Minnesota Agencies

Advises the Minnesota Department of Health on licensing water well contractors and explorers; registering and monitoring well engineers; and on technical matters relating to the regulation or the construction, maintenance, and ultimate sealing of wells and borings. (16 August 1993)

The Wells and Borings Advisory Council was reviewed by the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy (LCPFP) in 2013 as part of their biennial duty required by Minn. Stat. 3.885 Subd. 11. The LCPFP's 2013 Recommendations called for keeping the council.

The council consists of 18 voting members. Of the 18 voting members:
(1) one member must be from the Department of Health, appointed by the commissioner of health;
(2) one member must be from the Department of Natural Resources, appointed by the commissioner of natural resources;
(3) one member must be a member of the Minnesota Geological Survey of the University of Minnesota, appointed by the director;
(4) one member must be a responsible individual for a licensed explorer;
(5) one member must be a certified representative of a licensed elevator boring contractor;
(6) two members must be members of the public who are not connected with the boring or well drilling industry;
(7) one member must be from the Pollution Control Agency, appointed by the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency;
(8) one member must be from the Department of Transportation, appointed by the commissioner of transportation;
(9) one member must be from the Board of Water and Soil Resources appointed by its chair;
(10) one member must be a certified representative of a monitoring well contractor;
(11) six members must be residents of this state appointed by the commissioner, who are certified representatives of licensed well contractors, with not more than two from the seven-county metropolitan area and at least four from other areas of the state who represent different geographical regions; and
(12) one member must be a certified representative of a licensed bored geothermal heat exchanger contractor.

An appointee of the well drilling industry may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The appointees to the advisory council from the well drilling industry must: have been residents of this state for at least three years before appointment; and have at least five years' experience in the well drilling business.

The terms of the appointed members and the compensation and removal of all members are governed by section 15.059.

Commissioner of the Department of Health