Omnibus Energy Bill Takes Shape

This just in from the Minnesota House of Representatives Session Daily:

Proposals designed to boost solar and wind power and
tighten greenhouse gas regulations are among the provisions of the omnibus energy bill approved by the House Finance Committee.

HF3661/SF3337*,
sponsored by

Rep. Bill Hilty (DFL-Finlayson) and

Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon (DFL-Duluth), originally contained language that
would require the Commerce Department and Pollution Control Agency to submit
regular reports to the Legislature on progress made in meeting the state’s
greenhouse gas reduction goals. As amended by Hilty, the bill now contains
language from several other bills, including:

• a provision that would carve out a small portion of the
  state’s mandated renewable energy standard and dedicate it to solar power (from
  
  HF3843, sponsored by
  
  Rep. Kathy Brynaert (DFL-Mankato));

• a provision requiring producers and purchasers of gasses
  with a high "global warming potential" to report data on sales and use of the
  gasses to the PCA (from
  
  HF3545, sponsored by
  
  Rep. Joe Atkins (DFL-Inver Grove Heights));
• a provision forbidding the sale or purchase of small
  canisters of mobile air conditioner refrigerant (also from
  
  HF3545, sponsored by Atkins); and
• a provision authorizing the Commerce Department to
  coordinate and arrange bulk purchases of wind turbines and related equipment
  (from
  
  HF3343, sponsored by
  
  Rep. Al Juhnke (DFL-Willmar)).

The bill now goes to the House Ways and Means Committee.