MN HF2528

Commissioner of Natural Resources may designate groundwater management areas to limit total annual water appropriations and uses to ensure sustainable groundwater management and protect ecosystems and water quality.

Groundwater management area plans must be approved by an advisory team before the commissioner can implement them.

Advisory teams must be assembled when designating a groundwater management area, with local units of government comprising half the membership selected by the League of Minnesota Cities, Association of Minnesota Counties, and Minnesota Association of Townships.

The other half of advisory team members shall include representatives from water permit holders, Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Control Agency, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, and Metropolitan Council if applicable; may also include nonvoting members from University of Minnesota, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and federal agencies.

Permit requirements for water users under 10,000 gallons per day cannot be implemented unless included in an approved groundwater management area plan.

Effective retroactively from January 1, 2013, and applies to all groundwater management areas designated or to be designated in the state.