Agenda - Council - 02/08/2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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administration, the Legislature, and other stakeholders in the design and implementation of Minnesota's impaired waters program to: a) Ensure equitable funding solutions are found, such as the state general fund or bonding, that broadly collect revenue to address this statewide problem; b) Support legislative appropriation of constitutionally dedicated clean water revenues that will supplement traditional sources of funding for these purposes, not be used to cover budget cuts, backfill past program reductions, or to otherwise supplant normal state spending on water programs; c) Direct the majority of funds collected by the state for impaired waters into programs that fund municipal wastewater and stormwater projects, and for state programs needed for municipal wastewater and stormwater permitting and technical support, including the Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund, Wastewater Infrastructure Fund, TMDL Grants Program, Small Community Wastewater Treatment Grant and Loan Program, and other state programs that provide financial resources for city wastewater treatment facilities, septic tank replacement, stormwater management projects, and other city water quality improvement and protection projects; d) More adequately cover the current five-year wastewater infrastructure funding need projection of more than $1.65 billion; e) Recognize and address the upcoming costs of stormwater management infrastructure and operation on municipalities from new regulatory 55 mandates and load reduction requirements; f) Allow flexibility in achieving pollutant load reductions and limitations through offsets or trading of pollutant load reduction credits for both point and non -point load reduction requirements within watersheds; Recognize and credit the work underway and already completed by local units of government to limit point and non -point source water pollutant discharges; h) Recognize the diversity of efforts and needs that exists across the state; i) Ensure the best science available is used to accurately determine the sources of pollutant load in order to maximize positive environmental outcomes and minimize unnecessary regulatory and financial burdens for cities by correctly accounting for and addressing agricultural and other non -point pollutant sources; Ensure the state requires that the MPCA retain control of the TMDL development process and that all scientific research related to TMDLs is conducted by the MPCA or qualified, objective parties pursuant to state contracting, procurement, and conflict of interest laws; and k) Clarify state water quality mandates so cities know specifically what they are required to do and what methods of achieving those outcomes are acceptable to state and federal regulators. g) i) SD-64. Municipal Public Water Supplies Issue: Essential residential water supplies provided by public water supply systems are classified as the highest priority for the use of public water under Minn. Stat.