Purpose

• The bill creates a one-time funding program to help measure lead emissions from a permitted facility using a continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS). The goal is to assess how well installing a CEMS works and to allow the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to continuously monitor compliance with lead emission limits.

Main Provisions

• Funding: A general fund appropriation in fiscal year 2027 to the MPCA is provided for a grant program related to installing a CEMS to measure lead emissions in real time and assess its effectiveness.
• Use of funds: The grant can cover up to 100 percent of the purchase price and installation costs of a CEMS.
• Administrative costs and support: Some of the appropriation may be used to reimburse the MPCA for its administrative costs and to provide technical assistance to the grant recipient.
• Availability and duration: This is a one-time appropriation and remains available until June 30, 2029.
• Definition: A continuous emissions monitoring system means the total integrated equipment needed to continuously sample, analyze, measure, and record real-time concentrations of pollutants from an emission source.

Eligibility and Priority

• Priority criteria: Grants should prioritize facilities that have exceeded lead emission limits multiple times within the last five years and are located within one mile of significant residential populations exposed to the facility’s air emissions.
• Recipients: Grants are awarded to enable installation and operation of the CEMS at these prioritized facilities.

Timing and Oversight

• Administration: The MPCA administers the grant program, including determining eligibility and awarding grants.
• Purpose alignment: The funding is intended to enable ongoing monitoring to ensure compliance with lead emission limits at high-risk facilities.

Definitions and Key Terms

• Continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS): The integrated system used to continuously sample, analyze, measure, and record real-time concentrations of lead and other pollutants from an emission source.
• Lead emissions: The release of lead particles or compounds into the air from a permitted facility.
• Permitted facility: A facility that has an emission permit and is subject to air quality regulations.

Significance and Impact

• Public health and environmental accountability: By prioritizing facilities with repeated lead exceedances near residential areas and by enabling real-time monitoring, the bill aims to improve data quality, transparency, and adherence to emission limits.
• Modernization of monitoring: The emphasis on CEMS reflects a shift toward continuous, real-time data to support enforcement and protective actions for communities near polluting facilities.

Relevant Terms lead emissions; continuous emission monitoring system; CEMS; air emissions; permitted facility; emission limits; Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA); general fund appropriation; grant; assess the efficacy; frequency and concentration; real-time concentrations; administrative costs; technical assistance; one-time appropriation; available until June 30, 2029; residential populations; significant residential populations; exceed emission limits.