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Energy Finance and Policy Division

Twenty-first Meeting

2007-2008 Regular Session - Wednesday, March 14, 2007

State of Minnesota twenty-first Meeting
House of Representatives Eighty-Fifth Session

Energy Finance and Policy Division

Minutes


Representative Bill Hilty, Chair, called the twenty-first meeting to order at 2:26 PM on March 14, 2007 in Room 200 of the State office Building.

The Clerk noted the roll.

Members present:

Hilty, Bill
Ruud, Maria
Westrom, Torrey
Beard, Michael
Bly, David
Brynaert, Kathy
Gardner, Paul
Gunther, Bob
Hackbarth, Tom
Hoppe, Joe
Johnson, Sheldon
Kalin, Jeremy
Knuth, Kate
Magnus, Doug
Nornes, Bud
Ozment, Dennis
Peterson, Aaron
Sailer, Brita
Slocum, Linda
Wagenius, Jean
Welti, Andy



A quorum was present.

Representative Kalin moved approval of the minutes of March 12, 2007. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF0375 (Ruud) Global Warming Mitigation Act adopted.

Testimony on HF0375 continued from the last meeting.

Testifying against the bill:

2:28 PM - Loren Laugtug, Director of Legislative Affairs, Otter Tail Power Company.; 215 S. Cascade. St. Fergus Falls, MN; 218-205-0162.

Testifying against the bill:

2:53 PM - Ward Uggerud, Senior Vice President, Otter Tail Power Company & Big Stone Plant II; 215 S. Cascade. St. Fergus Falls, MN.

Testifying in favor of the bill:

3:50 PM - Barbara Freese, Consultant and Attorney, Union of Concerned Scientists; 490 Dayton Ave, St. Paul, MN 55102; 651-227-5127.

4:00 PM - The meeting recessed at the call of the chair.

6:25 PM - The meeting reconvened.

Testifying against the bill:

6:26 PM - Deb Birgen, Manager of State Legislative Affairs, Missouri River Energy Services, Sioux Falls, SD.

6:40 PM - Julie Jorgensen, Co-president and CEO, Excelsior Energy; 11100 Wayzata Blvd, Suite 305, Minnetonka, MN 55305; 952-250-2253.

6:59 PM - Rick Lancaster, V.P. of Generation, Great River Energy; P.O. Box 800 Elk River, MN; 763-241-2428.

7:03 PM - Mike Robertson, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce; 10422 Grand Oaks Trail, Woodbury, MN 55129; 651-260-1610.

7:14 PM - Tom Koehler, Business Manager, IBEW State Council; 2522 Marshall St. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418.

Testifying in favor of the bill:

7:30 PM -- Barbara Freese, Consultant and Attorney, Union of Concerned Scientists.

Testifying against the bill:

7:36 PM - Bob Schulte, CEO, Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency; 9072 Palmetto Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55341; 952-949-2676.

8:01 PM - Margaret Hodnik, Director of Public Policy, Minnesota Power; 30 W. Superior St., Duluth, MN 55811; 218-723-3966.

8:09 PM - Bob Weiss, Chairman, Sleepy Eye Public Utilities Commission, Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency; 405 2nd Ave SE, Sleepy Eye, MN 56085; 507-794-6164.

8:13 PM - Paul Leland, Board Member, Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency; Blue Earth, MN 56013; 507-526-2191.

Testifying in favor of the bill:

8:23 PM - Duane Ninneman, Renewable Energy Consultant, Clean Up The River Environment; P.O. Box 154 Ortonville, MN 50778; 320-269-2984.

8:42 PM - Andrew Falk, resident of Swift County, independent wind developer; 1170 Hwy 9 NE, Murdock, MN 56771.

8:58 PM - Molly Schultz, Director of Public Policy, Minnesota Environmental Partnership; 2356 University Ave. W., #244, St. Paul, MN 55114. 651-428-0547.

9:09 PM - Michael Noble, Executive Director, Fresh Energy; 408 St. Peter, St Paul, MN 55102; 651-726-7560.

9:33 PM - Clarence Lehman, Adjunct professor of the University of Minnesota; 612-625-5734.

9:39 PM - J. Drake Hamilton, Science Policy Director, Fresh Energy; 408 St. Peter St, #220, St. Paul, MN 55102; 651-726-7562.

9:44 PM - Rep. Ruud Moved the HF0375A15 amendment.

Testifying on the amendment:

9:47 PM -- Barbara Freese, Consultant and Attorney, Union of Concerned Scientists.

9:49 PM -- Julie Jorgensen, Excelsior Energy.

9:59 PM -- Ruud renewed her motion to adopt the A15 amendment.

The motion prevailed. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED

9:59 PM - Rep Nornes moved the HF0375A8 amendment.

Rep. Hackbarth requested a role call vote. The results were as follows:



Yes (8) No (11) Abstain (1) Absent (1)
Beard, Michael
Gunther, Bob
Hackbarth, Tom
Magnus, Doug
Nornes, Bud
Ozment, Dennis
Welti, Andy
Westrom, Torrey Hilty, Bill
Bly, David
Brynaert, Kathy
Gardner, Paul
Johnson, Sheldon
Kalin, Jeremy
Knuth, Kate
Peterson, Aaron
Ruud, Maria
Slocum, Linda
Wagenius, Jean Sailer, Brita Hoppe, Joe



There being 8 ayes, 11 nays, and 1 abstention, the motion did not prevail. THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

10:13 PM - Rep. Hackbarth moved the HF0375DE2 amendment

Rep. Hackbarth requested a role call vote.



Yes (5) No (14) Abstain Absent (2)
Gunther, Bob
Hackbarth, Tom
Magnus, Doug
Nornes, Bud
Westrom, Torrey Hilty, Bill
Bly, David
Brynaert, Kathy
Gardner, Paul
Johnson, Sheldon
Kalin, Jeremy
Knuth, Kate
Ozment, Dennis
Peterson, Aaron
Ruud, Maria
Sailer, Brita
Slocum, Linda
Wagenius, Jean
Welti, Andy Beard, Michael
Hoppe, Joe



There being 5 ayes and 14 nays, the motion did not prevail. THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

10:18 PM - Rep. Magnus moved the HF0375A14 amendment.

Rep. Magnus incorporated the following oral amendment:

Page 1, Line 4, after "239.77" insert "or other biofuels"

Rep. Hackbarth requested a role call vote.



Yes (9) No (11) Abstain () Absent (1)
Beard, Michael
Gunther, Bob
Hackbarth, Tom
Magnus, Doug
Nornes, Bud
Ozment, Dennis
Sailer, Brita
Welti, Andy
Westrom, Torrey Hilty, Bill
Bly, David
Brynaert, Kathy
Gardner, Paul
Johnson, Sheldon
Kalin, Jeremy
Knuth, Kate
Peterson, Aaron
Ruud, Maria
Slocum, Linda
Wagenius, Jean Hoppe, Joe



There being 9 ayes and 11 nays, the motion did not prevail. THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

10:33 PM - Rep. Hackbarth requested a role call vote.

10:39 PM - Rep. Ruud renewed her motion to recommend that HF0375 pass as amended and be placed on the General Register.



Yes (13) No (6) Abstain (1) Absent (1)
Hilty, Bill
Bly, David
Brynaert, Kathy
Gardner, Paul
Johnson, Sheldon
Kalin, Jeremy
Knuth, Kate
Ozment, Dennis
Peterson, Aaron
Ruud, Maria
Sailer, Brita
Slocum, Linda
Wagenius, Jean Beard, Michael
Gunther, Bob
Hackbarth, Tom
Magnus, Doug
Nornes, Bud
Westrom, Torrey Welti, Andy Hoppe, Joe



There being 13 ayes, 6 nays, and 1 abstention, The motion prevailed. THE BILL WAS PASSED.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:42 PM.


_____________________________
Representative Bill Hilty, Chair


_____________________________
Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..

Added to the Agenda; continued - HF375 (Ruud) Global Warming Mitigation Act adopted.

Removed from the agenda HF1350 (Eken) White Earth Band of Chippewa renewable energy feasibility grant provided, and money appropriated.
Removed from the agenda HF1664 (Kalin) East central Minnesota renewable energy plant feasibility study grant authorized.