Defense issue updates from John Tuma's Capitol Update for May 11, 2010

The Moratorium on Nuclear Reactor Construction.  The repeal of the moratorium on the construction of new nuclear reactors in Minnesota was added to SF2971, a bill making technical changes to energy law.  Rep. Bill Hilty (DFL-Finnlayson) offered an amendment repealing the moratorium on the construction of new nuclear reactors in Minnesota because he felt it necessary to make a preemptive strike by requiring some conditions to be met.  Those conditions were protection for ratepayers and taxpayers from cost overruns from the construction of nuclear reactors, but unfortunately did not include any requirements to find a permanent storage site for radioactive waste.  The Senate version of this bill does not include the repeal and the Senate committee responsible for energy issues sent a strong message earlier this session that they wanted more expanded conditions, including permanent storage of waste.  We await the meeting of this conference committee and are still sending a strong message to lawmakers that there is no need to change Minnesota’s policy on nuclear reactors.

Coal Power.  There were attempts to repeal the moratorium on new energy coming from coal power plants in Minnesota or imported from other states as amendments to energy bills in both bodies.  In 2007 Minnesota approved a law that does not allow for the construction of coal power plants or the importation of dirty coal power from our neighboring states until there is a regional or national energy policy regulating carbon emissions.  Both the House and Senate rejected these amendments to repeal the good 2007 law.  Therefore, efforts to embrace dirty coal are likely dead for the session.

Environmental Review and Permitting.  There was a strong push by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce to make significant changes to Minnesota’s environmental review and permitting laws.  Thanks to Land Stewardship Project (LSP) and the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA), the language that survived in the above-mentioned Omnibus Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Bill will only result in minor adjustments that should not affect our environmental protections.  The Governor has indicated in his letter to the conference committee that he was disappointed with the Legislature in this area and had some concerns with the language MCEA had put in the bill on the floor during the debate.  It is not clear whether this will be grounds for vetoing the bill and negotiations continue.

Read the rest of John Tuma's Capitol Update for May 11, 2010