A legislative panel approved spending more than $7 million from the Clean Water Fund on a variety of pollution control and water projects.
The Clean Water Fund was one of four funds created when Minnesota voters approved the Legacy amendment in 2008. The fund is used to pay for projects that protect, enhance or restore the state’s surface, ground and drinking water resources.
The House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division approved HF4311 Thursday and referred it to the House Legacy Finance Division. There is no Senate companion.
[WATCH Division debate on the bill ]
Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul) sponsors the bill that contains $7.18 million from the Clean Water Fund for fiscal year 2021, including:
Hansen said the money is usually appropriated on a biennial basis, but the Clean Water Council recommended last year that “we use the remainder.”
A 2019 law calls for $261.26 million in spending from the fund, including allocations to the Pollution Control Agency ($46.5 million); Department of Agriculture ($21.7 million); DNR ($18.6 million); Public Facilities Authority ($18.3 million); and Department of Health ($13 million).