Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to address environmental and economic issues related to iron ore mining in Minnesota. It aims to support workers affected by layoffs in the iron ore mining and explosive manufacturing industries, while also proposing changes to environmental regulations concerning sulfate water quality standards and the management of mine waste.

Main Provisions

• Unemployment Benefits for Iron Ore Mining Workers:

  • The bill provides additional unemployment benefits to workers laid off between March 15, 2025, and June 15, 2025, from companies in the iron ore mining industry that laid off 50% or more of their workforce.
  • Workers from companies providing services or goods to the mining industry, affected by a significant reduction in operations, are also eligible.

• Eligibility and Benefit Calculation:

  • Eligibility for these benefits requires that at least 50% of the applicant’s wage credits are from relevant employers and that they have exhausted regular unemployment benefits.
  • The additional unemployment benefits equal the weekly benefit amount of regular unemployment insurance, extendable up to 26 weeks.

• Transition to New Benefit Accounts:

  • If a worker qualifies for a new regular unemployment benefit account with equal or higher benefits, they must switch to the new account before receiving additional benefits.
  • Benefits under the new account must be exhausted before they can revert to accessing additional unemployment benefits.

• Impact on Employers:

  • Additional unemployment benefits will not affect the future unemployment tax rate of employers, except for specific employers in the mining industry.

• Federal Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA):

  • Workers who qualify and receive federal TRA benefits are ineligible for the additional benefits under this state program.

• Environmental Regulations:

  • The bill facilitates approval of modifications to sulfate water quality standards related to mining operations.
  • It addresses the storage of reactive mine waste and includes provisions for environmental rulemaking processes.

Significant Changes

• The bill introduces a temporary program for additional unemployment benefits specifically targeted at workers in the iron ore mining industry.
• It repeals Minnesota Rules part 6132.2200, which pertains to certain environmental regulations on mine waste storage, indicating a shift in how these issues are managed.

Relevant Terms

• Unemployment insurance
• Iron ore mining industry
• Sulfate water quality standards
• Mine waste management
• Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA)
• Environmental rulemaking