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Climate and Energy Finance and Policy

SIXTEENTH MEETING

2021-2022 Regular Session - Thursday, March 4, 2021

STATE OF MINNESOTA SIXTEENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-SECOND SESSION



CLIMATE AND ENERGY FINANCE AND POLICY MINUTES

Representative Jamie Long, Chair of the Committee on Climate and Energy Finance and Policy, called the virtual meeting to order at 10:30 AM on March 4th, 2021 pursuant to House rule 10.01. The meeting was broadcast via Zoom and House Public Information Services.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:
Long, Jamie, Chair
Acomb, Patty, Vice Chair
Swedzinski, Chris, Republican Lead
Bierman, Robert
Boe, Greg
Christensen, Shelly
Franson, Mary
Gruenhagen, Glenn
Hollins, Athena
Hornstein, Frank
Igo, Spencer
Lee, Fue
Lippert, Todd
Lislegard, Dave
Mekeland, Shane
Munson, Jeremy
Stephenson, Zack

A quorum was present.

Vice Chair Acomb moved that the minutes of February 18th, 2021, be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Bills not introduced at the time of the meeting are indicated by the House Research, Revisor, or Counsel code.

Representative Bierman presented House Research BE055, A bill for an act relating to energy; establishing a task force to analyze options for increasing the provision of weatherization services to low-income households; appropriating money.

Testifying on House Research BE055:
• Bill Grant, Minnesota Community Action Partnership
• Laura Milbrandt, Prairie Five Community Action

Representative Lippert presented House Research BE058, A bill for an act relating to siting solar generating systems; modifying siting prohibitions with respect to prime farmland; requiring rulemaking.

Testifying on House Research BE058:
• Adam Sokolski, ?Regulatory and Legislative Affairs, EDF Renewables
• Peder Mewis, Regional Policy Manager, Clean Grid Alliance
• David Shaffer, Executive Director, MnSEIA

Public testimony on House Research BE058:
• Ralph Kaehler, Business Development, Novel Energy

Representative Stephenson presented House Research BE051, A bill for an act relating to energy; exempting certain wind and solar projects from the requirement to obtain a certificate of need; amending the definition of "solar energy generating system"; adding factors the commission must consider in approving sites and routes for electric generating plants; requiring the installation of lighting systems for certain wind turbines; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 216B.243, subdivision 8; 216E.01, subdivision 9a; 216E.03, subdivision 7; 216E.04, subdivision 2; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 216F

Testifying on House Research BE051:
• Peder Mewis, Regional Policy Manager, Clean Grid Alliance
• Adam Sokolski, ?Regulatory and Legislative Affairs, EDF Renewables
• Mike Bull, Director of Policy and External Affairs, Center for Energy and the Environment

Public testimony on House Research BE051:
• Stacey Fujii, Director of Governmental Affairs, Great River Energy
• Kevin Pranis, Campaign Director, LiUNA

The meeting was adjourned at 12:02 PM.


__________________________________________
Representative Jamie Long, Chair


__________________________________________
Mike Hermanson, Committee Legislative Assistant




More Info On This Meeting..
House TV Video:
View Archive

01:54 - HFXXXX (Bierman) Establishing a task force to analyze options for increasing the provision of weatherization services to low-income households.
21:39 - HFXXXX (Lippert) Relating to siting solar generating systems; modifying siting prohibitions with respect to prime farmland.
52:08 - HFXXXX (Stephenson) Exempting certain wind and solar projects from the requirement to obtain a certificate of need; amending the definition of "solar energy generating system"; adding factors the commission must consider in approving sites and routes for electric generating plants; requiring the installation of lighting systems for certain wind turbines.
Runs 1 hour, 32 minutes.


HF XXXX (Bierman) Taskforce on expanding weatherization services
HF XXXX (Lippert) Siting solar energy on prime farmland
HF XXXX (Stephenson) Exempting certain wind and solar projects from certificate of need, adding factors for approving sites and routes for generating plants
*Bills may be added to the agenda

This remote hearing is taking place pursuant to Rule 10.01.

This remote hearing may be viewed via the House webcast schedule page: https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/htv/schedule.asp

Note: HTV 1 and HTV 2 will provide live closed captioning. Video archives of meetings streamed on HTV 3, 4, and 5 will have closed captions added. Other reasonable accessibility accommodations may be made with advance notice.

If you have questions about the accessibility of remote hearings or require an accommodation, please contact Jenny Nash at: jenny.nash@house.mn or by leaving a message at 651-296-4122. Do not contact Jenny about the content of this meeting.

Public Testimony:
• Members of the public who are interested in testifying must email Mike.Molzahn@house.mn by 3:00 p.m. the day before the meeting to ensure consideration. Testimony may be limited due to time constraints.
• If you plan to submit written testimony, please send it to Mike.Molzahn@house.mn by 3:00 p.m. the day before the meeting.

Meeting documents will be posted on the committee website: https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/Committees/Home/92008