Dear Neighbor,
Come Monday, we’ll be heading into the final full week of the legislative session with a boatload of work still ahead and, as of now, at least one major snag slowing things down.
Here’s where we stand as we face the May 19 deadline to pass a new two-year state budget and adjourn on time:
As I mentioned in my last newsletter, we seemed to be on the right track with bipartisan agreement on a K-12 finance bill. But then House Democrats reneged because they don’t want to adjust the costly mandates they pushed through, which are now putting serious strain on school district budgets.
While we look for that issue to be resolved – which may be the key to wrapping up our work this session – the House has moved ahead on several other budget bills this week. That includes an energy package that keeps spending flat in that part of the budget and blocks the extreme policies we’ve seen over the past two years from advancing any further.
While I would have liked to roll back some of the poor decisions Democrats made when they had full control of the Capitol, stopping their agenda from expanding is a big win, especially in a divided House.
The reality is, Minnesota already lacks enough reliable power-plant capacity to meet peak electricity demand. If we continue shifting toward intermittent, weather-dependent energy sources – as House Democrats keep pushing for – those warnings will only become more frequent. We’ve seen what happens in states like California when things go too far in one direction. We simply can’t afford to take that risk here.
What we need is a balanced, common-sense energy plan that includes nuclear, coal, natural gas, wind, and solar – a mix that keeps our power grid diverse, reliable, and affordable. That’s the direction we should be heading.
A quick side note on renewable energy: One issue not addressed in this bill, but that needs attention soon, is the growing concern over land used for solar arrays. This has become an issue in other states and is starting to affect our area as well.
While solar farms can be profitable for landowners, we also need to raise public awareness about how this land can effectively be lost to agriculture, possibly for good. For example, potato and onion growers prefer sandy soils like we have in our area. Major companies have said they won’t buy crops grown on land that previously housed solar arrays, due to the risk of glass, metal, or other substances contaminating the soil. This not only affects the land under the panels but can potentially impact nearby fields within a one-mile radius, meaning neighboring farms could also feel the consequences.
So yes, solar farms can be a good income source, and I fully respect a landowner’s right to make the best decision for their property. We just need to make sure everyone understands that some decisions may come with long-term consequences that aren’t always obvious up front.
This is a developing issue that deserves more attention, and I may return to it in a future update.
That’s all for now. Stay tuned for more from the House soon. In the meantime, best of luck to everyone heading out for the fishing opener tomorrow – and wishing all the moms a very happy Mother’s Day this Sunday!
Sincerely,
Shane