The bill amends several sections of the Minnesota Statutes to enhance permitting efficiency for publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities and environmental permits. Key changes include the introduction of a prepublic review process, which mandates that the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency 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 a reduction to 30 days under specific 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 clarify the goals for environmental and resource management permits, aiming for a 90-day issuance for tier 1 permits and 150 days for tier 2 permits. The bill requires the commissioner to prepare an annual report on permitting efficiency, detailing reasons for any delays and assessing the need for program changes. New provisions allow for electronic submission of documents and outline the process for notifying applicants about the completeness of their applications. Additionally, the Pollution Control Agency is granted authority to require air dispersion modeling for certain facilities to better assess environmental impacts.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 115.542, 116.03, 116.07