1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to energy; requiring study on wind energy tax 
  1.3             incentives. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [STUDY ON WIND POWER PROJECT TAX INCENTIVES.] 
  1.6      The commissioner of commerce shall conduct a study and 
  1.7   submit a report with recommendations to the legislature by 
  1.8   January 2, 2005, regarding the impact of federal and other tax 
  1.9   incentives for building and operating wind power projects in 
  1.10  Minnesota.  The study must include: 
  1.11     (1) a comparison of the owners of wind power projects 
  1.12  operating in Minnesota that qualify for receiving federal tax 
  1.13  incentives, including corporate or other commercial 
  1.14  organization, financial and investment strength, residence 
  1.15  status and other ties to Minnesota, and other characteristics of 
  1.16  the owners of Minnesota wind power projects receiving tax 
  1.17  incentives; 
  1.18     (2) the extent, if any, to which out-of-state landowners 
  1.19  and foreign corporations are able to prevent smaller, individual 
  1.20  landowners from becoming eligible to receive tax incentives; 
  1.21     (3) the extent to which consolidation of smaller projects 
  1.22  into 20-megawatt or larger projects prevents or hinders 
  1.23  participation by individual or family landowners; and 
  1.24     (4) an analysis and recommendation on whether Minnesota can 
  2.1   or should encourage development of wind energy projects by 
  2.2   resident landowners and Minnesota-based organizations.