Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Climate and Energy Finance and Policy

FORTY SIXTH MEETING

2021-2022 Regular Session - Thursday, March 31, 2022

STATE OF MINNESOTA FORTY SIXTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-SECOND SESSION


CLIMATE AND ENERGY FINANCE AND POLICY MINUTES

Representative Jamie Long, Chair of the Committee on Climate and Energy Finance and Policy, called the virtual meeting to order at 10:30 AM on March 31st, 2022 pursuant to House rule 10.01. The meeting was broadcast via Zoom and House Public Information Services.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:
Long, Jamie, Chair
Acomb, Patty, Vice Chair
Swedzinski, Chris, Republican Lead
Bierman, Robert
Boe, Greg
Christensen, Shelly
Franson, Mary
Gruenhagen, Glenn
Hollins, Athena
Hornstein, Frank
Igo, Spencer
Lee, Fue
Lippert, Todd
Lislegard, Dave
Mekeland, Shane
Munson, Jeremy
Stephenson, Zack

A quorum was present.

Vice Chair Acomb moved that the minutes of March 17th, 2022, be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Presenting on Met Council’s Zero Emission Bus Transition Plan:
• Nick Thompson, Assistant General Manager of Capital Projects, Metro Transit
• Joshua Houdek, Senior Program Manager of Land Use and Transportation, Sierra Club

Representative Lee presented HF 4631, a bill for an act relating to public buildings; appropriating money for research to integrate weather trends in designing and operating public buildings to reduce operational costs and prevent damage from extreme weather events; requiring a report.

Representative Lee moved that HF 4631 be laid over for possible inclusion.

Representative Lee moved the HF4631DE2 amendment, THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Testifying on HF 4631:
• Richard Graves, Director of Sustainable Building Research, University of Minnesota

Representative Lee renewed his motion that HF 4631, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion.

Representative Acomb presented HF3759, a bill for an act relating to higher education; appropriating money for a weather resilience program in the University of Minnesota Extension Service.

Representative Acomb moved that HF3759 be laid over for possible inclusion.

Testifying on HF 3759:
• Dr. Heidi Roop, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Minnesota

Representative Acomb renewed her motion that HF3759 be laid over for possible inclusion.

Representative Christensen presented HF3985, a bill for an act relating to economic development; modifying the community energy transition grant program; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116J.55, subdivisions 1, 5; Laws 2020, chapter 118, section 5, subdivision 1.

Representative Christensen moved that HF3985 be laid over for possible inclusion.

Testifying on HF 3985:
• Max Peters, Cohasset City Administrator, President of the Coalition of Utility Cities

Representative Christensen renewed her motion that HF3985 be laid over for possible inclusion.

Representative Hollins presented HF 4653, a bill for an act relating to energy; allowing a public utility to file a program with the public utilities commission to promote the deployment of electric school buses; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 216B.

Representative Hollins moved that HF4653 be laid over for possible inclusion.

Testifying on HF 4653:
• Jeff Nelson, MN350’s Clean Transportation Team
• Thomas Lucy, St. Paul Public Schools

Representative Hollins renewed her motion that HF 4653 be laid over for possible inclusion.

Representative Lislegard presented HF 1978, a bill for an act relating to energy; appropriating money for a grant to the Mountain Iron Economic Development Authority to expand a city-owned building housing a solar panel manufacturer.

Representative Lislegard moved that HF 1978 be laid over for possible inclusion.

Representative Lislegard moved the HF1978DE2 amendment, THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Testifying on HF 1978:
• John Arbogast, United Steel Workers District 11
• Kevin Pranis, campaign director, LiUNA

Representative Lislegard renewed his motion that HF1978, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:51 AM.


__________________________________________
Representative Jamie Long, Chair

__________________________________________
Mike Hermanson, Committee Legislative Assistant

More Info On This Meeting..
Bills Added:
  • HF3985 (Christensen) - Community energy transition grant program modified, and money appropriated.
  • HF4653 (Hollins) - Public utility allowed to file program with public utilities commission for electric school bus deployment program.
  • HF3759 (Acomb) - Weather resiliency program funding provided to the University of Minnesota Extension Service, and money appropriated.
  • HF4631 (Lee) - Weather trend integration research funding provided for designing and operating public buildings for operational cost reduction and damage prevention from extreme weather events, report required, and money appropriated.
  • HF1978 (Lislegard) - Mountain Iron Economic Development Authority grant funding provided to expand city-owned building housing solar panel manufacturer, and money appropriated.
House TV Video:
View Archive

01:51 - Update on Metropolitan Council's Zero Emission Bus Transition Plan.
14:01 - HF4631 (Lee) Weather trend integration research funding provided for designing and operating public buildings for operational cost reduction and damage prevention from extreme weather events, report required, and money appropriated.
24:59 - HF3759 (Acomb) Weather resiliency program funding provided to the University of Minnesota Extension Service, and money appropriated.
39:59 - HF3985 (Christensen) Community energy transition grant program modified, and money appropriated.
46:56 - HF4653 (Hollins) Public utility allowed to file program with public utilities commission for electric school bus deployment program.
1:03:35 - HF1978 (Lislegard) Mountain Iron Economic Development Authority grant funding provided to expand city-owned building housing solar panel manufacturer, and money appropriated.
Runs 1 hour, 21 minutes.


Update on Met Council's Zero Emission Bus Transition Plan
HF4631 (Lee) - Weather trend integration research funding provided for designing and operating public buildings for operational cost reduction and damage prevention from extreme weather events, report required, and money appropriated.
HF3759 (Acomb) - Weather resiliency program funding provided to the University of Minnesota Extension Service, and money appropriated
HF3985 (Christensen) - Community energy transition grant program modified, and money appropriated.
HF4653 (Hollins) - Public utility allowed to file program with public utilities commission for electric school bus deployment program.
HF1978 (Lislegard) - Mountain Iron Economic Development Authority grant funding provided to expand city-owned building housing solar panel manufacturer, and money appropriated.
*Bills may be added to the agenda

Bills removed:
HF4506 (Lee) - Weather trend impact analysis research on agriculture, forests, and infrastructure funding provided; report required; and money appropriated.

This remote hearing is taking place pursuant to Rule 10.01.

If you wish to submit written testimony or testify via Zoom, please send the written testimony or the request to testify to Mike.Molzahn@house.mn by noon the day before the meeting.

Meeting documents will be posted on the committee website at https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/Committees/Home/92008

This remote hearing may be viewed via the House webcast schedule page: https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/htv/schedule.asp

All events are closed-captioned.

To provide feedback on digital accessibility of meeting information, please submit comments through the Minnesota Legislature Accessibility & Usability Comment Form. If you require an accommodation, please contact John Howe at: John.Howe@house.mn or by leaving a message at 651-296-3208. Please do not contact him with questions about the substance of the meeting agenda. To learn more about requesting an accommodation, please visit the FAQs for Disability Access.