Bill > HF1204

This bill modifies Minnesota's environmental review process by expanding who can petition for an environmental assessment worksheet and clarifying related procedural requirements. Specifically, the bill allows not just 100 individual residents or property owners to petition for an environmental assessment worksheet, but also adds Minnesota Tribal governments as entities that can initiate this process. The bill updates several technical references in existing environmental review statutes, including provisions about how governmental units handle environmental impact statements and assessment worksheets. It maintains the core purpose of ensuring that potential environmental impacts are thoroughly evaluated before major governmental actions are taken, while streamlining some administrative processes. The bill also preserves existing exemptions for certain types of projects, such as small animal feedlot facilities, and continues to require that environmental reviews be conducted early in the project planning stage. Additionally, the bill reinforces the goal of coordinating environmental review with permit processes and aims to reduce unnecessary paperwork and duplicative reviews across different governmental units.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF1204&ssn=0&y=2025