The bill establishes a new requirement for well testing in rural areas of Minnesota prior to the construction of certain projects that necessitate an environmental assessment worksheet. It introduces a new section, [103H.176], in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 103H, which defines key terms such as "landowner," "project," and "rural area." The bill mandates that project owners or operators must conduct baseline groundwater quality testing by contracting an independent third party to collect and analyze water samples from wells within a two-mile radius of the proposed project site, with the requirement of obtaining consent from landowners before sampling.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that landowners must receive free access to the test results for their wells, and the results must be submitted to the Environmental Quality Board and the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office for inclusion in a database. This legislation aims to ensure that groundwater quality is assessed and documented before construction activities, thereby protecting the environment and the interests of local landowners.