SF5228

Purpose

Create a new sustainable construction and demolition (C&D) waste transition grants program to help fund infrastructure projects that move away from unlined C&D landfills. The bill also authorizes state bonds to finance part of the program and codifies the program in Minnesota Statutes.

What the bill would do

• Establish the Sustainable Construction and Demolition Waste Transition Grants Program.
• Set up two grant accounts:
  • A sustainable construction and demolition waste transition grant account in the bond proceeds fund (funded by state bond proceeds).
  • A sustainable construction and demolition waste transition grant account in the general fund (funded by general law money and other sources).
• Allow grants to acquire land or interests in land and to predesign, design, construct, and improve public or private infrastructure projects that advance the program’s goals.

Eligible recipients (grantees)

• For money from the bond proceeds fund: cities, counties, solid waste management districts, sanitary districts, or townships.
• For money from the general fund: any person.

What the grants cover (main provisions)

• Infrastructure grants to process and manage C&D waste, including:
  • Collection, processing, waste reduction, reuse, recycling, resource recovery, disposal.
  • Projects that address hazardous substances, toxic pollutants, and problem materials in the C&D waste stream.
  • Opportunities to process non-construction and demolition waste as an ancillary function.
• Projects must align with policies in Minnesota Statutes section 115A.02.
• Grant coverage: up to 75% of eligible expenses.
• Preference factors for grants:
  • Help create a regional system to move away from unlined landfilling of C&D waste.
  • Reduce the amount of C&D waste disposed of by emphasizing reduction, reuse, recycling, and other beneficial means.
  • Serve environmental justice areas.
  • Maximize environmental, human health, and economic benefits.

Enhanced landfill cover grants (a separate grant category)

• Purpose: support final enhanced cover systems to close unlined C&D landfills.
• Grant coverage: up to 50% of eligible expenses.
• Preference factors:
  • Support transition away from unlined landfilling of C&D waste.
  • Serve environmental justice areas.
  • Require a design that demonstrates groundwater protection using the Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP) model and a site-specific risk assessment of health and environmental impacts and compliance status.

Funding and bonds (Section 2)

• Appropriation: 118,000,000 is appropriated to the Pollution Control Agency for grants under the program (115A.535). Of this:
  • 59,000,000 from the general fund (in fiscal year 2027).
  • 59,000,000 from the bond proceeds fund.
• Bond authority: The Commissioner of Management and Budget must sell and issue bonds up to 59,000,000 to fund the appropriation from the bond proceeds fund, under applicable Minnesota law.

Significant changes to existing law

• Creates a new grant program and two dedicated funding accounts for sustainable C&D waste infrastructure, including a bond proceeds fund account.
• Allows public and certain private infrastructure projects to be funded with these grants.
• Establishes explicit preferences and performance criteria (regional systems, waste reduction/reuse/recycling, environmental justice, health and economic benefits).
• Introduces enhanced landfill cover grant support with a focus on groundwater protection using the HELP model and site-specific risk evaluation.
• Codifies these changes into Minnesota Statutes chapter 115A (new subchapter under 115A.535 and related sections).

Relevant Terms - sustainable construction and demolition waste transition grant account - sustainable construction and demolition waste transition grants program - unlined construction and demolition landfills - construction and demolition waste (C&D waste) - regional system - environmental justice areas - waste reduction, reuse, recycling, resource recovery - hazardous substances, toxic pollutants, problem materials - HELP model (Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance) - enhanced landfill cover grants - Pollution Control Agency - bond proceeds fund - general fund - appropriation (118,000,000 total; 59,000,000 general fund; 59,000,000 bond proceeds fund) - bond sale (up to 59,000,000) - public infrastructure projects - private infrastructure projects - Minnesota Statutes section 115A.02 - Minnesota Statutes section 115A.535 - Minnesota Statutes chapters 16A.631 to 16A.675 - Minnesota Constitution Article XI