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Environment and Natural Resources Policy

TWENTY FIFTH MEETING

2013-2014 Regular Session - Wednesday, March 19, 2014

STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY FIFTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 88TH SESSION

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES POLICY COMMITTEE

MINUTES

Representative David Dill, Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Policy Committee, called the twenty fifth meeting to order at 4:05 p.m., on March19, 2014, in Room 200 of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:

Dill, Chair
Fischer, Vice Chair
Benson, J.
Cornish
Fabian
Green
Hackbarth
Hansen
Isaacson
Johnson, C.
McNamara
Persell
Uglem
Wagenius
Ward, JoAnn
Yarusso

A quorum was present.

Representative Yarusso moved approval of the March 18, 2014, minutes.

MOTION PREVAILED

Chair moved HF2439 - dedicating unclaimed lottery prize money for acquisition of certain school trust lands – before committee and recommended it be re-referred to the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Committee.

Speaking relative to HF 2439 included: Aaron VanDeLinde,School Trust Land Administrator, MN Department of Natural Resources; Denise Dittrich, MN School Boards Association; Isis Stark, The Nature Conservancy; and Don Arnosti, Audubon Minnesota.

Chair renewed his motion that HF 2439 be re-referred to the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Committee.
MOTION PREVAILED

Chair moved HF 2564 – establishing statewide source reduction goal; expanding definition of recycling; requiring recycling in certain sports facilities and commercial buildings – before the committee and recommended it be re-referred to the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Committee.

Chair moved amendment to HF 2564.
MOTION PREVAILED

Speaking relative to HF 2564 included: Trudy Richter, Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board; Tim Brownell, Eureka Recycling; Bill Huepenbecker, St. Paul Arena Company; Kirk Koudelka, MN Pollution Control Agency; John Tuma, Conservation Minnesota; Ginny Black, MN Composting Council; Troy Freihammer, Stearns County Solid Waste Administrator and SWAA President; Tony Kwilas, MN Chamber of Commerce; Doug Carnival, National Waste Management.

Chair renewed his motion that HF 2564, as amended be re-referred to the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Committee.

MOTION PREVAILED

Chair moved HF 3135 – public safety; environment; providing for railroad and pipeline hazardous materials safety and emergency response preparedness; establishing requirements related to preparedness – before committee and recommended it be re-referred to the Transportation Finance Committee.

Chair moved the
H3135A2 amendment to HF 3135.

MOTION PREVAILED

Representative McNamara moved that HF 3135 be amended as follows:

Page 3, line 24 reinstate the deleted language “Within eight hours of a discharge,”

MOTION PREVAILED

Courtney Nelson, Legislative Coordinator, MN Pollution Control Agency and Dave Brown of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, spoke relative to HF 3135.

Chair renewed his motion that HF 3135, as amended, be re-referred to the Transportation Finance Committee.
MOTION PREVAILED

Chair moved HF 2528 – requiring groundwater management area advisory teams and approval of groundwater management area plans required – before the committee and recommended it be re-referred to Government Operations Committee.

Chair moved the H2528DE1 amendment to HF 2528.
MOTION PREVAILED

Speaking relative to HF 2528 included: Brian Bear, Hugo City Administrator; Craig Johnson, League of MN Cities; Bob Meier, MN Department of Natural Resources; Steve Hirsch, Ecological Water Resources Division, MN Department of Natural Resources; Bob Hammond, Soudan, MN; John Lenczewski, MN Trout Anglers.

Chair renewed his motion that HF 2528, as amended, be referred to the Government Operations Committee.

MOTION PREVAILED

Division requested. Being 8 Ayes; 5 Nays the motion prevailed.

Representative Johnson, C. Moved SF 663 before committee and recommended it be re-referred to the Government Operations Committee.

Representative Johnson, C. moved the S0663A1 amendment to SF 663.

MOTION PREVAILED

Representative Johnson, C. moved that SF 663, as amended, be re-referred to the Government Operations Committee.
MOTION PREVAILED

Chair called for a 5 minute recess at 6:50 p.m.

Chair reconvened the meeting at 6:55 p.m.

Representative Hansen moved HF 2622 – abolishing the privatization of water or wastewater treatment law – and recommended it be re-referred to the General Register.

Annalee Garletz, Association of MN Counties, commented on HF 2622.

Representative Hansen renewed his motion to re-refer HF 2622 to the General Register.

MOTION PREVAILED

Representative Hansen moved HF 2780 – establishing a shooting sports facility grant program – before the committee and recommended it be re-referred to the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Committee.

Chair moved to amend HF 2780 as follows:

Page 1 line 1.3 after “proposing” insert “trap”

Page 1 line 1.6 after “87A.10” insert “TRAP”

Page 1 line 1.8 after “recreational” insert “trap”

Page 1 line 1.9 after “rehabilitating” insert “trap”

Page , line 11 after the period insert “The commissioner shall give preference to projects that will provide the most opportunities for youth.”

Page 1 line 1.13 delete “$2,000,000” insert “$100,000”

Page 1 line 1.13 delete “game and fish” fund insert “general”

Page 1 line 1.14 after “for” insert “trap”
MOTION PREVAILED

Speaking on behalf of HF 2780 included: Gary Bosek, Minnesota Conservation Federation; Jim Bezat, MOHA; Michael Gerster, Legislative Director, Oakdale Gun Club.

Representative Hansen renewed his motion that HF 2780, as amended, be re-referred to the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Committee.

MOTION PREVAILED

Representative Fischer moved HF 2109 – requiring conservation rate structure under certain conditions – before the committee and recommended it be re-referred to the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Finance Committee.

Representative Fischer moved the H2109DE2, the delete everything amendment, to HF 2109.
MOTION PREVAILED

Representative Wagenius moved the A14-0941 amendment to H2109DE2, the delete everything amendment.

After discussion, Representative Wagenius withdrew her amendment.

Representative Fischer moved to amend the H2109DE2 delete everything amendment as follows:

Page 3 delete Section 2
MOTION PREVAILED

Representative Wagenius moved to amend the H2109DE2 delete everything amendment as follows:

Page 4 line 4.22 delete “shall” insert “may”
MOTION PREVAILED

Representative Fischer renewed his motion that HF 2109, as amended, be re-referred to the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Committee.

MOTION PREVAILED

Chair moved HF 2631 – prohibiting Department of Natural Resources’ pilots from flying close to hunters, trappers, or anglers; establishing civil penalties – before the committee.

Adam Maves and Charlie Maves explained their experience that brought this suggested bill to the committee. John Bronk and George Bronk, landowners, appeared on behalf of the bill.

Department of Natural Resources Enforcement, Phil Meier, answered questions in regard to the legislation.

Chair laid the bill over.

Meeting adjourned: 8:00 p.m.



______________________________________
DAVID DILL, CHAIR



______________________________________
Joan Harrison, Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..
Bills Added:
  • HF2439 (Sawatzky) - Unclaimed lottery prize money dedicated for acquisition of school trust lands, condemnation of school trust lands to be acquired provided, and money appropriated.
  • HF2109 (Fischer) - Water use permit provisions modified, pilot program created to encourage water conservation, and money appropriated.
  • HF2528 (Runbeck) - Groundwater management area advisory teams and approval of groundwater management area plans required.
  • HF2564 (Hornstein) - Statewide solid waste source reduction goal established, recycling definition expanded, recycling required in sports facilities and commercial buildings, metropolitan area county recycling goals amended, and money appropriated.
  • HF3135 (Hornstein) - Railroad and pipeline hazardous material safety and emergency response preparedness provided, and preparedness requirements established.
  • HF2780 (Dill) - Shooting sports facility grant program established, and money appropriated.
  • SF663 (Johnson) - State agency resource recovery provisions changed.
  • HF2631 (Drazkowski) - Natural Resources Department pilots prohibited from flying close to hunters, trappers, or anglers.
  • HF2622 (Hansen) - Water or wastewater treatment law privatization abolished.