Friends -

The Minnesota Legislature is on the cusp of passing exciting new legislation that will substantially strengthen its effort to develop more community wind projects. If passed this legislation will:

* Lift the price cap on the MN Community-Based Energy Development (C-BED) tariff.
* Encourage greater participation in community wind by cities, counties, electric coops, and municipal utilities.
* Establish a community energy green purchase program so that utility customers have the option of purchasing community energy, including wind energy.
* Prevent wind rights stockpiling by voiding wind easements and leases if no project is on-line within 5 years.
* Study the potential to insert 1,200 MW of dispersed community wind into the existing grid.
* Study the potential for the state to own transmission lines needed to develop renewable energy.

But, this bill’s passage is not assured. Due to legislative deadlines, it must pass out of the MN House of Representatives Energy Finance and Policy Committee by TOMORROW, March 21, 2007. Minnesotans who support community wind should call their state representative TODAY or TOMORROW MORNING and urge them to support House File 2253.

If you need to look up your representative’s contact info, go to:
http://geo.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/districts/start.html .

I encourage supporters of community wind in states other than Minnesota to review this legislation and let Windustry know if you have any questions or comments.

Also, if you have time tomorrow, please join us at the committee hearing at 2:15 tomorrow in Room 200, and again at 5:30 in Room 5, of the House Office Building next to the MN Capitol. If you would like to testify, you may call the committee's administrative staff person and ask to speak in favor of the bill. The committee administrator is Andy Pomroy, and his phone number is 651-296-4180. The committee chair also often allows members of the public who haven't signed up ahead of time to briefly communicate their views on a proposed bill.

To see the text of HF2253, click on:
http://wdoc.house.leg.state.mn.us/leg/LS85/HF2253.0.pdf

Thank you for your ongoing support for community wind. If you have any questions, please contact Windustry at 612-870-3461 or info@windustry.org.

Lisa Daniels
Executive Director
Windustry

PS: Minnesotans should also call or email the authors of this legislation to thank them, particularly if they represent you. The authors are:

Rep. Aaron Peterson, Dist. 20A
(651) 296-4228
Rep.aaron.peterson@house.mn

Rep. David Bly, Dist. 25B
(651) 296-7065
Rep.david.bly@house.mn