MN HF1920

Amends Minnesota statutes to prioritize clean water fund spending on implementing watershed restoration and protection projects once initial strategies are completed for each major watershed by June 30, 2023.

Requires the Clean Water Council to prioritize funding for restoration projects that coordinate with local authorities, leverage other funding sources, show high potential for early restoration, restore impaired waters closest to meeting water quality standards, and provide public health benefits including drinking water sources.

Mandates that clean water fund recipients prioritize restoring impaired waters closest to meeting applicable water quality standards or protecting high-quality unimpaired waters before using funds for other purposes, except as required by federal law.

Requires state agencies and organizations requesting clean water fund appropriations to inform the Clean Water Council and relevant legislative committees whether the request is supplanting or substituting previous non-legacy funding for the same purpose.

Establishes that future eligibility for clean water fund money is contingent on recipients satisfying all applicable requirements, with non-compliant recipients listed in annual reports and ineligible for future funding until demonstrating compliance to the legislative auditor.