Energy Facilities: This program transfered from Minnesota Environmental Quality Board to Public Utilities Commission effective July 1, 2005. Article 3 of the energy bill S.F.1368 transfered power plant and wind turbine siting, transmission line and pipeline routing authority from the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The same law transfers the energy facility permitting staff from the EQB to the Minnesota Department of Commerce.

Finding solutions that benefit people, business and the environment.

The Minnesota Sustainable Development Initiative was based on the common-sense belief that if Minnesota's prosperity is to be sustained over time, what is good for business, the environment and communities must eventually become one and the same. This is the essential challenge of sustainable development.

Minnesota has three operating commercial nuclear power reactors. Two reactors are located near Red Wing, Minnesota, at the Prairie Island facility and one reactor is located near Monticello, Minnesota. All are owned by Xcel Energy. Prairie Island generates about 1060 MW of electricity, and Monticello generates about 553 MW. Spent nuclear fuel is stored in pools at both reactor sites, and in addition, the Prairie Island facility stores spent nuclear waste in casks maintained above ground at the reactor site.

Laws of Minnesota, 1996, Chapter 454

AN ACT

Relating to local government; requiring a sustainable development planning guide and a model ordinance to be developed for local government use by the office of strategic and long-range planning; directing the environmental quality board to adopt principles of sustainable development; requiring reports; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 4A.

Be it enacted by the legislature of the State of Minnesota:

Section 1. (4A.07) (Sustainable development for local government.)