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BWSR Meeting Minutes April 25, 2001 Page Five Rice Creek Watershed District decision. Affirmative: Anderson, Bruggman, Coe, Coover, Deal, Edgerton, Frost, Imholte, Kahler, Krabbenhoft, Massey, Harder, Otte, Wilson, Ormsby. Opposed: Glark. Motion passed on a voice vote. Chair Coe called for a break at 10:20 a.m. The meeting reconvened at 10:30 a.m. ' ~ - H~a c k-gavstative-aFd-ate-oft as it relates to BWSR. The House has an $8M statewide cost of living reduction. The House eliminated all state funding for the Minnesota River Basin Joint Powers Board, the North Shore Management Board, the St. Louis River Board, and the Southeast Minnesota Resources Board. On the plus side, the House fully funded special projects cost-share at $1 M for the biennium; and fully funded general services, but then diverted those funds to the Red River ring dikes. Ron stated that there were major readjustments taking DNR programs and putting them into BWSR -assistance to lake associations; lake management issues; ecosystems support; wildlife habitat support. BWSR was not out to raid someone's pot -this all happened without discussions with BWSR. Ron stated that more education to the committee is needed. Ron asked staff to review those programs, and determine how BWSR can deliver those programs col-aboratively with DNR. Feedlot cost-share was funded in the House Ag Finance Committee. The House fully funded CREP at $20M, including sufficient implementation dollars. The Senate fully funded CREP in bonding. The Senate funded feedlots within PCA's Clean Water Partnership.. The Senate increased nonpoint engineering assistance to full funding; approved general services increase to $270,000; funded $100,000 to the Red River Basin Board; soil surveys increased funding at $500,000 for biennium; Grazing Lands Coalition funded at $200,000; wetland road replacement funded in bonding; $100,000 one-time appropriation to St. George in Nicollet County for waste water treatment facility. Flooding discussion in both houses. Ron said BWSR is in a good position going into conference committees. The policy standpoint is generally good news; the RiM bill clarifies consistency, increases wetland restoration. The watershed district bill for increase in levy assessment is dead. An increase for petitioning to establish special levy water quality initiatives. Ran credited John Jaschke and the wetland committee for their efforts on the wetlands bill, it passed through to the floor, funding is the controversial issue. Ron stated that Representative Wagenius put a water organization study back in the House bill with $75,000 for a water agency. Ron suggested establishing a joint. water committee to convene this summer to discuss issues; he will continue to look into this. County water plan base adjustment struggled to get a hearing and will not be funded this year. The House revamped LCMR, creating a new citizen committee for allocation of dollars. Ron stated that conference committees probably won't be appointed until next week. Ron encouraged board members to contact legislators regarding the elimination of various joint powers boards. Chair Coe thanked Ron and staff for all their efforts during session.