Bill > SF26

This bill establishes alternative wetland mitigation options for areas where over 80 percent of the original wetlands have been lost, allowing for more flexible approaches to wetland replacement. Specifically, the bill would permit reducing the minimum wetland replacement ratio when alternative mitigation strategies are used, such as restoring riparian corridors, stabilizing waterways, restoring peatland hydrology, or completing environmental improvement projects outlined in existing water management plans. These alternative strategies must create a substantial portion of the public value of the impacted wetlands, though the exact replacement ratio is not specified in the provided text. The Board of Water and Soil Resources, in collaboration with the Commissioner of Agriculture and local government units, would be responsible for developing rules to implement these provisions, including establishing methods to determine the public value of the alternative mitigation efforts. This approach aims to provide more flexible and potentially more effective ways to preserve and restore wetland ecosystems in areas that have already experienced significant wetland loss.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF0026&ssn=0&y=2025