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Energy Finance and Policy Division

21st Meeting / Joint Meeting

2009-2010 Regular Session - Wednesday, March 25, 2009

State of Minnesota House Energy Finance & Policy Division 21st Meeting
House of Representatives Eighty-Sixth Session

Joint Meeting: Committee on Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communications and Legislative Energy Commission and House Energy Finance and Policy Division

March 25, 2009


Legislative Energy Commission Members:


Present:
Sen. Ellen Anderson **
Sen. Steve Dille
Sen. John Doll **
Sen. Gary Kubly
Sen. Julie Rosen **
Sen. David Senjem **
Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon **
Rep. Michael Beard *
Rep. Kent Eken
Rep. Tom Hackbarth *
Rep. Bill Hilty *
Rep. Frank Hornstein
Rep. Al Juhnke
Rep. Kate Knuth *
Rep. Mary Ellen Otremba
Rep. Doug Magnus *
Rep. Torrey Westrom *

Excused:
Sen. Satveer Chaudhary
Sen.James Metzen
Sen. Pat Pariseau



* Also a member of the House Energy Finance & Policy Division.
** Also a member of the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communications

House Energy Finance & Policy Division Members:


Present:
Falk, Andrew
Bly, David
Brynaert, Kathy
Gunther, Bob
Hoppe, Joe
Kalin, Jeremy
Knuth, Kate
Kulick Jackson, Gail
Nornes, Bud
Obermueller, Mike
Persell, John
Sailer, Brita
Welti, Andy
Excused:
Anderson, Bruce
Atkins, Joe
Johnson, Sheldon



Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communications Members:


Present:
Sen. Jim Carlson
Sen. Kevin L. Dahle
Sen. Michael J. Jungbauer
Sen. Amy T. Koch
Sen. Kathy Sheran
Sen. Ray Vandeveer
Absent:
Sen. D. Scott Dibble
Sen. Rick E. Olseen
Sen. Sandy Rummel
Sen. Dan Sparks



Call to Order
Representative Bill Hilty called the joint meeting of the Legislative Energy Commission; the House Energy Finance & Policy Division; and the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communications to order at 6:40 pm. A quorum was present.

Discussion of Nuclear Power

Ms. Melissa Savage, Program Director
National Conference of State Legislators
303-364-7800 (fax) |
melissa.savage@ncsl.org
7700 E First Place, Denver, CO 80230 | 303-364-7700
www.ncsl.org

Melissa Savage, National Conference of State Legislatures, gave an overview of what others states are doing in regards to nuclear power. Ms. Savage spoke to the existing volume of nuclear waste and issues related to storage and transportation. She noted that at least 16 states are debating nuclear legislation. Ms. Savage stood for questions.

Mr. Jerome O'Leary, Director of Energy
United Association
309-7889033 (fax) |
jerry0@uanet.org
2803 30th Ave, Rock Island, IL 61201 | 309-788-9239
www.ua.org

Jerome O’Leary, Director of Energy for the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, spoke in favor of lifting the nuclear power moratorium. Mr. O’Leary addressed the reprocessing of nuclear fuel and the creation of jobs.

Dr. Arjun Makhijani, President
Institute for Energy and Environmental Research
301-270-3029 (fax) |
arjun@ieer.org
6935 Laurel Ave, #201, Takoma Park, MD 20912 | 301-270-5500
www.ieer.org

Dr. Arjun Makhijani, President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, spoke against rescinding the moratorium on nuclear power citing waste issues, cost, speed and financial risks as barriers to having successful new nuclear plants.

Mr. Adrian Heymer, Senior Director, Strategic Programs
Nuclear Energy Institute
202-785-4019 (fax) |
aph@nei.org
17761 St NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006-3708 | 202-739-8094
www.nei.org

Adrian Heymer, Senior Director at the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), testified in favor of lifting the nuclear moratorium. Mr. Heymer spoke to the status of operating reactors, new nuclear power plants and used fuel management.

Representative Hilty called a brief recess at 8:33 pm.

Representative Hilty called the meeting back to order at 8:46 pm.

Mr. Jim Harding, Consultant
206-459-6000 (w) |

Jim Harding, Energy Consultant, spoke to the economics of nuclear power and comparative costs. Mr. Harding stood for questions.

Dr. Anthony Buhl, President & Chief Executive
EnergX
865-809-6204 (c) | 865-483-9811 (fax) |
anthonybuhl@att.net
667 Emory Valley Rd, Suite A, Oak Ridge, TN 37830 | 865-483-9288
www.truproject.com, wwwenergxllc.com

Dr. Anthony Buhl, President and CEO at EnergX LLC, spoke in favor of lifting the nuclear moratorium. Dr. Buhl’s testimony focused on commercial nuclear power safety.

All testifiers were invited to the witness stand to field questions. Discussion ensued.

The meeting adjourned at 10:18 pm.





_____________________________
Representative Bill Hilty, Chair


_____________________________
Committee Legislative Assistant


Meeting Handouts
Testifier Bios
3-25-09 LEC agenda
Status and Outlook for Nuclear Energy in the United States
Gallup Poll - Support for nuclear energy
Chu Seeks to assure skeptical senators that Obama administration supports nuclear energy
Carbon Free and Nuclear Free
Carbon Free and Nuclear Free - A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy, Arjun Makhijani
Economics of New Reactors and Alternatives, Jim Harding
Nuclear Energy, One Option in a Diversified Portfolio, Adrian Heymer
Nuclear Power Discussion, Mellisa Savage
Commercial Nuclear Power Safety, Tony Buhl
More Info On This Meeting..
House TV Video:
View Archive

07:05 - Gavel, and introductory remarks.
13:28 - Presentation on nuclear power issues.
28:38 - Testimony on nuclear power issues.
The meeting went in to recess.
Runs 1 hour, 56 minutes.

House TV Video:
View Archive

01:51 - Gavel, and continued testimony on nuclear power issues.
Runs 1 hour, 32 minutes.


Discussion of nuclear power
More Info On This Meeting..
House TV Video:
View Archive

07:05 - Gavel, and introductory remarks.
13:28 - Presentation on nuclear power issues.
28:38 - Testimony on nuclear power issues.
The meeting went in to recess.
Runs 1 hour, 56 minutes.

House TV Video:
View Archive

01:51 - Gavel, and continued testimony on nuclear power issues.
Runs 1 hour, 32 minutes.


HF680 (Kalin) Federal stimulus funding allocated for energy programs