1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to legacy; modifying prior appropriations from clean water fund; 
1.3 	appropriating money;amending Laws 2023, chapter 40, article 2, sections 2, 
1.4 	subdivision 1; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 9.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Laws 2023, chapter 40, article 2, section 2, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

1.81.7

Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation

$

158,897,000

$

~~159,499,000~~
184,925,000

1.9 	This appropriation is from the clean water 
1.10 	fund. The amounts that may be spent for each 
1.11 	purpose are specified in the following sections.

1.12 	Sec. 2. Laws 2023, chapter 40, article 2, section 3, is amended to read:

1.141.13

Sec. 3. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

$

20,839,000

$

~~20,839,000~~
25,241,000

1.15 	(a) $350,000 the first year and $350,000 the 
1.16 	second year are to increase monitoring for 
1.17 	pesticides and pesticide degradates in surface 
1.18 	water and groundwater and to use data 
1.19 	collected to assess pesticide use practices. This 
1.20 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2028.
1.21 	(b) $3,000,000 the first year and ~~$3,000,000~~
1.22 	$4,000,000 the second year are for monitoring 
2.1 	and evaluating trends in the concentration of 
2.2 	nitrate in groundwater; promoting, developing, 
2.3 	and evaluating regional and crop-specific 
2.4 	nutrient best management practices, cover 
2.5 	crops, and other vegetative cover; assessing 
2.6 	adoption of best management practices and 
2.7 	other recommended practices; education and 
2.8 	technical support from University of 
2.9 	Minnesota Extension; grants to support 
2.10 	agricultural demonstration and implementation 
2.11 	activities, including research activities at the 
2.12 	Rosholt Research Farm; and other actions to 
2.13 	protect groundwater from degradation from 
2.14 	nitrate. This appropriation is available until 
2.15 	June 30, 2028.
2.16 	(c) $4,799,000 the first year and ~~$4,799,000~~
2.17 	$8,201,000 the second year are for the 
2.18 	agriculture best management practices loan 
2.19 	program. Any unencumbered balance at the 
2.20 	end of the second year must be added to the 
2.21 	corpus of the loan fund.
2.22 	(d) $1,500,000 the first year and $1,500,000 
2.23 	the second year are for technical assistance; 
2.24 	research, demonstration, and promotion 
2.25 	projects on properly implementing best 
2.26 	management practices and vegetative cover; 
2.27 	and more-precise information on nonpoint 
2.28 	contributions to impaired waters and for grants 
2.29 	to support on-farm demonstration of 
2.30 	agricultural practices. This appropriation is 
2.31 	available until June 30, 2028.
2.32 	(e) $40,000 the first year and $40,000 the 
2.33 	second year are for maintenance of the 
2.34 	Minnesota Water Research Digital Library. 
2.35 	Costs for information technology development 
3.1 	or support for the digital library may be paid 
3.2 	to the Office of MN.IT Services. This 
3.3 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2028.
3.4 	(f) $3,500,000 the first year and $3,500,000 
3.5 	the second year are to implement the 
3.6 	Minnesota agricultural water quality 
3.7 	certification program statewide. This 
3.8 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2028.
3.9 	(g) $150,000 the first year and $150,000 the 
3.10 	second year are for a regional irrigation water 
3.11 	quality specialist through University of 
3.12 	Minnesota Extension. This appropriation is 
3.13 	available until June 30, 2028.
3.14 	(h) $3,000,000 the first year and $3,000,000 
3.15 	the second year are for grants to the Board of 
3.16 	Regents of the University of Minnesota to 
3.17 	fund the Forever Green agriculture initiative 
3.18 	and to protect the state's natural resources 
3.19 	while increasing the efficiency, profitability, 
3.20 	and productivity of Minnesota farmers by 
3.21 	incorporating perennial and winter-annual 
3.22 	crops into existing agricultural practices. This 
3.23 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2028.
3.24 	(i) $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the 
3.25 	second year are for testing drinking-water 
3.26 	wells for pesticides and establishing a 
3.27 	mitigation program for water treatment of 
3.28 	contaminated wells. This appropriation is 
3.29 	available until June 30, 2028.
3.30 	(j) $1,750,000 the first year and $1,750,000 
3.31 	the second year are for conservation 
3.32 	equipment assistance grants to purchase 
3.33 	equipment or items to retrofit existing 
3.34 	equipment that has climate and water quality 
4.1 	benefits. This appropriation is available until 
4.2 	June 30, 2028.
4.3 	(k) $1,500,000 the first year and $1,500,000 
4.4 	the second year are for expanding the existing 
4.5 	state weather station and soil temperature 
4.6 	network to provide accurate and timely 
4.7 	weather data to optimize the timing of 
4.8 	irrigation, fertilizer, pesticide, and manure 
4.9 	applications and support land management 
4.10 	decisions. This appropriation is available until 
4.11 	June 30, 2028.
4.12 	(l) $750,000 the first year and $750,000 the 
4.13 	second year are for grants for research and 
4.14 	demonstration sites and projects to evaluate, 
4.15 	develop, demonstrate, and promote regional 
4.16 	and animal-specific recommendations for 
4.17 	manure crediting and to develop or revise 
4.18 	manure best management practices through 
4.19 	University of Minnesota Extension. This 
4.20 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2028.

4.21 	Sec. 3. Laws 2023, chapter 40, article 2, section 4, is amended to read:

4.234.22

Sec. 4. POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY

$

24,187,000

$

~~24,188,000~~
29,514,000

4.24 	(a) $9,050,000 the first year and ~~$9,050,000~~
4.25 	$9,376,000 the second year are for completing 
4.26 	needed statewide assessments of surface water 
4.27 	quality and trends according to Minnesota 
4.28 	Statutes, chapter 114D. Of this amount, 
4.29 	$163,000 the first year and $163,000 the 
4.30 	second year are for grants to the Red River 
4.31 	Watershed Management Board to enhance and 
4.32 	expand the existing water quality and 
4.33 	watershed monitoring river watch activities 
4.34 	in schools in the Red River of the North 
5.1 	watershed. By February 15, 2025, the Red 
5.2 	River Watershed Management Board must 
5.3 	provide a report to the commissioner and to 
5.4 	the chairs and ranking minority members of 
5.5 	the legislative committees and divisions with 
5.6 	jurisdiction over environment and natural 
5.7 	resources finance and policy and the clean 
5.8 	water fund on the expenditure of this 
5.9 	appropriation.
5.10 	(b) $6,350,000 the first year and $6,350,000 
5.11 	the second year are to update watershed 
5.12 	restoration and protection strategies, which 
5.13 	include total maximum daily load (TMDL) 
5.14 	studies and TMDL implementation plans 
5.15 	according to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 
5.16 	114D, for waters on the impaired waters list 
5.17 	approved by the United States Environmental 
5.18 	Protection Agency.
5.19 	(c) $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 
5.20 	the second year are for groundwater 
5.21 	assessment, including enhancing the ambient 
5.22 	monitoring network, modeling, evaluating 
5.23 	trends.
5.24 	(d) $750,000 the first year and $750,000 the 
5.25 	second year are for implementing the St. Louis 
5.26 	River System Area of Concern remedial action 
5.27 	plan.
5.28 	(e) $1,500,000 the first year and $1,500,000 
5.29 	the second year are for national pollutant 
5.30 	discharge elimination system wastewater and 
5.31 	stormwater TMDL implementation efforts.
5.32 	(f) $3,550,000 the first year and ~~$3,550,000~~
5.33 	$5,550,000 the second year are for enhancing 
5.34 	the county-level delivery systems for 
6.1 	subsurface sewage treatment system (SSTS) 
6.2 	activities necessary to implement Minnesota 
6.3 	Statutes, sections 115.55 and 115.56, for 
6.4 	protecting groundwater. This appropriation 
6.5 	includes base grants for all counties with SSTS 
6.6 	programs. Counties that receive base grants 
6.7 	must report the number of properties with 
6.8 	noncompliant systems upgraded through an 
6.9 	SSTS replacement, connection to a centralized 
6.10 	sewer system, or other means, including 
6.11 	property abandonment or buyout. Counties 
6.12 	also must report the number of existing SSTS 
6.13 	compliance inspections conducted in areas 
6.14 	under county jurisdiction. The required reports 
6.15 	must be part of the established annual 
6.16 	reporting for SSTS programs. Of this amount, 
6.17 	at least $900,000 each year is available to 
6.18 	counties for grants to low-income landowners 
6.19 	to address systems that pose an imminent 
6.20 	threat to public health or safety or fail to 
6.21 	protect groundwater. A county receiving a 
6.22 	grant under this paragraph must submit a 
6.23 	report to the agency listing the projects funded, 
6.24 	including an account of the expenditures.
6.25 	(g) $650,000 the first year and ~~$650,000~~
6.26 	$1,650,000 the second year are for activities 
6.27 	and grants that reduce chloride pollution.
6.28 	(h) $337,000 the first year and $338,000 the 
6.29 	second year are to support activities of the 
6.30 	Clean Water Council according to Minnesota 
6.31 	Statutes, section 114D.30, subdivision 1.
6.32 	(i) $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 
6.33 	the second year are for a grant program for 
6.34 	sanitary sewer projects that are included in the 
6.35 	draft or any updated Voyageurs National Park 
7.1 	Clean Water Project Comprehensive Plan to 
7.2 	restore the water quality of waters in 
7.3 	Voyageurs National Park. Grants must be 
7.4 	awarded to local government units for projects 
7.5 	approved by the Voyageurs National Park 
7.6 	Clean Water Joint Powers Board and must be 
7.7 	matched by at least 25 percent from sources 
7.8 	other than the clean water fund.
7.9 	(j) $2,000,000 the second year is for designing 
7.10 	and installing a network of nitrate sensors for 
7.11 	the continuous real-time monitoring of nitrates 
7.12 	in major watershed and basin pour points.
7.13 	~~(j)~~ (k) Any unencumbered grant balances in 
7.14 	the first year do not cancel but are available 
7.15 	for grants in the second year. Notwithstanding 
7.16 	Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.28, the 
7.17 	appropriations in this section are available 
7.18 	until June 30, 2028.

7.19 	Sec. 4. Laws 2023, chapter 40, article 2, section 5, is amended to read:

7.20

7.21

Sec. 5. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL 
RESOURCES

$

12,780,000

$

~~12,780,000~~
12,870,000

7.22 	(a) $2,550,000 the first year and $2,550,000 
7.23 	the second year are for streamflow monitoring.
7.24 	(b) $1,450,000 the first year and $1,450,000 
7.25 	the second year are for lake Index of 
7.26 	Biological Integrity (IBI) assessments.
7.27 	(c) $455,000 the first year and ~~$455,000~~
7.28 	$545,000 the second year are for assessing 
7.29 	mercury and other fish contaminants, 
7.30 	including PFAS compounds, and monitoring 
7.31 	to track the status of impaired waters over 
7.32 	time.
8.1 	(d) $2,150,000 the first year and $2,150,000 
8.2 	the second year are for developing targeted, 
8.3 	science-based watershed restoration and 
8.4 	protection strategies and for technical 
8.5 	assistance for local governments.
8.6 	(e) $2,000,000 the first year and $2,000,000 
8.7 	the second year are for water-supply planning, 
8.8 	aquifer protection, and monitoring activities 
8.9 	and analysis.
8.10 	(f) $1,600,000 the first year and $1,600,000 
8.11 	the second year are for technical assistance to 
8.12 	support local implementation of nonpoint 
8.13 	source restoration and protection activities and 
8.14 	targeted forest stewardship for water quality.
8.15 	(g) $650,000 the first year and $650,000 the 
8.16 	second year are for applied research and tools, 
8.17 	including maintaining and updating spatial 
8.18 	data for watershed boundaries, streams, and 
8.19 	water bodies and integrating high-resolution 
8.20 	digital elevation data and for assessing the 
8.21 	effectiveness of forestry best management 
8.22 	practices for water quality.
8.23 	(h) $25,000 the first year and $25,000 the 
8.24 	second year are for maintaining and updating 
8.25 	buffer maps and for technical guidance on 
8.26 	interpreting buffer maps for local units of 
8.27 	government implementing buffer 
8.28 	requirements. Maps must be provided to local 
8.29 	units of government and made available to 
8.30 	landowners on the Department of Natural 
8.31 	Resources website.
8.32 	(i) $100,000 the first year and $100,000 the 
8.33 	second year are for accelerating completion 
8.34 	of or updates to county geologic atlases and 
9.1 	supplementing water chemistry or chemical 
9.2 	movement studies.
9.3 	(j) $300,000 the first year and $300,000 the 
9.4 	second year are for increasing native 
9.5 	freshwater mussel production capacity and 
9.6 	restoring and monitoring freshwater mussel 
9.7 	restoration efforts.
9.8 	(k) $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the 
9.9 	second year are for implementing water 
9.10 	storage projects on state-administered land to 
9.11 	enhance water quality and ecological benefits.
9.12 	(l) $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 
9.13 	the second year are for providing technical 
9.14 	and financial assistance for county and local 
9.15 	governments to replace failing or ineffective 
9.16 	culverts using modern designs that restore 
9.17 	floodplain connectivity, biological 
9.18 	connectivity, and channel stability. This 
9.19 	appropriation is available for up to two 
9.20 	additional years.

9.21 	Sec. 5. Laws 2023, chapter 40, article 2, section 6, is amended to read:

9.22

9.23

Sec. 6. BOARD OF WATER AND SOIL 
RESOURCES

$

78,064,000

$

~~78,063,000~~
89,497,000

9.24 	(a) $39,500,000 the first year and $39,500,000 
9.25 	the second year are for grants to implement 
9.26 	state-approved watershed-based plans. The 
9.27 	grants may be used to implement projects or 
9.28 	programs that protect, enhance, and restore 
9.29 	surface water quality in lakes, rivers, and 
9.30 	streams; protect groundwater from 
9.31 	degradation; and protect drinking water 
9.32 	sources. Projects must be identified in a 
9.33 	comprehensive watershed plan developed 
9.34 	under the One Watershed, One Plan program 
10.1 	and seven-county metropolitan groundwater 
10.2 	or surface water management frameworks as 
10.3 	provided for in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 
10.4 	103B, 103C, 103D, and 114D. Grant recipients 
10.5 	must identify a nonstate match and may use 
10.6 	other legacy funds to supplement projects 
10.7 	funded under this paragraph. This 
10.8 	appropriation may be used for:
10.9 	(1) implementing state-approved plans, 
10.10 	including within the following watershed 
10.11 	planning areas: Bois de Sioux - Mustinka, 
10.12 	Buffalo-Red River, Cannon River, Cedar - 
10.13 	Wapsipinicon, Chippewa River, Clearwater 
10.14 	River, Cottonwood-Middle Minnesota, Crow 
10.15 	Wing River, Des Moines River, Greater 
10.16 	Zumbro River, Hawk Creek - Middle 
10.17 	Minnesota, Kettle and Upper St. Croix, Lac 
10.18 	qui Parle-Yellow Bank, Lake of the Woods, 
10.19 	Lake Superior North, Le Sueur River, Leech 
10.20 	Lake River, Long Prairie River, Lower 
10.21 	Minnesota River East, Lower Minnesota River 
10.22 	West, Lower St. Croix River, 
10.23 	Middle-Snake-Tamarac Rivers, Mississippi 
10.24 	River Brainerd, Mississippi River Headwaters, 
10.25 	Mississippi River St. Cloud, Mississippi River 
10.26 	Winona/La Crescent, Missouri River Basin, 
10.27 	Nemadji River, North Fork Crow River, Otter 
10.28 	Tail, Pine River, Pomme de Terre River, 
10.29 	Rainy-Rapid River, Rainy River Headwaters 
10.30 	- Vermilion River, Rainy River-Rainy 
10.31 	Lake/Lower Rainy River, Red Lake River, 
10.32 	Redeye River, Root River, Roseau River, Rum 
10.33 	River, Sand Hill River, Sauk River, Shell Rock 
10.34 	and Winnebago River, Snake River, South 
10.35 	Fork of the Crow River, St. Louis River, Thief 
10.36 	River, Two Rivers Plus, Upper and Lower Red 
11.1 	Lake, Upper Minnesota River, Upper 
11.2 	Mississippi - Grand Rapids, Watonwan River, 
11.3 	Wild Rice - Marsh, and Yellow Medicine 
11.4 	River;
11.5 	(2) seven-county metropolitan groundwater 
11.6 	or surface water management frameworks; 
11.7 	and
11.8 	(3) other comprehensive watershed 
11.9 	management plan planning areas that have a 
11.10 	board-approved and local-government-adopted 
11.11 	plan as authorized in Minnesota Statutes, 
11.12 	section 103B.801.
11.13 	The board must establish eligibility criteria 
11.14 	and determine whether a planning area is ready 
11.15 	to proceed and has the nonstate match 
11.16 	committed.
11.17 	(b) $8,500,000 the first year and $8,500,000 
11.18 	the second year are for grants to local 
11.19 	government units to protect and restore surface 
11.20 	water and drinking water; to keep water on 
11.21 	the land; to protect, enhance, and restore water 
11.22 	quality in lakes, rivers, and streams; and to 
11.23 	protect groundwater and drinking water, 
11.24 	including feedlot water quality and subsurface 
11.25 	sewage treatment system projects and stream 
11.26 	bank, stream channel, shoreline restoration, 
11.27 	and ravine stabilization projects. The projects 
11.28 	must use practices demonstrated to be 
11.29 	effective, be of long-lasting public benefit, 
11.30 	include a match, and be consistent with total 
11.31 	maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation 
11.32 	plans, watershed restoration and protection 
11.33 	strategies (WRAPS), or local water 
11.34 	management plans or their equivalents. Up to 
11.35 	20 percent of this appropriation is available 
12.1 	for land-treatment projects and practices that 
12.2 	benefit drinking water.
12.3 	(c) $5,500,000 the first year and $5,500,000 
12.4 	the second year are for accelerated 
12.5 	implementation, local resource protection, 
12.6 	enhancement grants, statewide analytical 
12.7 	targeting or technology tools that fill an 
12.8 	identified gap, program enhancements for 
12.9 	technical assistance, citizen and community 
12.10 	outreach, compliance, and training and 
12.11 	certification.
12.12 	(d) $1,250,000 the first year and $1,250,000 
12.13 	the second year are:
12.14 	(1) to provide state oversight and 
12.15 	accountability, evaluate and communicate 
12.16 	results, provide implementation tools, and 
12.17 	measure the value of conservation program 
12.18 	implementation by local governments; and
12.19 	(2) to prepare, in consultation with the 
12.20 	commissioners of natural resources, health, 
12.21 	agriculture, and the Pollution Control Agency, 
12.22 	and submit to the legislature by March 1 each 
12.23 	even-numbered year a biennial report detailing 
12.24 	the recipients and projects funded and the 
12.25 	results accomplished under this section.
12.26 	(e) $2,000,000 the first year and $2,000,000 
12.27 	the second year are to provide assistance, 
12.28 	oversight, and grants for supporting local 
12.29 	governments in implementing and complying 
12.30 	with riparian protection and excessive soil loss 
12.31 	requirements.
12.32 	(f) $2,500,000 the first year and ~~$2,500,000~~
12.33 	$5,934,000  the second year are for a working 
12.34 	lands floodplain program and to purchase, 
13.1 	restore, or preserve riparian land and 
13.2 	floodplains adjacent to lakes, rivers, streams, 
13.3 	and tributaries, by conservation easements or 
13.4 	contracts to keep water on the land, to decrease 
13.5 	sediment, pollutant, and nutrient transport; 
13.6 	reduce hydrologic impacts to surface waters; 
13.7 	and increase protection and recharge for 
13.8 	groundwater. Up to ~~$200,000~~ $425,000 is for 
13.9 	deposit in a conservation easement 
13.10 	stewardship account established according to 
13.11 	Minnesota Statutes, section 103B.103.
13.12 	(g) $2,500,000 the first year and ~~$2,500,000~~
13.13 	$3,500,000  the second year are for ~~permanent~~
13.14 	conservation easements ~~on wellhead protection~~ 
13.15 	~~areas~~ acquired under Minnesota Statutes, 
13.16 	~~section 103F.515, subdivision 2, paragraph~~ 
13.17 	~~(d)~~ sections 103F.501 to 103F.535, or for 
13.18 	grants or contracts to local units of government 
13.19 	or Tribal governments, including for fee title 
13.20 	acquisition ~~to permanently protect~~ 
13.21 	~~groundwater supply sources on wellhead~~ 
13.22 	~~protection areas~~ or for ~~otherwise ensuring~~
13.23 	long-term protection of groundwater supply 
13.24 	sources ~~as described under~~. Consideration 
13.25 	must be given to drinking water supply 
13.26 	management areas and alternative 
13.27 	management tools in the Department of 
13.28 	Agriculture Minnesota Nitrogen Fertilizer 
13.29 	Management Plan, including using 
13.30 	low-nitrogen cropping systems or 
13.31 	implementing nitrogen fertilizer best 
13.32 	management practices. Priority must be placed 
13.33 	on land that is located where the vulnerability 
13.34 	of the drinking water supply is designated as 
13.35 	high or very high by the commissioner of 
13.36 	health, where drinking water protection plans 
14.1 	have identified specific activities that will 
14.2 	achieve long-term protection, and on lands 
14.3 	with expiring conservation ~~reserve program~~
14.4 	contracts. Up to ~~$200,000~~ $250,000 is for 
14.5 	deposit in a conservation easement 
14.6 	stewardship account established according to 
14.7 	Minnesota Statutes, section 103B.103.
14.8 	(h) $100,000 the first year and $100,000 the 
14.9 	second year are for a technical evaluation 
14.10 	panel to conduct restoration evaluations under 
14.11 	Minnesota Statutes, section 114D.50, 
14.12 	subdivision 6.
14.13 	(i) $1,750,000 the first year and $1,750,000 
14.14 	the second year are for assistance, oversight, 
14.15 	and grants to local governments to transition 
14.16 	local water management plans to a watershed 
14.17 	approach as provided for in Minnesota 
14.18 	Statutes, section 103B.801.
14.19 	(j) $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 
14.20 	the second year are for technical assistance 
14.21 	and grants for the conservation drainage 
14.22 	program, in consultation with the Drainage 
14.23 	Work Group, coordinated under Minnesota 
14.24 	Statutes, section 103B.101, subdivision 13, 
14.25 	and including projects to improve 
14.26 	multipurpose water management under 
14.27 	Minnesota Statutes, section 103E.015.
14.28 	(k) $1,500,000 the first year and ~~$1,500,000~~
14.29 	$5,500,000 the second year are to purchase 
14.30 	permanent conservation easements to protect 
14.31 	lands adjacent to public waters that have good 
14.32 	water quality but that are threatened with 
14.33 	degradation. Up to ~~$150,000~~ $350,000 is for 
14.34 	deposit in a conservation easement 
15.1 	stewardship account established according to 
15.2 	Minnesota Statutes, section 103B.103.
15.3 	(l) $425,000 the first year and $425,000 the 
15.4 	second year are for grants or contracts for a 
15.5 	program to systematically collect data and 
15.6 	produce county, watershed, and statewide 
15.7 	estimates of soil erosion caused by water and 
15.8 	wind, along with tracking adoption of 
15.9 	conservation measures, including cover crops, 
15.10 	to address erosion. This appropriation may be 
15.11 	used for grants to or contracts with the 
15.12 	University of Minnesota to complete this 
15.13 	work.
15.14 	(m) $500,000 the first year and ~~$500,000~~
15.15 	$2,500,000 the second year are for developing 
15.16 	and implementing a water legacy grant 
15.17 	program to expand partnerships for clean 
15.18 	water.
15.19 	(n) $5,000,000 the first year and $5,000,000 
15.20 	the second year are for permanent 
15.21 	conservation easements to protect and restore 
15.22 	wetlands and associated uplands. Up to 
15.23 	$300,000 is for deposit in a conservation 
15.24 	easement stewardship account established 
15.25 	according to Minnesota Statutes, section 
15.26 	103B.103.
15.27 	(o) $6,039,000 the first year and $6,038,000 
15.28 	the second year are for financial and technical 
15.29 	assistance to enhance adoption of cover crops 
15.30 	and other soil health practices to achieve water 
15.31 	quality or drinking water benefits. The board 
15.32 	may use grants to local governments and 
15.33 	agreements with the United States Department 
15.34 	of Agriculture, AgCentric at Minnesota State 
15.35 	Center for Excellence, and other practitioners 
16.1 	and partners to accomplish this work. Up to 
16.2 	$450,000 is for an agreement with the 
16.3 	University of Minnesota Office for Soil Health 
16.4 	for applied research and education on 
16.5 	Minnesota's agroecosystems and soil health 
16.6 	management systems. This appropriation may 
16.7 	be extended to leverage available federal 
16.8 	funds.
16.9 	(p) $1,000,000 the second year is to provide 
16.10 	support to soil and water conservation districts 
16.11 	and other local governments and partner 
16.12 	organizations in the Lake Superior basin in 
16.13 	leveraging resources of the Great Lakes 
16.14 	Restoration Initiative or other federal Great 
16.15 	Lakes funding to implement prioritized clean 
16.16 	water activities.
16.17 	~~(p)~~ (q) The board must contract for delivery 
16.18 	of services with Conservation Corps 
16.19 	Minnesota for restoration, maintenance, 
16.20 	training, and other activities under this section 
16.21 	for up to $850,000 the first year and up to 
16.22 	$850,000 the second year.
16.23 	~~(q)~~ (r) The board may shift grant, 
16.24 	implementation, or easement funds in this 
16.25 	section and may adjust the technical and 
16.26 	administrative assistance portion of the funds 
16.27 	to leverage federal or other nonstate funds or 
16.28 	to address oversight responsibilities or 
16.29 	high-priority activities identified by the board 
16.30 	consistent with local water management plans.
16.31 	~~(r)~~ (s) The board must require grantees to 
16.32 	specify the outcomes that will be achieved by 
16.33 	the grants.
17.1 	~~(s)~~ (t) The appropriations in this section are 
17.2 	available until June 30, 2028, except grant or 
17.3 	easement funds are available for five years 
17.4 	after the date a grant or other agreement is 
17.5 	executed. Returned grant funds must be 
17.6 	regranted consistent with the purposes of this 
17.7 	section.

17.8 	Sec. 6. Laws 2023, chapter 40, article 2, section 7, is amended to read:

17.1017.9

Sec. 7. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

$

11,296,000

$

~~11,904,000~~
15,078,000

17.11 	(a) $4,746,000 the first year and ~~$5,354,000~~
17.12 	$5,738,000 the second year are for developing 
17.13 	health risk limits for contaminants found or 
17.14 	anticipated to be found in Minnesota drinking 
17.15 	water, to certify private laboratories to conduct 
17.16 	analyses for these contaminants, ~~and~~ to 
17.17 	increase the capacity of the department's 
17.18 	laboratory to analyze for these contaminants, 
17.19 	and to increase data analysis, public education, 
17.20 	and development of fish consumption advice.
17.21 	(b) $1,500,000 the first year and $1,500,000 
17.22 	the second year are for ensuring safe drinking 
17.23 	water for private well users, including studying 
17.24 	the occurrence and magnitude of contaminants 
17.25 	in private wells; developing guidance and 
17.26 	conducting outreach and education about well 
17.27 	testing and mitigation; awarding grants to local 
17.28 	governments; and designing voluntary 
17.29 	interventions to reduce health risks to private 
17.30 	well owners.
17.31 	(c) $3,750,000 the first year and $3,750,000 
17.32 	the second year are for protecting sources of 
17.33 	drinking water, including planning, 
17.34 	implementation, and surveillance activities 
18.1 	and grants to local governments and public 
18.2 	water systems.
18.3 	(d) $750,000 the first year and $750,000 the 
18.4 	second year are to develop and deliver 
18.5 	groundwater restoration and protection 
18.6 	strategies on a watershed scale for use in local 
18.7 	comprehensive water planning efforts, to 
18.8 	provide resources to local governments for 
18.9 	activities that protect sources of drinking 
18.10 	water, and to enhance approaches that improve 
18.11 	the capacity of local governmental units to 
18.12 	protect and restore groundwater resources.
18.13 	(e) $250,000 the first year and $250,000 the 
18.14 	second year are to develop public health 
18.15 	policies and an action plan to address threats 
18.16 	to safe drinking water, including development 
18.17 	of a statewide plan for protecting drinking 
18.18 	water that incorporates select 
18.19 	recommendations from the University of 
18.20 	Minnesota's Future of Drinking Water report.
18.21 	(f) $300,000 the first year and $300,000 the 
18.22 	second year are for developing a statewide 
18.23 	recreational water portal that includes an 
18.24 	inventory of public beaches and information 
18.25 	about local monitoring results and closures 
18.26 	and that provides information about preventing 
18.27 	illness and recreational water stewardship.
18.28 	(g) $2,790,000 the second year is for 
18.29 	managing a voluntary program in Dodge, 
18.30 	Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, 
18.31 	Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona Counties to 
18.32 	conduct an inventory of private wells, provide 
18.33 	testing for nitrates, develop education and 
18.34 	outreach for private well owners and users, 
19.1 	and develop a dashboard to communicate 
19.2 	testing results and report on progress.
19.3 	~~(g)~~ (h) Unless otherwise specified, the 
19.4 	appropriations in this section are available 
19.5 	until June 30, 2027.

19.6 	Sec. 7. Laws 2023, chapter 40, article 2, section 9, is amended to read:

19.819.7

Sec. 9. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

$

1,500,000

$

~~1,500,000~~
2,500,000

19.9 	(a) $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the 
19.10 	second year are for developing Part A of 
19.11 	county geologic atlases. This appropriation is 
19.12 	available until June 30, 2030.
19.13 	(b) $1,000,000 the first year and ~~$1,000,000~~
19.14 	$2,000,000 the second year are for a program 
19.15 	to evaluate performance and technology 
19.16 	transfer for stormwater best management 
19.17 	practices, to evaluate best management 
19.18 	performance and effectiveness to support 
19.19 	meeting total maximum daily loads, to develop 
19.20 	standards and incorporate state-of-the-art 
19.21 	guidance using minimal impact design 
19.22 	standards as the model, and to implement a 
19.23 	system to transfer knowledge and technology 
19.24 	across local government, industry, and 
19.25 	regulatory sectors. This appropriation is 
19.26 	available until June 30, 2030.