SF 3715

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/22/2022 10:17am

A bill for an act
relating to economic development; modifying the community energy transition
grant program; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, section
116J.55, subdivisions 1, 5.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116J.55, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Definitions.

For the purposes of this section, "eligible community" means
a county, municipality, or tribal government located in Minnesota in which an electric
generating plant owned by a public utility, as defined in section 216B.02, that is powered
by coal, nuclear energy, or natural gas:

(1) is currently operating and new text begin (i) new text end is scheduled to cease operations deleted text begin or deleted text end new text begin , (ii) new text end whose cessation
of operations has been proposed in an integrated resource plan filed with the commission
under section 216B.2422 deleted text begin ; deleted text end new text begin , or (iii) whose current operating license expires within 15 years
of the effective date of this section; new text end or

(2) ceased operations or was removed from the local property tax base no earlier than
five years before the date an application is made for a grant under this section.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 116J.55, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Grant awards; limitations.

deleted text begin (a) The commissioner must award grants under
this section to eligible communities through a competitive grant process.
deleted text end

deleted text begin (b) deleted text end new text begin (a) new text end A grant awarded to an eligible community under this section must not exceed
$500,000 new text begin in any calendar year. The commissioner may accept grant applications on an
ongoing or rolling basis new text end .

deleted text begin (c) deleted text end new text begin (b) new text end Grants funded with revenues from the renewable development account established
in section 116C.779 must be awarded to an eligible community located within the retail
electric service territory of the public utility that is subject to section 116C.779 or to an
eligible community in which an electric generating plant owned by that public utility is
located.

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION; COMMUNITY ENERGY TRANSITION GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of employment and economic development for the community energy transition grant
program under Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.55. This is a onetime appropriation and is
available until expended.
new text end