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• To repeal existing law requiring new cogeneration and combined heat and power plants <br /> over 50 MW to offset their CO2 emissions <br /> Appropriation items of interest to MMUA included: <br /> • $250,000/year for the Broadband Development Office within the Department of <br /> Employment and Economic Development <br /> • $8 million for the Border-to-Border Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program <br /> • $2 million from the Minnesota Investment Fund for the Annandale broadband <br /> development project. <br /> STATUS: HF 843 was the subject of significant controversy and debate throughout the <br /> committee process and on the House floor. After its passage,the bill was lined up with the jobs <br /> and energy provisions of SF 2101, the Senate's environment, economic development, and <br /> agriculture budget bill. A conference committee was unable come to consensus with the vast <br /> differences between the House and Senate bills. House and Senate leadership negotiated a new <br /> jobs/energy bill(HF 1437), which was passed in the last minutes of the 2015 Session and was <br /> later vetoed by the Governor. <br /> COUNTY SITING AUTHORITY AND SOLAR SURETY BONDS <br /> HF 891 Rep. Jim Newberger(R-Becker) <br /> SF 1096 Sen. Michelle Benson(R-Ham Lake) <br /> To provide county authority,upon resolution and notice to the Public Utilities Commission,to <br /> site large energy facilities. The PUC would establish general permit standards for counties' use, <br /> and the PUC and Department of Commerce would provide technical assistance to the county. <br /> Large energy facilities that are solar energy generating systems would be required to maintain <br /> surety bonds in the amount to cover the disassembly and removal of the system and land <br /> reclamation. A county or the PUC could not approve an application for a certificate of need <br /> unless the surety bond requirements were met. <br /> STATUS: This legislation did not receive a hearing in the House or Senate. <br /> UTILITY RAILROAD CROSSING FEES <br /> HF 963 Rep. Rod Hamilton(R-Mountain Lake) <br /> SF 877 Sen. Dan Sparks (DFL-Austin) <br /> To establish a standard$750 crossing fee for utilities crossing railroad right-of-way. <br /> STATUS: SF 877 passed out of committee to the Senate floor. HF 963 did not receive a <br /> hearing in the House. <br /> *This legislation is also noted in the Gas/Propane section. <br /> 135 <br />