Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Climate and Energy Finance and Policy

FIFTH MEETING

2023-2024 Regular Session - Wednesday, January 18, 2023

STATE OF MINNESOTA FIFTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-THIRD SESSION



CLIMATE AND ENERGY FINANCE AND POLICY MINUTES

Representative Patty Acomb, Chair of the Committee on Climate and Energy Finance and Policy, called the meeting to order at 3:00PM on January 18, 2023 in Room 200 of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:
ACOMB, Patty, Chair
KRAFT, Larry, Vice Chair
ALTENDORF, Pam
BIERMAN, Robert
CARROLL, Ned
DAVIS, Ben
GAROFALO, Pat
HEMMINGSEN-JAEGER, Amanda
HOLLINS, Athena
HORNSTEIN, Frank
IGO, Spencer
MEKELAND, Shane
NEWTON, Jerry
O’NEILL, Marion
REHM, Lucy
STEPHENSON, Zack

Excused:
SWEDZINSKI, Chris, Republican Lead

A quorum was present.

Vice Chair Kraft moved that the minutes of January 17, 2023, be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 7 (Long); Electric utility renewable energy standard obligations modified.

Chair Acomb moved that HF 7 be re-referred to the General Register.

Chair Acomb moved the A7 amendment.

Chair Acomb moved an oral amendment to the A7 amendment, as below:
• Page 3, line 7, delete "a public" and insert "an electric"
• Page 7, line 27, delete “24” and insert “28”
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE ORAL AMENDMENT WAS INCORPORATED.

Chair Acomb renewed the motion to adopt the A7 amendment, as amended. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT, AS AMENDED, WAS ADOPTED.

Chair Acomb moved an oral amendment to HF 7, as below:
• Page 2, line 14, delete “185” and insert “200”
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE ORAL AMENDMENT WAS INCORPORATED.

Representative Long presented HF 7, as amended.

Testifiers:
• Michael Noble, Executive Director, Fresh Energy
• Kevin Pranis, Marketing Manager, LiUNA Minnesota and North Dakota
• Gregg Mast, Executive Director, Clean Energy Economy Minnesota
• Adam Duininck, Director of Government Affairs, North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters
• Commissioner Grace Arnold, Department of Commerce
• Aurora Vautrin, Political Director, 100% Campaign
• Chris Clark, President, Northern States Power Minnesota
• Deb Birgin, Vice President of Governmental Relations, Missouri River Energy
• Peter Wagenius, Legislative Director, Sierra Club
• Brita Endrud, Governmental Affairs Representative, Minnkota Power
• Reverend Andrew Davis, Pastor of Union Presbyterian Church, St. Peter
• Sarah Mooradian, Government Relations and Policy Director, CURE
• Jon Brekke, Vice President and Chief Power Supply Officer, Great River Energy
• Brian Cook, Director, Energy and Elections Policy, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
• Kathryn Iverson, Advisor, Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate
• Dr. Kimberly Wilburn, ISAIAH
• Annie Levenson-Falk, Executive Director of Citizens Utility Board
• Lola Brown, senior Macalaster student
• Brad Tollerson, Vice President Energy Supply, Ottertail Power Company
• Madelyn Smerillo, Senior Policy Associate, Clean Grid Alliance
• Julie Pierce, Vice President of Strategy and Planning, Minnesota Power
• Joyce Peppin, General Counsel, Dairyland Power Cooperative
• Tyler Hamman, Vice President of Government Relations, Basin Electric
• Bree Halverson, Midwest Field Director, Blue Green Alliance
• Commissioner Jeff Lunde, Hennepin County
• Barbara Freese, Attorney for Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
• Chris McConn, Chair of the Minnesota Resource Recovery Association
• Dr. Julia Nerbonne, Executive Director with MN Interfaith Power and Light

Representative Garofalo moved the A8 amendment.

Representative Garofalo requested a roll call vote.

The clerk took the roll on the A8 amendment:

AYES
ALTENDORF, Pam
DAVIS, Ben
GAROFALO, Pat
IGO, Spencer
MEKELAND, Shane
O'NEILL, Marion

NAYS
ACOMB, Patty
KRAFT, Larry
BIERMAN, Robert
CARROLL, Ned
HEMMINGSEN- JAEGER, Amanda
HOLLINS, Athena
HORNSTEIN, Frank
NEWTON, Jerry
REHM, Lucy
STEPHENSON, Zack

EXCUSED
SWEDZINSKI, Chris

There being 6 AYES, 10 NAYS, and 1 EXCUSED, THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL.

Chair Acomb renewed the motion that HF 7, as amended, be re-referred to the General Register.

Representative Garofalo requested a roll call vote.

The clerk took the roll on HF 7, as amended:

AYES
ACOMB, Patty
KRAFT, Larry
BIERMAN, Robert
CARROLL, Ned
HEMMINGSEN- JAEGER, Amanda
HOLLINS, Athena
HORNSTEIN, Frank
NEWTON, Jerry
REHM, Lucy
STEPHENSON, Zack

NAYS
ALTENDORF, Pam
DAVIS, Ben
GAROFALO, Pat
IGO, Spencer
MEKELAND, Shane
O'NEILL, Marion

EXCUSED
SWEDZINSKI, Chris

There being 10 AYES, 6 NAYS, and 1 EXCUSED, THE MOTION PREVAILED.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:03 PM.



__________________________________________
Representative Patty Acomb, Chair


__________________________________________
Chelsea Ray, Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..
Bills Added:
  • HF0007 (Long) - Electric utility renewable energy standard obligations modified, cost recovery provided, wind projects exempted from certificate of need proceedings, low-voltage transmission line included in solar energy generating system definition, local energy employment provisions added, and Public Utility Commission permit authority modified for electric generation facilities.
House TV Video:
View Archive

00:47 - HF7 (Long) Electric utility renewable energy standard obligations modified, wind projects exempted from certificate of need proceedings, low-voltage transmission lines included in definition of solar energy generating system for siting purposes, Public Utility Commission authority modified to issue permits for electric generation facilities.
Runs 2 hours, 3 minutes.


HF 7 (Long) Electric utility renewable energy standard obligations modified

If you wish to submit written testimony or testify in person, please send the written testimony or the request to testify to Mike.Molzahn@house.mn.gov by 1 p.m. the day before the meeting. Written testimony is preferred and will be accepted after the deadline. In-person testimony will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis, and may be limited due to committee time constraints.

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

To learn more about requesting an accommodation, please visit the FAQs for Disability Access. If you have further questions on accommodations or accessibility, please contact the Committee Administrator.