2008 Minnesota Statutes

239.77 BIODIESEL CONTENT MANDATE.

Subdivision 1. Biodiesel fuel.

"Biodiesel fuel" means a renewable, biodegradable, mono alkyl ester combustible liquid fuel that is derived from agricultural and other plant oils or animal fats and that meets American Society for Testing and Materials specification D6751-07b for Biodiesel Fuel (B100) Blend Stock for Distillate Fuels.

Biodiesel produced from palm oil is not biodiesel fuel for the purposes of this section, unless the palm oil is contained within waste oil and grease collected within the United States or Canada.

Subd. 2. Minimum content.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, all diesel fuel sold or offered for sale in Minnesota for use in internal combustion engines must contain at least the stated percentage of biodiesel fuel oil by volume on and after the following dates:

(1)	September 29, 2005	2 percent
(2)	May 1, 2009	5 percent
(3)	May 1, 2012	10 percent
(4)	May 1, 2015	20 percent

The minimum content levels in clauses (3) and (4) are effective during the months of April, May, June, July, August, September, and October only. The minimum content for the remainder of the year is five percent. However, if the commissioners of agriculture, commerce, and pollution control determine, after consultation with the biodiesel task force and other technical experts, that an American Society for Testing and Materials specification or equivalent federal standard exists for the specified biodiesel blend level in those clauses that adequately addresses technical issues associated with Minnesota's cold weather and publish a notice in the State Register to that effect, the commissioners may allow the specified biodiesel blend level in those clauses to be effective year-round.

(b) The minimum content levels in paragraph (a), clauses (3) and (4), become effective on the date specified only if the commissioners of agriculture, commerce, and pollution control publish notice in the State Register and provide written notice to the chairs of the house of representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction over agriculture, commerce, and transportation policy and finance, at least 270 days prior to the date of each scheduled increase, that all of the following conditions have been met and the state is prepared to move to the next scheduled minimum content level:

(1) an American Society for Testing and Materials specification or equivalent federal standard exists for the next minimum diesel-biodiesel blend;

(2) a sufficient supply of biodiesel is available and the amount of biodiesel produced in this state from feedstock with at least 75 percent that is produced in the United States and Canada is equal to at least 50 percent of anticipated demand at the next minimum content level;

(3) adequate blending infrastructure and regulatory protocol are in place in order to promote biodiesel quality and avoid any potential economic disruption; and

(4) at least five percent of the amount of biodiesel necessary for that minimum content level will be produced from a biological resource other than an agricultural resource traditionally grown or raised in the state, including, but not limited to, algae cultivated for biofuels production, waste oils, and tallow.

The condition in clause (2) may be waived if the commissioner finds that, due to weather-related conditions, the necessary feed stock is unavailable.

The condition in clause (4) may be waived if the commissioners find that the use of these nontraditional feedstocks would be uneconomic under market conditions existing at the time notice is given under this paragraph.

(c) The commissioners of agriculture, commerce, and pollution control must consult with the biodiesel task force when assessing and certifying conditions in paragraph (b), and in general must seek the guidance of the biodiesel task force regarding biodiesel labeling, enforcement, and other related issues.

(d) During a period of biodiesel fuel shortage or a problem with biodiesel quality that negatively affects the availability of biodiesel fuel, the commissioner of commerce may temporarily suspend the minimum content requirement in subdivision 2 until there is sufficient biodiesel fuel, as defined in subdivision 1, available to fulfill the minimum content requirement.

(e) By February 1, 2012, and periodically thereafter, the commissioner of commerce shall determine the wholesale diesel price at various pipeline and refinery terminals in the region, and the biodiesel price determined after credits and incentives are subtracted at biodiesel plants in the region. The commissioner shall report wholesale price differences to the governor who, after consultation with the commissioners of commerce and agriculture, may by executive order adjust the biodiesel mandate if a price disparity reported by the commissioner will cause economic hardship to retailers of diesel fuel in this state. Any adjustment must be for a specified period of time, after which the percentage of biodiesel fuel to be blended into diesel fuel returns to the amount required in subdivision 2. The biodiesel mandate must not be adjusted to less than five percent.

Subd. 3. Exceptions.

(a) The minimum content requirements of subdivision 2 do not apply to fuel used in the following equipment:

(1) motors located at an electric generating plant regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission;

(2) railroad locomotives;

(3) off-road taconite and copper mining equipment and machinery;

(4) off-road logging equipment and machinery; and

(5) until May 1, 2010, vehicles and equipment used exclusively on an aircraft landing field.

(b) The exemption in paragraph (a), clause (1), expires 30 days after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved the use of biodiesel fuel in motors at electric generating plants under its regulation.

(c) This subdivision expires on May 1, 2012.

Subd. 4. Disclosure.

A refinery or terminal shall provide, at the time diesel fuel is sold or transferred from the refinery or terminal, a bill of lading or shipping manifest to the person who receives the fuel. For biodiesel-blended products, the bill of lading or shipping manifest must disclose biodiesel content, stating volume percentage, gallons of biodiesel per gallons of petroleum diesel base-stock, or an ASTM "Bxx" designation where "xx" denotes the volume percent biodiesel included in the blended product. This subdivision does not apply to sales or transfers of biodiesel blend stock between refineries, between terminals, or between a refinery and a terminal.

Subd. 5. Annual report.

Beginning in 2009, the commissioner of agriculture must report by January 15 of each year to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over agriculture policy and finance regarding the implementation of the minimum content requirements in subdivision 2, including information about the price and supply of biodiesel fuel. The report shall include information about the impacts of the biodiesel mandate on the development of biodiesel production capacity in the state, and on the use of feedstock grown or raised in the state for biodiesel production. The report must include any written comments received from members of the biodiesel fuel task force by January 1 of that year designated by them for inclusion in the report.

History:

2002 c 244 s 1; 1Sp2005 c 1 art 4 s 67; 2007 c 62 s 3,4; 2008 c 281 s 3; 2008 c 297 art 1 s 51