This bill focuses on enhancing Minnesota's water infrastructure funding programs by making significant amendments to existing statutes and establishing a new grant program for emerging contaminants. Key changes include increasing the maximum grant amounts for governmental units receiving funding from the USDA/RECD and the clean water revolving fund from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000 per project or $20,000 per existing connection. Additionally, the bill raises the maximum grant amount for the point source implementation grants program from $7,000,000 to $12,000,000. A new section is introduced to create an emerging contaminants grant program, which will provide funding for drinking water infrastructure projects addressing health advisory exceedances for emerging contaminants, with grants covering up to 80% of project costs.

The bill appropriates a total of $299,000,000 from the bond proceeds fund for various water infrastructure initiatives, including $18,000,000 specifically for the emerging contaminants grant program. It also allocates funds to match federal grants for the clean water and drinking water revolving funds, as well as for grants to municipalities under the water infrastructure funding and point source implementation grants programs. To finance these appropriations, the commissioner of management and budget is authorized to sell and issue state bonds up to the total amount appropriated. The provisions of this bill are set to take effect the day following its final enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 446A.072, 446A.073