BECKER, MN—Legislators hit the road Monday, visiting a Central Minnesota power plant and holding a field committee hearing to discuss President Obama’s Clean Power Plan. Members of the House Job Growth and Energy Affordability (JGEA) Finance and Policy Committee toured the Sherco Xcel Energy Power Plant in the afternoon and held an evening hearing at the Becker Community Center in Becker, MN that attracted a standing-room-only crowd of more than 225 attendees.
The committee took testimony from a variety of policy experts, local elected officials, union officials, and heard a message from Sixth Congressional District Congressman Tom Emmer.
Assistant Commissioner David Thornton from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (PCA) testified about Minnesota’s response to the Clean Power Plan, and pledged to continue to gather feedback from stakeholders and the public as the PCA continues to formulate Minnesota’s plan to comply with the EPA mandates. Legislation passed in 2015 requires the PCA to submit their compliance plan to the legislature for review.
“Tonight’s hearing showed that Minnesotans of all political stripes are rightly concerned about the impacts of President Obama and the EPA’s power plan overreach,” said Rep Garofalo, R-Farmington, Chair of the House Job Growth and Energy Affordability Committee. “We heard thoughtful feedback tonight from issue experts, labor unions, and working Minnesotans who have real concerns about their energy bills and jobs under the Dayton/Obama power plan.”
“I want to thank the City of Becker for showing their tremendous support for Sherco and for voicing their concerns about energy overreach by President Obama and the EPA," said Rep. Jim Newberger, R-Becker, whose district includes the city of Becker and the Sherco Power Plant. "Minnesotans deserve more of a voice in the power plan process, and are rightfully outraged by Governor Dayton’s opposition to common-sense, bipartisan legislation that would have submitted the PCA’s clean power plan to legislative approval.”
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