Dive Brief:
- Lawmakers on a Minnesota House committee have passed a measure that would require legislative approval of the state's plan to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) carbon regulations.
- MPR News reports that all 11 Republican members of the House Job Growth and Energy Affordability Finance Committee voted to approve the measure.
- In order to become law, the bill still requires the approval of the full Legislature, as well as the signature of Governor Mark Dayton, a Democrat.
Dive Insight:
As the EPA continues to prepare final carbon rules, states are taking action to ensure they have control over just how those reduction mandates are met. West Virginia last week passed a law requiring legislative oversight over compliance with EPA's Clean Power Plan, ostensibly giving lawmakers the final say. Minnesota now appears to be heading in a similar direction.
HF 333, introduced by state Rep. Jim Newberger (R), dictates that "the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency may not submit a plan to the federal Environmental Protection Agency to comply with the proposed rule for the federal Clean Power Plan... or any final rule issued in that docket or federal order pertaining thereto, unless the plan has been approved by state law."
In West Virginia, the push was hailed as a boon for the state's coal industry and drew praise from American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity President and CEO Mike Duncan. "This law will ensure West Virginia’s elected officials have a say in the regulations that ultimately impact their state’s families and businesses," Duncan said.
About 46% of the electricity generated in Minnesota came from coal-fired electric power plants in 2013, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
