1996-07-25_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

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June 1996 WCA A total of 53 million of the RIM/PWP's 51 1.~ million is bonded under WCA appro- priations. This WCA money will purchase RIM and PWP easements on wetlands at risk because of public drainage projects. Other WCA bonding includes an additional 53 million for wetland replacement caused by local road authorities' construction projects, half of which must be spent within the metro area. Area II The Area II Grant-in-aid cost-share program received. a 5250,000 bonding appropriation for the 1997-98 biennium for roadside stormwaterretention projects initiated by local units of government in Area II ofthe Minnesota River basin. Road. retention projects involve downsizing ofbridges and culverts to temporarily pond runofFup- stream from road embankments, and are typically implemented during scheduled bridge or culvert replacements, in coopera- tion with. the associated road authority. Area 11 information: Tabor Hoek .507-537-7260 1 S~ 1S Two specifc items of legislation enacted in the 1996 legislative session are of interest to those involved with water resource manage- ment issues in the state. The item of most potential interest is the legislation that makes it possible for the DNR to issue general permits for classes of projects having minor environmental impact to members ofthe general public. The previous session had authorized general permits to be issued to governmen- tal subdivisions, and the DNR's Division of Waters is now developing a number of general permits for bridge and culvert projects with interested county engineers. The new authorization wilt allowthe departmentto develop innovative permits for minimal impact projecu such as erosion control and shoreline protection. Opportuni- ties exist for developing collaborative permitting approaches with interested counties, cities, and Watershed or Soil and WaterConservation Districts. The department also received clarification of its authority to delegate permitting authority to local units of government. This authority will make it possible to delegate aspects of DNR's permit program to local units of government without having first adopted state rules forthe delegation. DNR has received a few inquiries on permit program delegation from Watershed and Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The DNR is currently developing procedures for use by Division of Waters hydrologists to implement these changes. General permit legisla- tion inj"ormation: DNR area/regional hydrolo- gist or Bruce Geroig 612-296-051.5 ui~ repair and re oval projects fun e The DNR received 51.56 million in capital bonding for dam. projects overthe next two years. The appropriation specified that 5910,000 in state matching grants go to Rochester Public Utilities for repair of the Zumbro Lake hydroelectric dam. The remainder of the appropriation will fund priority projects determined by the DNR, which include: repair ofthe Byllesby Lake dam, owned by Dakota and Goodhue Counties (matching grant); engineeringpians for removal ofthe Appleton dam, owned by the C iry of Appleton (full grant); repair of the Lower Trelipe Lake dam in Cass County, owned by DNR; and repair of the Straight Lake dam in Becker County, owned by DNR. About SI20,000 of the appropriation will be reserved for emergency work. The Division of Waters estimates that about 5I million of state funding will be needed each year to adequately maintain Minnesota's publicly-owned dams. Public dam repair information: Craig Regalia 612-296-053.1