| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to natural resources; allowing transfer of unused water-use permit gallons; |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 allowing irrigators to use excess water in drought conditions; allowing additional |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4 water use for cover crops; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 103G.271, |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 subdivision 7, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Statutes, chapter 103G. |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 103G.271, subdivision 7, is amended to read: |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9 Subd. 7.Transferring permit.(a) A water-use permit may be transferred to a successive |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10owner of real property if the permittee conveys the real property where the source of water |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11is located. The new owner must notify the commissioner immediately after the conveyance |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12and request transfer of the permit. The commissioner must not deny the transfer of a permit |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13if the permittee is in compliance with all permit conditions and the permit meets the |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14requirements of sections 103G.255 to 103G.301. |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15 (b) When transferring a permit, the commissioner must not require additional conditions |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16on the permit, reduce the appropriation, reduce the term, or require any testing. |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 103G.271, is amended by adding a subdivision |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18to read: |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19 Subd. 8.Transferring unused permit gallons.(a) A holder of a water-use permit issued |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20for irrigation may apply to the commissioner, on a form prescribed by the commissioner, |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21to transfer unused permit gallons to another holder of a water-use permit issued for irrigation. |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1.22 (b) Transferring unused permit gallons is allowed only between permit holders |
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| 23 | 23 | | 1.23withdrawing from the same aquifer or surface water. |
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| 24 | 24 | | 1Sec. 2. |
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| 25 | 25 | | 25-04574 as introduced03/10/25 REVISOR CKM/KR |
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| 26 | 26 | | SENATE |
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| 27 | 27 | | STATE OF MINNESOTA |
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| 28 | 28 | | S.F. No. 2793NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 29 | 29 | | (SENATE AUTHORS: SEEBERGER) |
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| 30 | 30 | | OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE |
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| 31 | 31 | | Introduction and first reading03/20/2025 |
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| 32 | 32 | | Referred to Environment, Climate, and Legacy 2.1 (c) The commissioner must verify the status of the unused permit gallons and maintain |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.2a record of the transfer. The commissioner must approve the transfer of unused gallons if |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.3both permit holders are in compliance with all permit conditions. |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.4 (d) A permit holder must not offer or accept money or other consideration for transferring |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.5unused permit gallons. |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.6 Sec. 3. [103G.294] WATER USE FOR IRRIGATION DURING DROUGHT. |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.7 Subdivision 1.Definitions.For the purposes of this section, the following definitions |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.8apply: |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.9 (1) "excess water" means the number of gallons authorized under a permit holder's |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.10water-use permit that were not used in the previous year; and |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.11 (2) "local drought conditions" means an area has been determined to be under extreme |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.12drought (D3) or exceptional drought (D4) on the United States Drought Monitor produced |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.13by the United States Department of Agriculture, National Oceanic and Atmospheric |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.14Administration, and the National Drought Mitigation Center. |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.15 Subd. 2.Excess water use.The commissioner must allow a holder of a water-use permit |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.16issued for irrigation to use excess water when the irrigated area is under local drought |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.17conditions if: |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.18 (1) the permit holder did not use the full allocation of gallons under the permit in the |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2.19previous year; and |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2.20 (2) the commissioner determines that the water use is sustainable by meeting the |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2.21applicable standards under section 103G.287, subdivision 5. |
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| 53 | 53 | | 2.22 Sec. 4. [103G.296] INCREASED WATER USE FOR COVER CROPS. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2.23 A permit holder who plans to plant late summer or fall cover crops may apply to increase |
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| 55 | 55 | | 2.24water use above the permitted amount for additional irrigation for cover crops when needed. |
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| 56 | 56 | | 2.25The commissioner must approve the increased water use to allow an additional 27,154 |
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| 57 | 57 | | 2.26gallons per acre above the permitted amount if the commissioner determines that the water |
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| 58 | 58 | | 2.27use is sustainable by meeting the applicable standards under section 103G.287, subdivision |
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| 59 | 59 | | 2.285. A permit holder that is or has been subject to an enforcement action under this section is |
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| 60 | 60 | | 2.29not eligible for increased water use under this section. |
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| 61 | 61 | | 2Sec. 4. |
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| 62 | 62 | | 25-04574 as introduced03/10/25 REVISOR CKM/KR |
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