5.2. ERMUSR 09-08-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR SESSION ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE BUDGET BILL HF 846 Rep. Denny McNamara(R-Hastings) Sen. David Tomassoni (DFL-Chisholm) This bill included the budget appropriations of several state agencies, including the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. It also included several policy provisions of interest to MMUA: • To direct the MPCA to consult with a non-state entity to perform a cost analysis of recently adopted and proposed water quality standards on a sampling of 15 cities. The analysis would consider the costs of meeting current standards, the costs of the upgrades to meet new standards, and the incremental improvement in water quality. (Similar provisions were passed in Special Session Chapter 4) • To require MPCA to perform an independent peer review of water quality standards if the standard is: estimated to cost permittees over$50 million in the first five years,uses a new model/methodology, or addresses a controversial issue • To clarify that permittees are not subject to MPCA policies/guidelines if they were not adopted as a rule in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act • To limit the application of wild rice waters sulfate standards. Until rulemaking is completed for new wild rice sulfate standards, permittees would not be required to spend money on sulfate treatment technologies. The MPCA could not list waters as impaired until rulemaking is complete and wild rice waters are identified. (Similar provisions were passed in Special Session Chapter 4) • To exempt utilities from the application fee to cross public lands, so long as the line/cable/conduit is under 100 kilovolts (Similar provisions were passed in Special Session Chapter 4) STATUS: Following the adjournment of the 2015 Regular Session, environmental advocacy groups strongly encouraged the Governor to veto this bill,which he did. MORA SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY HF 874 Rep. Jason Rarick(R-Pine City) SF 829 Sen. Tony Lourey(DFL-Kerrick) To provide the City of Mora with a sales tax exemption for materials and supplies used in the construction of its wastewater treatment facility. If the tax was paid by a contractor, the City could submit cost records to the Department of Revenue for a refund. STATUS: HF 874 received a hearing in the House Tax Committee. SF 829 did not receive a hearing. The language was included in the House omnibus tax bill(HF 848),but the 2015 Legislative Session concluded without the passage of a tax bill. *This legislation is also noted in the Tax/Local Governance section. 147