SF2934 Summary

• Appropriates $44.329 million from the environment and natural resources trust fund for fiscal year 2019 across multiple categories including foundational data collection, water resources, technical assistance, invasive species control, renewable energy, land acquisition, and habitat restoration.

• Authorizes issuance of up to $47 million in special appropriation trust fund bonds for wastewater infrastructure grants to towns and cities with populations under 5,000, with $30 million for standard grants and $17 million for supplemental grants.

• Establishes new wastewater grant provisions allowing supplemental awards to ensure combined grant amounts reach at least 50 percent of project costs or reduce annual household costs to three times the Twin Cities metropolitan area average, with local match requirement of 25 percent.

• Creates authority for the state to issue appropriation bonds payable from environment and natural resources trust fund revenues, with terms not exceeding 20 years and investor protections including fixed or variable interest rates.

• Modifies Lake Winona/Lake Agnes management by allowing the Alexandria Lake Area Sanitary District to offset phosphorous loading from lake management activities (carp removal, alum treatment) against wastewater treatment facility requirements through NPDES permit amendments.