Prohibiting certain mining and drilling activities that cause the destruction or filling in of a lake bed, reservoir, or flowage or that cause the withdrawal of water from a reservoir or flowage

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Current law generally prohibits a person engaged in nonferrous metallic mining or engaged in ferrous metallic mining (iron mining) from destroying or filling in a lake bed. This general prohibition does not apply to a person engaged in certain iron mining activities if the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has issued a permit authorizing the person to engage in those activities and the permit is issued in accordance with various laws that regulate wetlands, surface water, or groundwater. This bill eliminates the exceptions to the general prohibition against destroying or filling in a lake bed so that the prohibition applies to a person engaged in iron mining activities regardless of whether DNR has issued other permits for those activities.

This bill also prohibits DNR from authorizing a person who is engaged in nonferrous metallic mining or iron mining from destroying or filling in a reservoir or flowage or from withdrawing water from a reservoir or flowage. Additionally, the bill prohibits DNR from authorizing a person conducting drilling operations for the exploration or production of oil or gas to withdraw water from a reservoir or flowage.

Who's behind it

25 lawmakers are its authors⁠. All 25 are Democrats.

5 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.