Bill Text: MN HF684 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Clean water funding provided, and money appropriated to protect water supplies and lakes in the northeast Twin Cities area.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-05-12 - Author added Bernardy [HF684 Detail]

Download: Minnesota-2013-HF684-Introduced.html

1.1A bill for an act
1.2relating to natural resources; appropriating money from the clean water fund to
1.3protect water supplies and lakes in the northeast Twin Cities metropolitan area.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5    Section 1. PROTECTING WATER SUPPLIES AND LAKES IN THE
1.6NORTHEAST TWIN CITIES METROPOLITAN AREA; APPROPRIATIONS.
1.7    Subdivision 1. Northeast metropolitan area groundwater and surface water
1.8interaction; data collection and analysis. $500,000 in fiscal year 2014 is appropriated
1.9from the clean water fund to the Metropolitan Council for a fiscal agreement with the United
1.10States Geological Survey to investigate groundwater and surface water interaction in and
1.11around White Bear Lake and surrounding northeast metropolitan lakes, including seepage
1.12rate determinations, water quality of groundwater and surface water, isotope analyses,
1.13lake level analyses, water balance determination, and creation of a calibrated groundwater
1.14flow model. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2016.
1.15    Subd. 2. Engineering feasibility assessment and recommendation. $1,000,000 in
1.16fiscal year 2014 is appropriated from the clean water fund to the Metropolitan Council
1.17to identify potential solutions to the issue of declining lake levels in White Bear Lake
1.18and surrounding northeast metropolitan lakes. The council shall contract with a private
1.19engineering firm to conduct an engineering feasibility study to identify costs and benefits,
1.20including capital and operations and maintenance costs, technical feasibility, and financial
1.21feasibility of potential solutions. The United States Geological Survey shall conduct
1.22groundwater optimization modeling as part of the engineering feasibility assessment. The
1.23engineering feasibility assessment study final product must include recommendations
2.1from the private engineering firm. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until
2.2June 30, 2016.
2.3    Subd. 3. Reports. By November 15, 2015, the Metropolitan Council shall report
2.4on its progress to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees
2.5with jurisdiction over environment and natural resources policy and finance and provide
2.6a final report by July 15, 2016.
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