1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to energy; modifying the issuance of site
1.3 	permits and route permits for large electric energy
1.4 	facilities and providing for the payment of fees to
1.5 	the Environmental Quality Board; authorizing
1.6 	rulemaking; amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, section
1.7 	116C.69, subdivisions 2, 2a.
1.8 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.9 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 116C.69,
1.10 	subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.11 		Subd. 2.Site application fee.  Every applicant for a
1.12 	site permit shall pay to the board a fee ~~in an amount equal to~~
1.13 	~~$500 for each $1,000,000 of production plant investment in the~~
1.14 	~~proposed installation as defined in the Federal Power Commission~~
1.15 	~~Uniform System of Accounts.  The board shall specify the time~~
1.16 	~~and manner of payment of the fee.  If any single payment~~
1.17 	~~requested by the board is in excess of 25 percent of the total~~
1.18 	~~estimated fee, the board shall show that the excess is~~
1.19 	~~reasonably necessary.  The applicant shall pay within 30 days of~~
1.20 	~~notification any additional fees reasonably necessary for~~
1.21 	~~completion of the site evaluation and designation process by the~~
1.22 	~~board.  In no event shall the total fees required of the~~
1.23 	~~applicant under this subdivision exceed an amount equal to 0.001~~
1.24 	~~of said production plant investment ($1,000 for each $1,000,000)~~ 
1.25 	to cover the necessary and reasonable costs incurred by the
1.26 	board in acting on the permit application and carrying out the
2.1 	requirements of sections 116C.51 to 116C.69.  The Environmental
2.2 	Quality Board may adopt rules providing for the payment of the
2.3 	fee.  All money received pursuant to this subdivision shall be
2.4 	deposited in a special account.  Money in the account is
2.5 	appropriated to the board to pay expenses incurred in processing
2.6 	applications for site permits in accordance with sections
2.7 	116C.51 to 116C.69 and in the event the expenses are less than
2.8 	the fee paid, to refund the excess to the applicant.

2.9 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 116C.69,
2.10 	subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
2.11 		Subd. 2a.Route application fee.  Every applicant for a
2.12 	transmission line route permit shall pay to the board a ~~base~~ fee
2.13 	~~of $35,000 plus a fee in an amount equal to $1,000 per mile~~
2.14 	~~length of the longest proposed route.  The board shall specify~~
2.15 	~~the time and manner of payment of the fee.  If any single~~
2.16 	~~payment requested by the board is in excess of 25 percent of the~~
2.17 	~~total estimated fee, the board shall show that the excess is~~
2.18 	~~reasonably necessary.  In the event the actual cost of~~
2.19 	~~processing an application up to the board's final decision to~~
2.20 	~~designate a route exceeds the above fee schedule, the board may~~
2.21 	~~assess the applicant any additional fees necessary to cover the~~
2.22 	~~actual costs, not to exceed an amount equal to $500 per mile~~
2.23 	~~length of the longest proposed route~~ to cover the necessary and
2.24 	reasonable costs incurred by the board in acting on the permit
2.25 	application and carrying out the requirements of sections
2.26 	116C.51 to 116C.69.  The Environmental Quality Board may adopt
2.27 	rules providing for the payment of the fee.  All money received
2.28 	pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in a special
2.29 	account.  Money in the account is appropriated to the board to
2.30 	pay expenses incurred in processing applications for route
2.31 	permits in accordance with sections 116C.51 to 116C.69 and in
2.32 	the event the expenses are less than the fee paid, to refund the
2.33 	excess to the applicant.