MN HF1781

Appropriates $110,160,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $109,955,000 in fiscal year 2017 from the clean water fund to multiple state agencies for water quality protection and restoration projects.

Establishes a comprehensive watershed management planning program under Minnesota Statutes chapter 103B to align local water planning on watershed boundaries using science-based approaches.

Adds "soil health" definition to statute emphasizing water infiltration, organic matter, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration capacity of soil.

Modifies Clean Water Council membership to reduce voting members from 19 to 17 and add representatives from Board of Regents of University of Minnesota and Metropolitan Council as nonvoting members.

Modifies soil and water conservation district contracting authority to allow cost-share funding for nonstructural land management practices and adds state technical training and certification program requirements.