This bill amends several sections of the Minnesota Statutes to enhance the efficiency of permitting processes for publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities and other environmental permits. Key changes include the introduction of a prepublic review process, which mandates that the Pollution Control Agency (PCA) provide permit applicants with a draft permit and related fact sheets at least 30 days prior to public notice, unless waived by the applicant. Additionally, the public comment period for these permits is extended to a minimum of 60 days, with the possibility of reducing it to 30 days under certain conditions. The bill also establishes a goal for the state to issue or deny tier 2 permits within 210 days of application submission.

Further amendments include the requirement for the PCA to prepare an annual report on permitting efficiency, detailing compliance with established timelines and identifying reasons for any delays. The bill also allows for electronic submission of permit documents and introduces a provision that pauses the 90- or 150-day goal for permit processing if the PCA requests additional information from the applicant. Lastly, the PCA is granted the authority to require air dispersion modeling for certain facilities to assess air contaminants, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of environmental impacts before permit issuance.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 115.542, 116.03, 116.07