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threat information, all new language developed in consort with the electricity industry. During the August recess public power provided the industry witness to a field hearing on captive rail issues— Tom Heller from MRES. The hearing in Sioux Falls also featured all three STB commissioners who are working to resolve several issues for rail customers. By the time September rolled around it seemed ' 100110111'4"` Congress had little fight left, let alone the energy to pass anything beyond the required continuing reso- lution budget package. Several controversial items -= .�'�•. 1111 remained unresolved, including the water crisis in MMUA Washington Representative Michael Nolan made Flint, relief for recent flood victims, new financial a popular summer conference presentation. assistance for massive forest fires, and drought relief for Western states. There was also the House- legislation, something that had a chance of passing, Senate energy conference, plus coal ash and tax, chances of victory increase. But time was run- with very little time left before Congress broke for ning out, and legislative options were limited. One the October campaign season. They wouldn't return last shot came with a major water bill—the Water until after Election Day. Resources Development Act, or WRDA. This is al- ways bipartisan legislation since it has such broad As the energy conference got underway, public authority over federal spending for infrastructure power's priorities developed at the same time: sup- projects; the bill also was becoming a magnet for port energy efficiency provisions; support hydro last minute "must pass" items, including drought relicensing reform; support the bulk power systems and flood relief, and federal assistance for Flint. reliability impact statement; and support vegeta- tion management language involving federal lands. The WRDA bill comes through the Senate Environ- But we also needed to oppose several sticky wick- ment and Public Works Committee, which had just ets, including: oppose new FERC development of developed new bipartisan language on coal ash, electromagnetic pulse (EMP) regulations; oppose all language now supported by EPA. The provision PURPA-related items, including a House-adopted would allow for state permitting programs to either amendment on net metering interconnection stan- implement the final EPA coal ash regulations, dards for solar; and oppose language that would or operate a separate state program. The Senate direct DOE to develop model guidance for intercon- went first—it easily passed a new WRDA bill, now nection of combined heat-and-power systems. Some dubbed the WIIN Act—Water Infrastructure for of these came to pass during conference delibera- the Improvements of the Nation Act—and included tions—the EMP language was dropped, so was the the coal ash language. The House passed their own solar amendment—but the conferees ran out of bill, but without coal ash.A struggle ensued during time as the lame duck session came to an end. conference deliberations but the total package was agreed to just before Congress went home. With a But not before coal ash had one last chance. A new continuing resolution spending bill done, the stand-alone coal ash bill would never make it, but if 114th Congress ended, leaving a host of issues for the provision could be attached to a larger piece of the new 115th Engineering and Policy Analysis MMUA Director of Engineering and Policy Analysis ates the energy policies of the state, assessing the Bob Jagusch was kept extremely busy in 2016 with impact on the future of the environment and the many long-term policy and regulatory proceedings, economy. The commission also monitors the state's which were actively meeting—until the November progress in achieving goals to develop renewable election. These activities included: sources of electric energy; evaluates progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions; reviews and Legislative Energy Commission recommends proposed energy legislation and takes The Legislative Energy Commission (LEC) evalu- public testimony on energy issues. 2016 Year in Review-9 148