6.1. ERMUSR 04-12-2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Vol. 14, No. 7 March 25, 2011 Municipal and cooperative representatives met with staff from the Minnesota Office of Energy Security yesterday to discuss possible changes to the Conservation Improvement Program statute. Many participants felt progress was made. A number of fairly technical issues were discussed, including: counting energy savings on the utility side of the meter; spending requirements and how to determine program cost- effectiveness; the conservation potential from utility to utility based on size, customer mix, etc.; and a large customer exemption, sought by cooperatives serving ethanol plants. Senate counsel was in the meeting and taking notes. Office of Energy Security staff were fully engaged in the discussion. While noting the validity of many points raised by utilities, Bill Gr_~ OES Deputy Commissioner and former Izaak Walton League leader, noted that utilities weren't the only stakeholders in the process. MMUA favors a full and reasoned discussion of the issues, perhaps over the interim, with changes developed by a technical work group and taken up next session. But the utility industry isn't speaking with one voice and there is an undercurrent for change now. Whichever course this issue takes, we will be fully engaged in the discussion. MMUA continues to work with the League of Minnesota Cities and Legal Aid representatives on HF 562 (Sanders) and SF 406 (Limmer) that would legally authorize manufactured home park owners to sub-meter their park residents for water and sewer charges. The bill mandates that a public water supplier shall impose charges for water or sewer service to manufactured home parks at the lowest rate that is applied for service to single family homes, and may not impose more than one connection fee per metered water or sewer service that is provided to the manufactured home park. The bill is awaiting action on the House floor. The author is waiting, at least for now, for a compromise solution between the municipal and legal aid folks and the Minnesota Manufactured Housing Association. There has been no action, so far, on the Senate bill. A number of water issues remain intertwined this session, including HF 135 SF 64, which repeals city authority to regulate private wells. These bills remain where they were a week ago: The House bill has passed two committees and is now in the House Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee. The Senate companion, SF 64, hasn't moved yet but pressure will grow if the House bill continues to progress.