This bill addresses environmental regulations related to sulfate water quality standards and the management of reactive mine waste, while also providing additional unemployment insurance benefits for specific workers. It introduces a new program for additional unemployment benefits for individuals laid off from the iron ore mining and explosive manufacturing industries between March 15, 2025, and June 15, 2025. Eligible applicants can receive these benefits until June 19, 2026, provided they meet certain criteria, including having exhausted their regular unemployment benefits. The bill also stipulates that these additional benefits will not affect the unemployment tax rates for employers, with specific exceptions.

In terms of environmental provisions, the bill establishes requirements for the safe storage of reactive mine waste, mandating that mining operations conduct chemical and physical characterizations of mine waste and design storage facilities to comply with water quality standards. It also facilitates the approval process for site-specific sulfate water quality standards, ensuring that applications are deemed complete if they include necessary background information and monitoring data. The bill requires the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency to make determinations on these applications within a specified timeline and mandates the completion of related rulemaking by January 15, 2027. Additionally, it repeals Minnesota Rules, part 6132.2200, which previously governed reactive mine waste.