DFLEC Legislative Committee April 7 Update: Here Comes The Bus!
The Omnibus Season Is Upon Us!
Action Alert
The Legislature Spring break April 11 to April 21.
Omnibus bills are now being negotiated in the committees of the Minnesota Legislature. These bills contain budget and policy items. Please pay close attention to these large bills as they will contain content from other bills that we have supported and opposed.
This is a good week to call your senator and representatives to express your support and your concerns.
Today, Monday, SF2393 Energy Omnibus bill heard at 12:30 in 1150 Senate Office Building
Call or email the DFL Senators on the committee to voice your concerns.
Positive: Includes money for geothermal and energy alley transferred from renewable energy account
Negative: Sunsets Community Solar Garden program in 2028. This program began two years ago with expanded access to low and moderate income households, but it takes 3-6 years to develop and build projects. , MN Dept Commerce report found that SCG would deliver $3 billion in net benefits to the state. We need more solar energy on our grid. Cancelling this program makes no sense.
Negative: changes to net metering that reduce the value for homeowners. This will reduce homeowners and farmers' ability to afford to add rooftop solar. They are already paying a connection fee and the little bit of extra income they get from selling back electricity to their electric utility helps to offset their investment. DFLEC letter from March 7.
Negative: Data centers exemption for diesel engines from Certificate of Need from the PUC, minimizes environmental review with AUAR rather than the more complete compliance with Minnesota Environmental Policy Act
Negative: define Biodiesel fuel, B100 as carbon free for use in peaker plants. It is not carbon free. It emits harmful pollutants, nitrogen oxides, and also has negative impacts on our water, land, and human health.
Negative: allows hydropower to be eligible technology at any capacity. This is a workaround to allow large hydro purchased from Canada to count towards our renewable energy goals.
Tuesday, 1 pm House Environment Committee, in G3 Capitol Building
Omnibus Bill HF2439 -Heintzeman to be discussed
Positive: Contains E-waste Bill
Tuesday, 1 pm House Energy Committee. Location: Capitol 123. Chair: Rep. Patty Acomb
Agenda to be announced
Tuesday, 3 pm Senate Environment Committee, Location: 1150 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Senator Foung Hawj
Please submit documents to be posted for committee members by April 8, 2025, 7:00 pm. Late submissions may Not be posted in advance of the hearing Or included in prepared materials for committee members.
Note: SF 2077 (Hawj) will be the Senate Omnibus Environment Appropriations bill. An updated DE and Spreadsheet will be posted prior to the hearing. A bill walkthrough and testimony will be taken up at this hearing (4/8). Amendments will be considered at the 4/10 hearing.
All handouts and requests for testimony (both in-person and virtual) MUST be submitted using the following Testimony Request Form:
S.F. 2077 Hawj Environment and natural resources appropriations and provisions modifications
Note: this is the Senate Omnibus Environment Appropriations bill.
S.F. 1393 MathewsData center energy generation redundancy establishment
Wednesday, 12:30 Senate Energy Committee, Chair: Senator Nick A. Frentz
Agenda: To be announced.
Wednesday, 1 pm House Ag Committee, Location: Capitol G3, Chair: Rep. Rick Hansen
Alternate Chair: Rep. Paul Anderson
Agenda:
Public Testimony and Markup on HF2446 (Anderson, P.H.) Agriculture Budget Bill.
*An author’s delete-all amendment and fiscal spreadsheet to HF2446 (Anderson, P.H.) will be posted by Monday, April 7, 2025. The deadline to submit amendments to the DE electronically to the Committee Administrator (Peter.Strohmeier@house.mn.gov) is 1:00pm on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
Thursday, 3 pm Senate Environment Committee Location: 1150 Minnesota Senate Bldg.
Chair: Senator Foung Hawj
This will be the markup of the Senate Omnibus Environment Appropriations bill. No testimony will be taken (testimony will be taken on 4/8).
Agenda:
S.F. 2077 Hawj Environment and natural resources appropriations and provisions modifications
Note: this is the Senate Omnibus Environment Appropriations bill.
General notes, things to watch for in omnibus bills:
Data Centers
Prevent Rollbacks to 2040 Carbon free electricity law. (HF9 provisions also SF572 )
Key reasons to oppose HF 9: (DFLEC letter)
lifts the moratorium on new nuclear power
grants a 3-year delay in meeting 2040 clean electricity goals
prohibits demolishing fossil fuel generating plants
supports carbon capture and sequestration
Oppose SF426 large hydroelectric (100 MW) dams to count towards clean energy standard, Eichorn Bahr ; Mathews ; Hoffman ; Frentz
Stop Attacks on solar, net metering (HF845, SF1142)
Oppose efforts to gut Amara’s Law.
HF81 Heintzeman. Off-highway vehicles, snowmobiles, and electric-assisted bicycles exempted from prohibitions on PFAS in certain juvenile products.
HF1627 Heintzeman. Commercial and industrial products exempted from PFAS restrictions, and PFAS reporting requirements modified.
Stop rollbacks to Amara’s law, from MCEACopper-Ni Sulfide Mining (Friends of Boundary Waters), Hearing Feb. 24, 10:15, Location: Minnesota Senate Building Room 2308 - 95 University Ave W, St Paul.
Stop attacks on 10 ppm sulfate standard and permitting reform that greenlights polluters
See SF577 Efficiency improvement of Wetland Conservation Act
Support Inclusion of renewable energy and geothermal bills
HF1013 (Kraft) - Minnesota Energy Alley funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF1598 (Hollins) - Air ventilation improvement and geothermal infrastructure for schools financing program established, and money appropriated.
HF1656 (Hollins) - Geothermal energy system construction funding provided, and money appropriated. (for the Como Zoo)
HF2162 (Mahamoud) - Geothermal planning grants funding provided and money appropriated.
Support SF1690 E-waste bill
Budget
Keep community grants in ENRTF bill
Support HF1677 Nelson, Funding provided for the developing markets for continuous-living cover crops program, reports required, and money appropriated.
Support HF1611 (Hansen) Lawns to lunch pilot program funding provided, and money appropriated
Watch for support for aquatic invasive species work, they may try to cut it by 50%
Thank you for your help!
Watch for updates on these bills as they progress. Please contact Veda or Greg if you have information to share. Thank you for advocating for our environment and the next 7 generations.
“If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for, at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them.” ― Paul Wellstone