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

Energy Finance and Policy Division

Eighteenth Meeting

2009-2010 Regular Session - Wednesday, March 18, 2009

State of Minnesota Eighteenth Meeting
House of Representatives Eighty-Sixth Session

Energy Finance and Policy Division


Representative Bill Hilty, Chair, called the eighteenth meeting to order at 1:15 PM on March 18, 2009 in the Basement hearing room of the State office Building.

The Clerk noted the roll.

Members present:

Hilty, Bill
Falk, Andrew
Westrom, Torrey
Anderson, Bruce
Atkins, Joe
Beard, Michael
Bly, David
Brynaert, Kathy
Gunther, Bob
Hackbarth, Tom
Hoppe, Joe
Johnson, Sheldon
Kalin, Jeremy
Knuth, Kate
Kulick Jackson, Gail
Magnus, Doug
Nornes, Bud
Obermueller, Mike
Persell, John
Sailer, Brita
Welti, Andy


A quorum was present.

Rep. Falk moved approval of the minutes of March 16, 2009. The motion prevailed.

Presentation from Department of Commerce on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Mr. Bill Glahn, Deputy Commissioner
Dept. of Commerce - Office of Energy Security
651-296-9325 (w) | 651-297-7891 (fax) |
william.glahn@state.mn.us
85 7th Place E, Suite 500, St. Paul, MN 55101-2198
www.energy.mn.gov

1:26 PM
Mr. Jeremy de Fiebre, Operations Supervisor
Dept. of Commerce - Office of Energy Security
651-297-1221 (w) | 651-297-7891 (fax) |
jeremy.defiebre@state.mn.us
85 7th Place E, Suite 500, St. Paul, MN 55101-2198
www.energy.mn.gov

Handout: OES Estimated Allocations of US Dept. of Energy State Formula Grants Under ARRA Title IV Appropriations (031809oes.pdf)

Handout: Spreadsheet (031809spreadsheet.pdf)

1:43 PM

HF680 (Kalin) Federal stimulus funding allocated for energy programs.

Rep. Kalin explained the bill.

The bill was laid over.

1:54 PM

HF958 (Olin) State agencies authorized to develop plan for using federal stimulus funds dedicated to energy projects to install energy-efficient windows in government and residential buildings, to weatherize residential buildings, and to train installers, and money appropriated.

Testifying in favor of the bill:

Ms. Susan Roeder, Community Affairs Manager
Andersen Corporation
651-351-3275 (fax) |
susan.roeder@andersencorp.com
100 4th Ave N, Bayport, MN 55003-1096 | 651-264-7432
www.andersencorp.com

Mr. Steven Tourek
651-686-2490 (w) |

2:05 PM

Rep. Falk assumed the gavel.

HF1052 (Olin) Kennedy; Energy conversion of former school building funding provided, green economy promoted, and money appropriated.

Ms. Shannon Mortenson, City Clerk/Treasurer
City of Kennedy
218-674-4141 (fax) |
clerk@ruralaccess.net
P.O. Box 7, 414 N. Atlantic Ave, Kennedy, MN 56733 | 218-674-4142
www.cityofkennedy.com

The bill was laid over.

2:15 PM

BE050 (Cornish) solar dairy farm

Mr. Chris Preus
Red Line Marketing & Promotions
612-708-0857 (c) | 952-380-5915 (fax) |
cpreus@goredine.net
261 School Ave, Suite 300, Excelsior, MN 55331 | 952-380-5929
cpreus@goredine.net

Handout: Executive Summary: Redline Energy Solar Installation SAHR Dairy Bricelyn, Minnesota (031809Redline.pdf)

Handout: Sample bill (BE050Cornish.pdf)

2:24 PM

Rep. Hilty assumed the gavel.

HFXXXX (Persell) Leech Lake - RREEL partnership

Mr. Dan Evans
Evans & Associates
218-435-3702 (c) |
devans@paulbunyan.net
16050 Black Lake Rd NE, Bemidji, MN 56601 | 218-586-2821

Handout Solar: Product Manufacturing Infrastructure Overview (031809PersellSolar.pdf)

2:35 PM

HF1730 (Dill) Appropriating money for biomass facility grant

Mr. Rico Biasetti, General Manager - Alternative Fuels
Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.
216-694-5536 (w) | 216-502-6814 (c) | 216-694-6584 (fax) |
rico.biasetti@cliffsnr.com
200 Public Square, Suite 3300, Cleveland, OH 44114 | 216-694-5700
cliffsnaturalresources.com

Handout: Renewafuel (1730Dill.pdf)

2:50 PM

HF1723 (Juhnke) providing economic stimulus through renewable energy and www.sppa.com

Mr. Peter Klein, Vice President of Finance
St. Paul Port Authority
(651) 204-6211 (w) |
pmk@sppa.com
345 Saint Peter St # 1900, St. Paul, MN 55102 | (651) 224-5686
www.sppa.com

Handout: St. Paul Port Authority (1469Johnson.pdf)

3:14 PM

HF1408 (Eken) Small power producer grant program created, and money appropriated

Rep. Hilty moved HF1408 to pass and be laid over for possible inclusion in the Energy Ominbus bill.

Rep. Hilty moved the H1408 DE2 amendment. The motion prevailed. The amendment was adopted.

Rep. Eken explained the Bill.

Testifying in favor of the bill.

Mr. Joe Sullivan, Attorney
Flaherty & Hood
651-259-1908 (w) | 651-225-9088 (fax) |
jksullivan@flaherty-hood.com
525 Park St, Suite 470, St. Paul, MN 55103 | 651-225-8840

The bill was laid over.

3:24 PM

HF1626 (Sailer) Solar energy projects installation in public buildings grants provided, money appropriated.

Rep. Sailer moved HF1626.

Rep. Sailer moved the H1626A2 amendment. The motion prevailed. The amendment was adopted.

Mr. Bernie Eikmeier, Sr. Program Manager
McKinstry
763-767-0304 (w) | 763-354-4747 (c) | 763-767-6147 (fax) |
berniee@mckinstry.com
www.mckinstry.com

Mr. Jason Edens, Founding Director
Rural Renewable Energy Alliance
218-587-4753 (w) | 218-839-7732 (c) |
2330 Dancing Wind Rd, Ste. 2, Pine River, MN 56474
rreal.org

Handout: RREAL (1626Sailer.pdf)

3:39 PM

HF1748 (Sailer) Appropriating money to establish a national solar testing and certification laboratory

Rep. Sailer moved HF1748.

Rep. Sailer explained the bill.

Testifying in favor of the bill:

Mr. Jason Edens, Founding Director
Rural Renewable Energy Alliance

3:47 PM

HF1737 (Brynaert) Minnesota State University, Mankato; International Renewable Energy Technical Institute funding provided, money appropriated.

Mr. John Frey, Director of Business and Industry Partnerships
Strategic Business, Education and Regional Partnerships, Minnesota State University - Mankato
507-389-5588 (fax) |
john.frey@mnsu.edu
329 Wigley Administration Center, Mankato, MN 56001 | 507-380-6001
www.mnsu.edu/partnerships

4:00 PM

Rep. Magnus assumed the gavel.

HF1741 (Hilty) Appropriating money for a grant to the City of Cromwell

Rep. Hilty moved HF1741.

Testifying in favor of the bill.

Mr. Scott Warner, City Clerk/Treasurer
City of Cromwell
218-644-3204 (fax) |
P.O. Box 74, Cromwell, MN 55726 | 218-644-3570
www.cromwell.govoffice.com

The bill was laid over.

4:07 PM

Rep. Hilty assumed the gavel.

HF588 (Falk) Dawson-Boyd; ISDN 378; Geothermal heating system funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.

Rep. Falk moved HF588.

Rep. Falk moved the A09-0158 amendment. The motion prevailed. The amendment was adopted.

4:14 PM

HFXXXX (Falk) Energy grant to Lincoln High School District

Handout: Energy grant to Lincoln High School District (031809Falk.pdf)

HFXXXX (Westrom) Upfront funding for C-BED projects.

Rep. Westrom explained the project.

Handout: Sample Bill (BE051Westrom.pdf)

4:28 - The meeting was adjourned.

Handouts:

OES Estimated Allocations of US Dept. of Energy State Formula Grants Under ARRA Title IV Appropriations (031809oes.pdf)

Spreadsheet (031809spreadsheet.pdf)

Executive Summary: Redline Energy Solar Installation SAHR Dairy Bricelyn, Minnesota (031809Redline.pdf)

Sample bill (BE050Cornish.pdf)

Solar: Product Manufacturing Infrastructure Overview (031809PersellSolar.pdf)

Renewafuel (1730Dill.pdf)

St. Paul Port Authority (1469Johnson.pdf)

RREAL (1626Sailer.pdf)

Energy grant to Lincoln High School District (031809Falk.pdf)

Sample Bill (BE051Westrom.pdf)


_____________________________
Representative Bill Hilty, Chair


_____________________________
Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..

Presentation of bills and funding requests for energy portions of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
HF680 (Kalin) Federal stimulus funding allocated for energy programs.
HF958 (Olin) State agencies authorized to develop plan for using federal stimulus funds dedicated to energy projects to install energy-efficient windows in government and residential buildings, to weatherize residential buildings, and to train installers, and money appropriated.
HF1052 (Olin) Kennedy; Energy conversion of former school building funding provided, green economy promoted, and money appropriated.
HFXXXX (Persell) Leech Lake & RREEL partnership
HF1408 (Eken) Small power producer grant program created, and money appropriated.
HF1730 (Dill) Appropriating money for biomass facility grant
HF1723 (Juhnke) providing economic stimulus through renewable energy and energy efficiency grants
HFXXXX (Cornish) solar dairy farm
HF1469 (Johnson) St. Paul; commercial and industrial energy efficie