HF4942

Purpose

Provide funding to design a regional wastewater treatment facility in Southwest Minnesota, named STREAMS (Southwest Minnesota Treatment and Reuse for Economies and Advanced Management of Sustainability), to improve efficiency, reuse, and sustainability in the region.

Main Provisions

• Appropriation: $4,000,000 is allocated from the bond proceeds fund to the Public Facilities Authority (PFA) to provide one or more grants to the cities of Winthrop, New Auburn, and Lafayette (or a combination of two or more) to design the STREAMS regional wastewater treatment facility.
• Project goal: The design supports a regional facility intended to enhance economies, reuse, and advanced management of sustainability in wastewater treatment.

Financing and Bonding

• Bond issuance: The state budget authorizes selling and issuing bonds up to $4,000,000 to finance this design project.
• Legal framework: Bond issuance must follow Minnesota Statutes sections 16A.631 to 16A.675 and the Minnesota Constitution, Article XI (sections 4 to 7).

Administration and Recipients

• Administrative body: Public Facilities Authority administers the grants to the eligible cities for design work.
• Eligible recipients: Winthrop, New Auburn, Lafayette, or any combination of two or more of these cities.

Project Scope and Impact

• Project name: Southwest Minnesota Treatment and Reuse for Economies and Advanced Management of Sustainability STREAMS regional wastewater treatment facility.
• Expected outcomes: Design funding aims to support a regional facility that promotes reuse, improved sustainability, and regional cooperation in wastewater management.

Significance

• This bill creates a new funding and debt-authority pathway specifically for designing a regional wastewater facility, potentially laying groundwork for a larger regional investment in water treatment and sustainability.

Relevant terms - STREAMS regional wastewater treatment facility - Southwest Minnesota Treatment and Reuse for Economies and Advanced Management of Sustainability - Public Facilities Authority - grants - design - Winthrop - New Auburn - Lafayette - bond proceeds fund - bonds / bond sale - Minnesota Statutes 16A.631 to 16A.675 - Minnesota Constitution Article XI - Commissioner of Management and Budget