5.2. ERMUSR 09-08-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Wild Rice Water Quality Standards. Until the MPCA completes rulemaking for new sulfate standards to protect wild rice and develops criteria for identifying wild rice waters,the application of Minnesota's wild rice water quality standard is limited. When issuing,modifying or renewing NPDES/SDS permits, the MPCA shall not require permittees to spend money on sulfate treatment technologies or sulfate mitigation,but sulfate minimization plans may be required. The MPCA shall not list waters containing wild rice as impaired. Rulemaking is required to be completed by January 2018, after which permits can be reopened to include limits reflecting the new sulfate standards. (HF 1000-Melin/SF 1007-Tomassoni included similar provisions) Effective date: July 1, 2015 LEGACY BILL 2015 First Special Session Laws Chapter 2 HF 5 Rep. Dean Urdahl(R-Grove City) *SF 1 Sen. Dick Cohen(DFL-St. Paul) This bill includes appropriations from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, Clean Water Fund, Parks and Trails Fund, and Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (which are generated by the 3/8 cents sales tax authorized in the 2008 Legacy Amendment). Appropriations out of the Clean Water Fund of interest to MMUA include: Public Facilities Authority: • $9 million/year for the Point Source Implementation Grant Program • $250,000/year for the Small Communities Wastewater Treatment Grant Program Pollution Control Agency: • $8,350,000/year for statewide assessments of surface water quality and trends • $9,795,000/year for watershed restoration protection strategies, including total maximum daily load(TMDL) studies and implementation plans • $275,000/year for stormwater research • $1,150,000/year for TMDL research and database development • $900,000/year for national pollutant discharge elimination system wastewater and stormwater TMDL implementation efforts • $3,623,000/year for enhancing county level subsurface sewage treatment systems • $275,000/year for stormwater best practices evaluation Board of Water and Soil Resources: • $4,875,000/year for grants to local units of government organized for water management in a watershed or subwatershed. Eligible uses for the grants include riparian buffers,rain gardens, stormwater capture, enforcement, and shore stabilization. • $2.5 million/year for grants to local units of government for compliance with riparian buffer requirements • $4,875,000/year for restoration or preservation of riparian buffers • $750,000/year for community partner grants to local units of government for: 126