ERMUSR HANDOUT#1 05-10-10-2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Bill Removing City Well Authority Does Not Advance ~. o ~~ ~~~ ~ ~o I ~~~ ~ Page I of 2 :-r ~, ;a ci.n~ Bill Removing City Well Authority Does Not Advance Senate author requests that the environment committee set the bill aside rather than attempt to move it forward. (Published May 4, 2011) Proposed legislation would allow property owners to sink their own wells within city limits to circumvent paying for public water. The bill would limit city authority to covering only public wells. The blll, SF 64 (Link m: https'://www.revisor.nm.gnv/revis'or/pages Lsea~eh_.vlancvLclarus_demil.php?b=Sena[e&f=5F0064&~~.vn=0&y=?O~U ~50n. Mike Jungbauer rc,nk~o: Inrp:Uvs~~~.,~~„are.reg.,~«ne.~~,~~.,~.cenen~ner.~i,,,~,nber_n,o.php~reg_~a=io~9h~ , R-East Bethel), had a turbulent week. It was initially scheduled for a hearing on April 26 in the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee (Link m: hitp://wwwsenatelegsm[e.rnn.us/rnrnmi!lees/comminee_bin.php?cnve_id=[0068/s=), but was removed from the agenda. The author then had the bill removed from that committee through a motion on the Senate floor on April 28. It was reassigned to the Senate Local Government and Eleet10I15 Commtttee (Link m: hlrp://wwwsenateleg..elale~nn.ue'/mmmineee'/comnti(~ee_bio.php?cm[e_id=307&Is J, Wh1Ch immediately scheduled a hearing for Apri129 to hear the bill. Sen. Jungbauer had informed the League of his plan to move the bill to that committee, but having it appear to be heard less than 24 hours later was not expected. Fortunately, a number of city officials and others representing city water utilities were able to make the quick change to their schedules to be able to attend. The League, the Minnesota Rural Water Association, the Minnesota Municipal Utility Association, and the cities of Rochester, Minneapolis, and Bartell were all present and signed up to testify. At the end of the League's testimony, however, Sen. Jungbauer announced his reluctance to bring the bill to a vote without significant further discussion, given what he saw as reasonable concerns raised by opponents of the bill. Some additional testimony was taken from the Rochester Utilities and Rural Water representatives, and the bill was set aside without a vote. The bill, as it was amended in that committee, is reduced to a single sentence that removes city authority to regulate the construction or use of private wells It is intended to allow well drillers to operate in cities with no need for any local approval, permit, or restriction. Since the amendment is not yet reflected on the legislative web site, the bill now is worded as follows: "A home rule charter city or statutory city cannot regulate the construction or use of private wells." While the bill itself will no longer be moving ahead this session, the potential for the language to be attached to other bills as an amendment still exists. The League will watch for those attempts and will oppose legislation that has any such language added to it. The House companion bil I is HF 135 u.n,k ~~~ hnps://www.revisor.inn.gov/revisor/pngrsLce<n'ch_wrnushTan~s,defni(.plip?6=Hmae&(=HF[35&ssn=0&~~=20//l, authored by RCp. TOm Hackbarth (Link to /vtp://www]meae.[egs(n(e.mn. ushnem6ers/me~ubers. orp?leg_id=/0129) ~R-Cedar. City need for authority Well drillers have increasingly been seeking business within city limits as development of housing http://www.lme.org/page/ 1 /wells. j sp 5/4/2011