Omnibus energy bill includes one lonely appropriation — but maybe more on the way

What is the Petroleum Tank Release Cleanup Fund? Also called the “Petrofund,” it’s an account designed to reimburse eligible applicants for up to 90% of “reasonable and necessary” costs they incur in responding to a petroleum tank leak.

It’s also the only state program funded in the omnibus bill that was approved, as amended, without dissent by the House Energy Finance and Policy Committee, which adjourned within five minutes of convening on Thursday.

Designed to meet Friday’s noon deadline for budget bills to pass out of committee, HF2442 — replaced by a delete-all amendment — contains $1.1 million each in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to be transferred from the Petroleum Tank Release Cleanup Fund to the Commerce Department. It would then be allocated to the Petroleum Tank Release Compensation Board.

And that’s the extent of the bill.

Now it’s on to the House Ways and Means Committee, where there’s a good possibility the bill will be further amended to include other appropriations agreed to by the energy committee’s co-chairs, Rep. Patty Acomb (DFL-Minnetonka) and Rep. Chris Swedzinski (R-Ghent).

“I’m disappointed with our zero target,” Acomb said. “We should have been able to come to an agreement. But we will keep working. And then we will bring people back together here to have that discussion and make sure that there’s an opportunity for feedback. And then amend it onto the bill that will be in ways and means.”

“As we get down to some more brass tacks in negotiations, this bill will obviously change,” Swedzinski said.

Even if no other appropriations are added, the amended version of HF2442 could conceivably now pass out of the House and go to a conference committee, where an omnibus energy bill from the DFL-controlled Senate likely awaits with several more appropriations. Or the energy provisions from either chamber could be subsumed into another committee’s omnibus bill.