MN HF3940

$750,000 appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2019 to the Minnesota State University Water Resource Center to convene a technical stakeholder group designing a comprehensive nutrient reduction strategy for point and nonpoint sources in the Minnesota River basin.

Stakeholder group must submit a workplan and budget by September 15, 2018, and strategy details with recommendations for plan administration by December 15, 2019, to legislative committees with environment and natural resources jurisdiction.

Strategy must include a voluntary trading program between point and nonpoint sources addressing water quality standards for nutrients, review local water management plans, and identify obstacles to trading in the basin while recommending actions to enhance trading opportunities.

Pollution Control Agency commissioner must use existing authority under federal and state law to ensure permit holders in the Minnesota River basin are not required to spend funds solely to comply with water-quality-based effluent limits derived from river eutrophication standards until the legislative session following the strategy report's submission.