, and money appropriated. 

Wednesday, March 1, 6:00 PM House Health Finance and Policy

  • HF1356 (Jordan): Definitions for regulation of safe drinking water added.

Thursday, March 2 - 3:00 PM Senate Committee on Environment, Climate, and Legacy

  • The History and Effects of PFAS Pollution and Strategies to Address It
  • S.F. 776-Seeberger: Firefighting foam use prohibition.
  • S.F. 450-Gustafson: Products containing PFAS notice requirement.
  • S.F. 834-Morrison: PFAS in certain products prohibition.

Hearings Last Week

Monday, February 20, 1:00 p.m. House Capital Investment

  • Mark up and vote on: HF 669 (Lee, F.) Safe routes to school grant program funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated. HF 670 (Lee, F.) Library construction grant program funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated. [These bills have been amended to become two House omnibus capital investment bills.]

Tuesday, February 21, 10:20 AM House Rules and Legislative Administration

  • 3. Re-referral of Governor’s budget bills HF1999: Legacy (Lillie) HF2073

Tuesday, February 21 - 3:00 PM House Committee on Environment, Climate, and Legacy

  • S.F. 1608-Weber: Watershed district general fund levy maximum amount increase.

Tuesday, February 21, 3:00 PM House Environment & Natural Resources Finance & Policy

  • HF1498 (Pursell) Wetland banking rulemaking requirements modified.
  • HF1421 (Hansen) Petroleum tank release cleanup program duties specified and report required.
  • HF1283 (Hansen) Environment; PFAS-related rulemaking required.