It is nearly the end of the 2013 legislative session, and time for an update on MEP’s collaborative legislative priorities:  Clean Water Accountability, Transit for a Stronger Economy, and Clean Energy Jobs bills.

• The Clean Water Legacy Accountability Act language is contained in the Legacy bills which, with the Senate’s passage last night of Senator Cohen’s Legacy bill, now have passed off the floor of both chambers.  Next step for CWLA is conference committee.

The Clean Water Legacy Accountability Act is crafted to address certain gaps in Minnesota’s water pollution tracking and cleanup laws, and specifically to nonpoint pollution.  Nonpoint pollution – largely runoff from large agricultural operations – is the single largest source of water pollution in Minnesota today, and is responsible for six out of seven (86%) of water quality impairments to Minnesota waters.  To review the CWLA language in the Senate Legacy Finance bill go to lines 58.1-61.10 of the bill.

• Transit for a Stronger Economy – The Transportation Finance bill is in conference committee today, with the conference report possibly to be finished by midnight tonight.  When the conference committee concludes its work by adopting a Transportation Finance conference report, that report will be taken up for an up-or-down vote in both the House and Senate and, if it passes both, will then go to Governor Dayton for signature.

The conference committee today is attempting to bridge the gap between the House bill, which is a lights-on bill that does not provide increased funds for county roads and bridges, or for transit system completion, and the Senate bill, which includes several sources of additional funding needed to complete a modern 21st century transit system in the metro area and improve greater Minnesota transit service.  For more detail, see the Senate Transportation Finance bill, Article 2.

• Clean Energy & Jobs – The Energy conference committee finished its work on Tuesday with the adoption of conference report that includes a solar energy standard of 1.5% by 2020 for investor-owned utilities, but no boost to the (primarily wind) Renewable Energy Standard.  Later Tuesday night, the energy conference report’s exact language was offered as an amendment in the Omnibus Jobs and Economic Development conference committee.  The amendment was adopted and the Energy conference report now is contained in the Jobs conference report.  The Jobs conference report passed the House late last Wednesday night.  The next step is an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor, which is likely to come today.  You can find the Energy conference report here.

Clean Energy & Jobs Legislation Passes the Minnesota Senate

Legislation Establishes Solar Energy Standard; Represents Good First Step Toward Creating Jobs, Making Solar Cheaper and More Accessible for All Minnesotans

[SAINT PAUL, MN] The Minnesota Senate today passed clean energy and jobs legislation that establishes a solar energy standard of 1 percent by 2025. The bill – which will create jobs in the state and will make solar energy more affordable and more accessible for all Minnesotans – passed the Senate by a vote of 37-26. The Minnesota Clean Energy & Jobs campaign released the following statement:

“This legislation is the good first step forward in the effort to create good jobs, to make solar energy more affordable and more accessible, and to protect Minnesota’s air, land and water for generations to come. We have a responsibility to compete in the marketplace for clean energy and compete for the jobs that come with it.

“We must act this year on legislation that establishes a strong solar energy standard, which will catalyze investment, creates new jobs, and show that our state is open for renewable energy business. We look forward to working with Conferees as they negotiate a strong solar energy standard for the state of Minnesota.”

The legislation includes the following provisions:

• Requires investor-owned utilities to provide at least 1 percent of its power through solar electricity by the end of 2025.
• Requires the Department of Commerce to calculate a “value of solar,” which would determine how much utilities would pay small producers. The amount would be adjusted annually.
• The bill also would offer incentives to owners of solar equipment made in Minnesota.

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The Minnesota Clean Energy & Jobs campaign mobilizes more than 60 energy, labor, youth, faith, environment, and conservation groups, as well as clean energy businesses to answer Governor Mark Dayton’s call to establish Minnesota’s clean energy future – by advancing renewable sources of energy while creating and supporting good jobs for Minnesotans. For more information: Visit http://www.cleanenergyjobs.mn/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 7, 2013

CONTACT:
Cathy Kennedy
612.309.3951
cathryn@cathrynkennedy.com

Clean Energy & Jobs Legislation Passes the Minnesota House

Legislation Establishes 40 Percent by 2030 Renewable Electricity Standard,
Solar Energy Standard

[SAINT PAUL, MN] The Minnesota House of Representatives last night passed clean energy and jobs legislation, establishing a solar standard of 4 percent by 2025, as well as an increase in the state’s Renewable Electricity Standard to 40 percent by 2030 for investor-owned utilities. The bill passed the House by 70-63. The Minnesota Clean Energy & Jobs campaign released the following statement:

“This legislation will provide good jobs and protect Minnesota’s air, land and water for generations to come. We have a responsibility to compete in the marketplace for clean energy and compete for the jobs that come with it. This is a tremendous step toward a clean energy economy in this state.

“Speaker Thissen and Representative Hortman deserve heartfelt thanks for ensuring that clean, renewable energy will be produced in Minnesota. Although there’s more to be done, this legislation will catalyze investment, creates new jobs, and shows that our state is open for renewable energy business.”

The legislation includes the following provisions:

• Increases the state’s existing Renewable Electricity Standard to 40 percent by 2030, up from 25 percent by 2025, for investor-owned utilities.
• Requires investor-owned utilities to provide at least 0.5 percent of its power through solar electricity by the end of 2016; 2 percent by late 2020; and 4 percent by late 2025.
• Requires investor-owned utilities to invest 1-1/3 percent of their annual retail sales in subsidies for homeowners and businesses to install small solar systems.
• Requires the Department of Commerce to calculate a “value of solar,” which would determine how much utilities would pay small producers. The amount would be adjusted annually.
• The bill also would offer incentives to owners of solar equipment made in Minnesota.

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The Minnesota Clean Energy & Jobs campaign mobilizes more than 60 energy, labor, youth, faith, environment, and conservation groups, as well as clean energy businesses to answer Governor Mark Dayton’s call to establish Minnesota’s clean energy future – by advancing clean, renewable sources of energy while creating and supporting good jobs for Minnesotans. For more information: Visit http://www.cleanenergyjobs.mn/