HF 1666

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

A bill for an act
relating to environment; requiring studies and reports to assess the state's capacity
for terrestrial and geologic carbon sequestration; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin DEFINITIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Terrestrial carbon sequestration. new text end

new text begin "Terrestrial carbon sequestration"
means the long-term storage of carbon in soil and vegetation to prevent its collection in
the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Geologic carbon sequestration. new text end

new text begin "Geologic carbon sequestration" means
injecting carbon dioxide into underground geologic formations where it can be stored for
long periods of time to prevent its escape to the atmosphere.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin TERRESTRIAL CARBON SEQUESTRATION ACTIVITIES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Study; scope. new text end

new text begin The Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota
is requested to conduct a study assessing the potential capacity for carbon sequestration in
Minnesota's terrestrial systems. The study must:
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new text begin (1) conduct a statewide inventory and construct a database of lands across several
land types, such as forests, agricultural lands, peatlands, and wetlands, that have the
potential to sequester significant quantities of carbon and of lands that currently contain
large stocks of carbon that are at risk of being emitted to the atmosphere as a result of
changes in land use and climate;
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new text begin (2) quantify the ability of various land use practices, such as the growth of different
species of crops, grasses, and trees, to sequester carbon and their impacts on other
ecological services of value, including air and water quality, biodiversity, and wildlife
habitat;
new text end

new text begin (3) identify a network of benchmark monitoring sites to measure the impact of
long-term, large-scale factors, such as changes in climate, carbon dioxide levels, and land
use, on the terrestrial carbon sequestration capacity of various land types, to improve
understanding of carbon-terrestrial interactions and dynamics;
new text end

new text begin (4) identify long-term demonstration projects to measure the impact of deliberate
sequestration practices, including the establishment of biofuel production systems, on
forest, agricultural, wetland, and prairie ecosystems; and
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new text begin (5) evaluate current state policies and programs that affect the levels of terrestrial
sequestration on public and private lands and identify gaps and recommend policy changes
to increase sequestration rates.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Coordination of terrestrial carbon sequestration activities. new text end

new text begin Planning
and implementation of the study described in subdivision 1 will be coordinated by
the Minnesota Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration Initiative, a task force consisting of
representatives from the University of Minnesota, the Department of Agriculture, the
Board of Water and Soil Resources, the Department of Commerce, the Department
of Natural Resources, and the Pollution Control Agency and agricultural, forestry,
conservation, and business stakeholders.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Contracting. new text end

new text begin The University of Minnesota may contract with another
party to perform any of the tasks listed in subdivision 1.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of natural resources must submit a report
with the results of the study to the senate and house committees with jurisdiction over
environmental and energy policies no later than February 1, 2008.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin GEOLOGIC CARBON SEQUESTRATION ASSESSMENT.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Study; scope. new text end

new text begin (a) The Minnesota Geological Survey shall conduct
a study assessing the potential capacity for geologic carbon sequestration in the
Midcontinent Rift system in Minnesota. The study must assess the potential of porous
and permeable sandstone layers deeper than one kilometer below the surface that are
capped by less permeable shale and must identify potential risks to carbon storage, such
as areas of low permeability in injection zones, low storage capacity, and potential seal
failure. The study must identify the most promising formations and geographic areas for
physical analysis of carbon sequestration potential. The study must review geologic
maps, published reports and surveys, and any relevant unpublished raw data with respect
to attributes that are pertinent for the long-term sequestration of carbon in geologic
formations, in particular, those that bear on formation injectivity, capacity, and seal
effectiveness. The study must examine the following characteristics of key sedimentary
units within the Midcontinent Rift system in Minnesota:
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new text begin (1) likely depth, temperature, and pressure;
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new text begin (2) physical properties, including the ability to contain and transmit fluids;
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new text begin (3) the type of rocks present;
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new text begin (4) structure and geometry, including folds and faults; and
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new text begin (5) hydrogeology, including water chemistry and water flow.
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new text begin (b) The commissioner of natural resources, in consultation with the Minnesota
Geological Survey, shall contract for a study to estimate the properties of the Midcontinent
Rift system in Minnesota, as described in paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (5), through the
use of computer models developed for similar geologic formations located outside of
Minnesota which have been studied in greater detail.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Consultation. new text end

new text begin The Minnesota Geological Survey shall consult with the
Minnesota Mineral Coordinating Committee, established in Minnesota Statutes, section
93.0015, in planning and implementing the study design.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of natural resources must submit a report
with the results of the study to the senate and house committees with jurisdiction over
environmental and energy policies no later than February 1, 2008.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin $475,000 is appropriated from the general fund for the fiscal year ending June 30,
2008, to the commissioner of natural resources for the purposes of sections 2 and 3. Of
this amount, the commissioner shall make payments of $385,000 to the Board of Regents
of the University of Minnesota for the purposes of section 2 and $90,000 to the Minnesota
Geological Survey for the purposes of section 3.
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Sec. 5. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
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new text begin Sections 1 to 4 are effective the day following final enactment.
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