Funding for State Energy & Commerce Agencies | SF 972

The 2021 Senate Commerce & Energy Omnibus bill contains the FY22 and FY23 budget proposals for a number of state agencies including the Minnesota Department of Commerce and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. It also includes many policy proposals related to those state agencies and spending proposals using the Renewable Development Account. The bill creates policy changes to guide energy investment and regulation while providing funding for energy-related agencies and programs.

Relevant policy proposals within this Omnibus include the Natural Gas Innovation Act (SF421—Weber), the repeal of the state prohibition on building new nuclear facilities to generate electricity (SF225—Kiffmeyer), the Minnesota Efficient Technology Accelerator (SF1667—Rarick) and a requirement that energy utilities must provide information to the PUC about efforts to minimize economic impacts to workers (SF1612–Matthews).

The bill also proposes spending funds from the Renewable Development Account including but not limited to: Solar on Schools (SF2144—Miller), wood pellet plant production incentive (SF1163—Utke), Solar Rewards Production Incentive (SF2074—Senjem), state building energy conservation improvement revolving loan account (SF543—Frentz), and compensation for the closure of the Benson biomass facility (SF1015—Lang).

Several amendments were made to this Omnibus bill. The following amendments all failed:

• Banning New Nuclear Power Plants | Amendment 15 to SF 972
• Human Activity is Causing Climate Change | Amendment 27 to SF 972
• Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals | Amendment 31 to SF 972
• Clean Energy First | Amendment 34 to SF 972
• Establish Carbon-Free Utility Standards | Amendment 36 to SF 972