Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of the bill is to ensure that Minnesota Tribal governments are adequately informed and involved in the permitting process for activities that have a substantial direct effect on them. This aims to enhance communication and cooperation between state authorities and Tribal governments.

Main Provisions

• Permit Application Submission: The bill mandates that whenever a permit issued by the Minnesota commissioner has a significant direct effect on a Minnesota Tribal government, the complete application must be submitted to the affected Tribal government.

• Incomplete Applications: If a permit application is incomplete at the time of submission, any substantial additional information that comes in after the initial submission must also be promptly sent to the Tribal government.

• Definition: The bill defines "Minnesota Tribal government" as per the existing Minnesota Statutes section 10.65, subdivision 2, clause 4.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 84.027 and 116.03, by adding new subdivisions. This change introduces a direct requirement for state commissioners to engage with Tribal governments through the sharing of permit applications and relevant supplementary information.

Relevant Terms

Minnesota Tribal government, permit application, Tribal government involvement, substantial direct effect, state commissioner, environmental permits, communication with Tribes.