Work begins on $787 million omnibus environment finance bill

A delete-all amendment, which has not yet been taken up, would put HF846 in the shape the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Denny McNamara (R-Hastings) would like. However, the meeting was dedicated to a walk-through of the spreadsheet listing the appropriations in the bill by House Fiscal Analyst Brad Hagemeier.  

Three agencies would receive the bulk of the proposed funding in the upcoming biennium. The Department of Natural Resources would get $264.2 million in Fiscal Year 2016 and $267.4 million in FY 2017, while the Pollution Control Agency ($92.7 million/$91.9 million) and the Board of Water and Soil Resources ($14.2 million/$14.4 million) would each receive a large share as well.

The bill also contains several controversial provisions that have sparked a heated discussion, at times, during previous meetings. These include proposed changes to the PCA’s powers, and those of its Citizens’ Board; a delay in new sulfate standards for waters containing wild rice; and the repeal of a law requiring many Minnesota boaters to display decals certifying their knowledge about aquatic invasive species that is due to take effect July 1, 2015.

McNamara acknowledged there will likely be amendments to try to change some of these policies, and outlined the path he expects the bill to follow in the days ahead.

The committee will not meet this afternoon, but resume consideration of the bill Wednesday morning at its regular 8:15 meeting time, when testimony is due to begin. It is then expected to reconvene Wednesday afternoon and may begin to consider amendments that evening if public testimony wraps up.

The companion, SF1305, sponsored by Sen. Dan Sparks (DFL-Austin), awaits action by the Senate Jobs, Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.

What would HF846 do?

The bill includes measures that would:

• require a feasibility study to examine if state should take over some wetlands permitting authority from the Environmental Protection Agency;
• repeal a law that would require people transporting boats and other water-related equipment in Minnesota to display a decal proving they’ve completed an aquatic invasive species training course;
• obtain cost estimates for augmenting water levels in White Bear Lake with water from Sucker Lake;
• create accounts to cover the costs of managing DNR conservation easements;
• prohibit the Pollution Control Agency from listing waters containing natural beds of wild rice for sulfate until the agency designates waters subject to the rulemaking process;
• lower the registration fee for snowmobiles with an engine displacement 125-cubic centimeters or less;
• allow ATV riders between the ages of 12 to 15 to ride on public roads or streets to access a business in counties or cities that permit that by ordinance;
• extinguish the school trust interest in lands that are not generating long-term economic return;
• modify the Wetlands Conservation Act;
• require legislative approval of new water quality standards with a financial impact over $5 million for a single project and $50 million for multiple permittees;
• require an independent review of certain water quality standards by people not working for the PCA;
• eliminate much of the decision-making authority currently held by the Pollution Control Agency’s Citizens’ Board;
• require local government approval before a new solid waste disposal facility permit is issued;
• exempt a private truck wash operated as part of a livestock farm or animal feedlot from certain permits issued by PCA; and
• prohibit the manufacture and sale of some products containing plastic microbeads.

What’s in the bill?

The following are selected bills that have been incorporated in part or in whole into the omnibus environment bill:

• HF184 (Drazkowski)
• HF616 (Fabian)
• HF617 (Fabian)
• HF624 (Dill)
• HF668 (Newberger)
• HF690 (Fabian)
• HF834 (Uglem)
• HF1000 (Melin)
• HF1096 (Lueck)
• HF1161 (Fabian)
• HF1328 (McNamara)
• HF1329 (McNamara)
• HF1394 (Fabian)
• HF1489 (Hancock)
• HF1557 (Dean)