SF 3337

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to energy; creating coordinated process for reducing greenhouse gas
emissions; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 216H.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [216H.07] GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION REDUCTION
ATTAINMENT; POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For the purpose of this section, the terms defined in
this subdivision have the meanings given them.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Reductions" means the greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals specified in
section 216H.02, subdivision 1.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Purpose. new text end

new text begin This section is intended to create a nonexclusive, regular,
mandated process for the state to develop policies to attain the greenhouse gas reduction
goals specified in section 216H.02.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Quantification of annual reduction required. new text end

new text begin By November 1 of each
year, the commissioners of commerce and the pollution control agency shall jointly
report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with
primary policy jurisdiction over energy and environmental issues and also disseminate
through available public channels the reductions required in each year until 2050. The
reductions must be based on and supported by the best available technical evidence that
also must be reported to the legislature and publicly disseminated in easily understood
nontechnical terms.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Annual strategic plan. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall include in the annual
report under subdivision 3 a detailed plan for attaining the reductions. The plan must
include draft legislation, including any budget requests, that are necessary for reduction
attainment. The plan must specify the reductions that are required for a year and the
reductions attributable to each component of the plan proposed to attain the reduction.
The specifics of the plan for a particular year may be more general the more future the
year but the plan must be as specific as available information will justify. The plan must
be based on the principles specified in subdivision 5.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Reduction principles. new text end

new text begin The reduction plan must be based on the following
principles:
new text end

new text begin (1) the reductions must be attained;
new text end

new text begin (2) the reductions must be attained on a schedule that keeps pace with the reduction
timetable required by section 216H.02, subdivision 1;
new text end

new text begin (3) conservation, including ceasing some activities, doing some activities less, and
doing some activities more energy efficiently, is the first choice for reduction;
new text end

new text begin (4) public education is a key component;
new text end

new text begin (5) all levels of government should lead by example;
new text end

new text begin (6) strategies that may lead to economic dislocation should be phased in and should
be coupled with strategies that address the dislocation; and
new text end

new text begin (7) the plan must coordinate with other federal and regional greenhouse gas emission
reduction requirements so that the state benefits and is not penalized from its reduction
activities.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Public education. new text end

new text begin Every plan must include a public education component.
The education component must provide for dissemination of the latest evidence on the
effects of greenhouse gas emissions. The education component must also stress that
the reductions not only seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also to conserve
nonrenewable fossil fuel resources that have a dwindling supply. The fact that this
dwindling supply may ultimately lead to the elimination of certain activities that are
proposed to be limited by a plan must be emphasized.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Other states. new text end

new text begin Every plan must include a review of the activities of other
states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including a review of budgetary initiatives to
achieve reductions.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Stakeholder involvement. new text end

new text begin Public comment must be solicited in the
development of the plan. The commissioners of commerce and the pollution control
agency shall make a formal presentation of the plan to the Legislative Electric Energy Task
Force at a meeting called for that purpose in November of each year. The commissioner
shall provide the task force members with a preliminary draft plan by October 1 of each
year.
new text end