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Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division

TWENTY-THIRD MEETING

2009-2010 Regular Session - Thursday, April 2, 2009

STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY-THIRD MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-SEVENTH SESSION

HOUSE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES FINANCE DIVISION

MINUTES


Chair Wagenius called the meeting to order at 8:34 A.M. on April 2, 2009 in Room 5 of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Committee members present:
Anderson, Sarah
Anzelc, Tom
Carlson, Lyndon (ex-officio)
Clark, Karen
Dill, David
Doty, Al
Gunther, Bob
Hackbarth, Tom
Hamilton, Rod
Hansen, Rick
Hortman, Melissa
Knuth, Kate
Lillie, Leon
McNamara, Denny
Persell, John (Vice-Chair)
Scalze, Bev
Torkelson, Paul
Wagenius, Jean (Chair)

(Informational Hearing) HF424 Hansen, Critical Areas Act of 1973 modified.

Craig Johnson of the League of Minnesota Cities testified.

A quorum was present at 8:42.

Gregory Page, Director of Special Projects for the St. Paul Riverfront Corporation, testified.

Richard Townsend-Anderson, Vice Chair, River Community Coalition, testified.


HF2117 Sterner, Waste management reporting requirements changed, work group created, and report required.

Chair Wagenius moved the bill.

Representative Wagenius moved an oral amendment as follows: line 2.11, change "abbreviate" to "abbreviated", and also to make the bill effective the date following final enactment. The motion prevailed and the amendment is adopted.

Annalee Garletz of the Association of Minnesota Counties testified.

HF2117 was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus finance bill.


HF250 Knuth, Children's health protected from toxic chemicals in products, disclosure required by manufacturers of children's products that contain chemicals of high concern, Department of Health authorized to designate priority chemicals and safer alternative replacement required, interstate clearinghouse participation authorized, and legislative report required.

Representative Knuth moved her bill be recommended to pass and sent to Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance.

Representative Knuth presented her bill.

Kathleen Schuler, Co-Director of Healthy Legacy, testified in support.

Mike Sandusky, Director, Environmental Analysis and Outcomes Division, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), testified in response to questions.

Representative McNamara moved to table the bill and asked for a roll call.

Ayes: Hackbarth, Anderson, McNamara, Torkelson

Nays: Wagenius, Persell, Anzelc, Clark, Doty, Hansen, Knuth, Lillie, Scalze

On a vote of 4 ayes and 9 nays, the motion failed.

Representative Knuth renewed her motion of the bill.

The motion prevailed and HF250 is recommended to pass and re-referred to Finance, with a recommendation for re-referral to Cultural and Outdoor Resources Finance.


HF458 Thissen, Pollution Control Agency required to annually report on regulating and nonregulating mechanisms and regulations to mitigate risk or prevent exposure to chemicals in children's products, and agency required to make annual recommendations to legislature.

Chair Wagenius moved the bill and Representative Thissen presented it.

HF458 was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus finance bill.


The committee recessed at 10:00 A.M.

The committee reconvened at 6:46 P.M.


HF2154 Sailer, Composting competitive grant program established, and money appropriated.

Chair Wagenius moved the bill and the HDA-022 amendment. The motion prevailed and the amendment is adopted.

HF2154 as amended is laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus finance bill.


HF2249 Scalze, Metropolitan regional parks funding provided, money appropriated.

Representative Scalze moved her bill.

Testifying in favor:
Steve Sullivan, Dakota County Parks Director
John VonDeLinde, Anoka County Parks Director
Bo Carlson, Associate Superintendent, Three Rivers Park District

HF2249 was laid over for possible inclusion in the parks and trails funding recommendations.


HF1733 Olin, Water protection rules compliance funding provided, money appropriated.

Chair Wagenius moved the bill.

Lon Aune, Marshall County Engineer, testified in support.

Lisa Thorvig, MPCA Municipal Division Director, testified in response to questions.

Representative Persell moved the 09-3611 amendment and moved to delete lines 1.1-1.5 of the amendment.

Susan Schmidt of the Trust for Public Land testified in support of the amendment.

Bob Meier, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), testified in response to questions.

Representative Persell withdrew his amendment.

HF1733 was laid over for possible inclusion in the clean water funding recommendations.


HF774 Knuth, Greenhouse gas emission registry provided.

Representative Knuth moved her bill.

Alison Wolf of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy testified in support.

Tony Kwilas of the Chamber of Commerce testified in opposition.

HF774 was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus finance bill.


HF2175 Hortman, Metro transit diesel bus idling reduction technology and hybrid bus grant program established.

Representative Hortman moved that her bill be recommended to pass and referred to Finance.

Representative Hortman moved the A09-0356 amendment. The motion prevailed and the amendment is adopted.

The vote was taken on the bill. The motion prevailed and HF2175 as amended is recommended to pass and referred to Finance.


HF1673 Wagenius, Conservation easement management account established, contributions required.

Representative Wagenius moved that HF1673 be recommended to pass and sent to Finance, with a recommendation for re-referral to Cultural and Outdoor Resources Finance.

Representative Wagenius moved the H1673A6 amendment. She incorporated an oral amendment to the amendment as follows: line 1.3, after "delete", insert "that is"; line 1.9, after "permanent", insert "easement". The motion prevailed and the amendment is adopted.

Representative Dill moved the H1673A8 amendment. He incorporated the following oral amendment to his amendment: line 2.3, strike "acquired" and insert "purchased with funds appropriated".

Bob Meier testified.

Representative Dill renewed his motion. The motion prevailed and the A8 amendment is adopted.

Representative Wagenius moved an oral amendment as follows: line 1.16, after "account", insert "For the purposes of this section, land management includes monitoring and enforcement." The motion prevailed and the amendment is adopted.

Testifying on HF1673 as amended:

Brian Rice
Annalee Garletz

Representative Wagenius renewed her motion. The motion prevailed and HF1673 is recommended to pass and referred to Finance, with a recommendation for re-referral to Cultural and Outdoor Resources Finance.


HF2185 Wagenius, Pollution Control Agency required to recover costs for permits and certifications, and project proposer required to pay for costs of preparing environment assessment worksheet.

Representative Wagenius moved and presented her bill.

Testifying on the bill:

Craig Johnson
Mike Robertson, Chamber of Commerce
Jerry Schoenfeld, Minnesota Pork Producers
Lisa Trentle, Builders’ Association of Minnesota
Myrna Halback, Chief Financial Officer, MPCA

HF2185 was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus finance bill.

The committee adjourned at 9:48 P.M.


_____________________________________
Jean Wagenius, Chair

______________________________________
Melissa Hysing, Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..

*The division plans to get through HF424 before recessing at 10 a.m.
HF2175 (Hortman) Metro transit diesel bus idling reduction technology grant program established, money appropriated.
HF2117 (Sterner) Waste management reporting requirements modified.
HF250 (Knuth) Children's health protected from toxic chemicals in products, disclosure required by manufacturers of children's products that contain chemicals of high concern, Pollution Control Agency authorized to designate priority chemicals and safer alternative replacement required, exemption process provided, clearinghouse participation authorized, and legislative reports required.
HF458 (Thissen) Consumer product development and regulation advisory council created, and comprehensive framework established for consumer products that protect, support, and enhance human health, the environment, and economic development, and appointments provided.
HF424 (Hansen) Critical Areas Act of 1973 modified. INFORMATION ONLY
HF2154 (Sailer