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Environmental <br />Meeting Date: <br />By: <br />Policy Board (EPB) <br />02/22/2016 <br />Chris Anderson, Community <br />Development <br />5. 4. <br />Information <br />Title: <br />Receive Update on the New Buffer Initiative Law <br />Purpose/Background: <br />As the Board likely knows, there is a new Buffer Initiative law authorized by the Governor. Section 103F.48 <br />(Riparian Protection and Water Quality Practices) of State Statutes outlines the provisions for this new legislation <br />(attached). The provisions of the new buffer initiative legislation will require a continuous buffer of perennially <br />rooted vegetation adjacent to all public waters and public drainage systems to help filter out phosphorous, nitrogen, <br />toxicants and other sediment prior to discharge into these water bodies. The purpose of this case is to provide the <br />Board with background information regarding this new legislation and to outline the initial steps being taken by <br />state agencies. <br />The MN DNR is in the process of developing buffer protection maps highlighting the public waters and public ditch <br />systems that will require permanent vegetative buffers. Preliminary maps are anticipated sometime in late winter or <br />early spring of 2016. Local units of government will have an opportunity to review the preliminary maps and <br />provide comments to the DNR. Staff anticipates hosting an open house for the public to review the preliminary <br />maps and submit comments that can be forwarded to the DNR. The final buffer protection maps are to be approved <br />by the Commissioner of the DNR in the summer of 2016 and distributed to local governments for implementation. <br />Action: <br />No action is needed, this is for information purposes only. <br />Attachments <br />State Statute Section 103F.48 <br />DNR Presentation on Buffer Initiative <br />Buffer Initiative Summary <br />Buffers Fact Sheet <br />Buffers FAQ <br />Information on Failure to Implement Buffer Initiative <br />Inbox <br />Tim Gladhill <br />Chris Anderson (Originator) <br />Form Started By: Chris Anderson <br />Final Approval Date: 02/18/2016 <br />Form Review <br />Reviewed By <br />Tim Gladhill <br />JoAnn Shaw <br />Date <br />02/17/2016 04:16 PM <br />02/18/2016 11:31 AM <br />Started On: 02/12/2016 03:23 PM <br />