[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6624260,"mediaKeyId","2766630-07b80beb52f911b90b57c57d01483052","parentId",2766630,"title","Bill would supplement LIHEAP to fund year-round energy assistance; committee hears testimony and lays bill over","audioSeconds",362,"startMs",4308000,"endMs",4670000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2766630-07b80beb52f911b90b57c57d01483052&start=4308&end=4670","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2766630-07b80beb52f911b90b57c57d01483052/thumbnail_4308000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6624260/Minnesota/Bill-would-supplement-LIHEAP-to-fund-year-round-energy-assistance-committee-hears-testimony-and-lays-bill-over","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624260-a0c2e429b4f08682bdd009445dab013b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773085360&Signature=cssQuyevTsCFixfHq4nJ1B5V2-9HK5Zt56vhw3kLtM03zzRFrAgzirjIC5gIB-UX0CYSTQs-TT~M0suHgCkIjkJjh3NUF0Zb0Cvmg5WNOEHswTeS1m2e~dXuBgaX-FjnqC6r-e5qXW5tj4Od1H1RmUZnsN5KXzCiNHva2EBfj5Dlu76xZmU8Gy5oazQqHMOpvmRrfj412afXu6y2oGvLtqFXwjWb-Mc44XqM42iVZgf~bmvQX9ONjNqsiBFc5fciwAJH068tFZQfvaw4pIriUkWFarxxuz~JkDJfjzWBQ5qmWp35o3bd69UMe6e9aMfI~Oej8H3KSfxBpJZjRkV4tA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Minnesota Legislature","date","2025-03-25T23:27:34.717Z","article","House File 7 71, a proposal to create a state supplemental grant to build on the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and to extend assistance into the summer cooling season, was laid over after a committee hearing featuring nonprofit, cooperative utility and state testimony.

Representative Kraft, the bill's sponsor, said the proposal would allow Minnesota to supplement federal LIHEAP funds, keep program seasons open through summer months to address cooling needs and provide paths to longer-term affordability such as weatherization. Supporters in the hearing included the Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota, the Minnesota Rural Electric Association, the Minnesota Valley Action Council (a community action agency that delivers LIHEAP in south-central Minnesota) and the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association.

Annie Levinson Faulk of the Citizens Utility Board told the committee that energy burden is high in parts of greater Minnesota and that energy-assistance funding has not kept pace with rising costs. She said regulated utilities' customers still owed about $130 million in past-due bills (this figure was described as for regulated utilities reporting) and that 91,000 Minnesota households were disconnected for nonpayment in 2024. Tricia Leete of the Minnesota Rural Electric Association emphasized the rural equity dimension: electric cooperatives serve large geographies with some of the state's lowest-income counties and see a concentration of past-due balances after summer months.

Amanda Mackey of Minnesota Valley Action Council described operational impacts of short assistance seasons: agencies lay off staff in summer when the program season ends and must rehired seasonal staff each fall, slowing service and increasing program costs. She said Minnesota Valley Action Council provided energy assistance to 9,200 households last year and related a client story illustrating how emergency assistance prevented a shutoff and helped a client gain employment and stability.

Michael Schmitz from the Minnesota Department of Commerce said Minnesota has received about $112 million in federal LIHEAP funding so far this year; he said the state expects additional funds under a recent continuing resolution but that funding in recent years has fallen from higher levels (he cited roughly $125 million last year, about $160 million the year before, and over $250 million in the American Rescue Plan emergency allocation year). Schmitz said federal funding levels are smaller in real terms when adjusted for inflation and that program demand and arrears remain high.

Testifiers and the sponsor framed the bill as targeting households with high energy burdens and preventing shutoffs in both winter and summer months; committee members asked about program mechanics and who receives payments. Commerce clarified that LIHEAP benefits are typically paid directly to utilities on behalf of recipients. The committee adopted the DE2 amendment and laid the bill over for possible inclusion; no final appropriation was enacted during the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Energy Finance and Policy Committee 3/25/25","oneSentenceSummary","House File 7 71 would provide state funding to supplement the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), expand seasonal eligibility into summer months (cooling season) and increase assistance to households; committee testimony emphasized rising arrears, public-health risks and program delivery constraints.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MN, Minnesota","taxId",77817,"location","Minnesota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6624264,"Bill to fund metro processing hub for emerald ash borer wood is laid over after testimony on capacity shortfall",807,3438000,4245000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2766630-07b80beb52f911b90b57c57d01483052&start=3438&end=4245","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2766630-07b80beb52f911b90b57c57d01483052/thumbnail_3438000.jpg","/articles/6624264/Minnesota/Bill-to-fund-metro-processing-hub-for-emerald-ash-borer-wood-is-laid-over-after-testimony-on-capacity-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624264-9548a1b91528d8894b7ce5c42907a2b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1773085360&Signature=dpUziTwiaKMH9eeXKAv4BeTqR~llnz248f66gOvZPpOl61OItokWVbdex71K8KleN1gPjPRY1cb-CLbfh61ASNfAaB6oEK0uKsS-SFQAz57UBaOo9iw9ExdJ3HzEUL03NQGQEcpJmFWviu1yw~4bjrijUwvAQZyZxCKeW6d3JaW45aWjYC6rt~cxDK2~KtYd3ScmK0WyKiZXaJlT1hI725KwGUs3-rIHFsubi6r14oMTtM8K4OqAjtWaea5yLxYW4hSQAHnrFCbACc8PTLn8XEdY1N68OwL4H7-je-a6C9xFlQKg-tCVAJAE-5rhkdcXKejs1KKmizpG6mt-2hgmfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House File 2,423, which would support development of a processing facility to handle emerald ash borer (EAB) wood waste in the Twin Cities metro, was laid over after proponents described a regional shortfall in processing capacity and estimated capital needs.

Representative Kavke, the bill's sponsor, outlined the problem and said the proposal would allow additional EAB waste to be processed into biomass that can generate electricity. Stacy Cook, vice president of corporate sustainability for RAR (and president of KOTA Energy), testified that the metro currently lacks enough processing capacity: he said existing facilities are operating at or near capacity and that the shortfall in the seven-county metro could be on the order of more than 200,000 tons per year.

Cook described the proposed site and equipment needs: an asphalt pad, sorting and handling equipment (excavators with thumbs, wheel loaders and fencing), hoop houses and grinders to pre-process material before drying and use in a biofuel/drying project. He said the added pre-processing capacity would reduce long-distance hauling, stabilize tipping fees, and provide outlets for saw logs and other higher-value material.

Cook told the committee that Kota Energy's planned drying project would add 114,000 tons per year of utilization once in service and that a separate Kota facility processing amount would produce approximately 66,000 megawatt-hours per year (figure offered by the witness). He estimated the total capital price tag for a processing site with the described equipment would likely run \"close to 10\" (the witness used shorthand; testimony treated this as an approximate $10 million figure). Testimony noted existing processing facilities (Pig's Eye Woodyard) that are at capacity and that some smaller arborists are being forced to haul material farther out of the metro.

Members asked about geographic coverage and the expected useful life of the problem; Cook said the EAB-related volume surged faster than earlier projections, that the infestation is expected to continue for years, and that other pests and diseases create additional long-term volumes of wood waste. Supporters suggested the facility would be regionally located to reduce hauling and that the project would offer markets for diverse wood waste.

The committee laid the bill over for possible inclusion; no appropriation was enacted during the hearing.","House File 2,423 was laid over after testimony that the seven-county Twin Cities region faces a processing shortfall for emerald ash borer (EAB) wood and that a new processing facility and equipment could help convert waste wood into electricity and stabilize disposal costs.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6624269,"St. Cloud seeks $3.5 million RDA appropriation for battery to enable green hydrogen demonstration",1062,2232000,3294000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2766630-07b80beb52f911b90b57c57d01483052&start=2232&end=3294","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2766630-07b80beb52f911b90b57c57d01483052/thumbnail_2232000.jpg","/articles/6624269/Minnesota/St-Cloud-seeks-35-million-RDA-appropriation-for-battery-to-enable-green-hydrogen-demonstration","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624269-b292ea75655678282d85a4fba449ebca/orig.mp4?Expires=1773085360&Signature=F8ZSVngumMvJv4QRtKvEL0bngwABunoNun~zsdqSFHfW6Y~5MwMQRwPJz25R7oEHn2-YDSc2OdKwQFRXaSOi3U5c79GIbUmS~e52Gl0OdjanVpWuZCpAqL0sTWWKL-eiM6OUn56l49R8~5Fcwl~AZKkp-S-odVr-KKXyMXG-DIoLP5ptpVcJNLT6SA2J6P6o6~Lw~Pi1rIGDyGrF672~Jqv0GN0LTYtcoTr4ci4Nf7EJhV2dCKPbJbaDodMBRwF3W3k5JIaekqLJXgC2qOFuJbRHSCmIzMHILNU1nHJuPySlsSvkcHztLQRAZR4KiDFLCddOMTMkZrdaUmMCqsRLPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of St. Cloud asked a House committee to lay over House File 2,366 after city officials and energy advocates described a project to produce green hydrogen at the city's wastewater treatment facility and requested a $3,500,000 RDA appropriation for a battery system and microgrid controller.

Tracy Hodel, public services director for the City of St. Cloud, said the project has been in development for three years and that an electrolyzer ordered for the site is expected to be delivered in the fall. Hodel said the facility already has multiple renewable-energy components, including four solar arrays and combined heat-and-power engines that run on biogas recovered on site.

Hodel told the committee that planned controls intended to limit power sent back to the grid can no longer be extended by the utility to meet the project's needs because of local grid capacity constraints; the proposed battery and microgrid controller would allow the city to store and dispatch on-site renewable energy for continuous electrolyzer operation. She asked the committee for $3,500,000 from the RDA account to pay for the battery system and controller, calling it the \"missing piece\" to keep the project moving rather than waiting years for utility upgrades.

Fresh Energy's Margaret Cherny Hendrick testified in support, saying St. Cloud's project fits Fresh Energy's criteria for green hydrogen production at sites where production and consumption are co-located. Hodel said off-takers and partners have expressed interest in the hydrogen: she mentioned Metro Transit as a potential user for hydrogen buses and local companies that could use hydrogen or associated products.

Committee members asked about the city's utility partner, grid-study costs, and alternatives. Hodel said the local utility is Xcel Energy; she said a utility study to evaluate feeder upgrades would cost an estimated $60,000 to $90,000 and that required distribution upgrades could be \"multiple millions\" and would be the city's responsibility if pursued. Hodel said the battery solution would let the project produce hydrogen at scale sooner and the battery could later help with grid modernization and load control if the facility connects to the grid.

Testimony described the project as a first-of-its-kind demonstration using electrolyzer outputs (hydrogen, oxygen and waste heat) and said it would reduce natural-gas use on-site by utilizing waste heat. Hodel said the city is about 30% through detailed design on remaining components and that, without the battery funding, the project might have to pause or operate at limited capacity, affecting off-takers.

The committee adopted the motion to lay House File 2,366 over for possible inclusion. No final appropriation was enacted by the committee during the hearing.","City of St. Cloud officials asked a House committee to lay over House File 2,366, seeking $3,500,000 from the RDA account to add a battery and microgrid controller that would enable green hydrogen production at the city's wastewater treatment facility.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6624274,"House committee lays over bill to create geothermal rebate program for commercial and multifamily buildings",331,58000,389000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2766630-07b80beb52f911b90b57c57d01483052&start=58&end=389","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2766630-07b80beb52f911b90b57c57d01483052/thumbnail_58000.jpg","/articles/6624274/Minnesota/House-committee-lays-over-bill-to-create-geothermal-rebate-program-for-commercial-and-multifamily-buildings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624274-8b792018eaa1370e169e052568c26ec8/orig.mp4?Expires=1773085360&Signature=BCwjLDdwUWGhgVAvGhOD04xILLA5LTdagUtQWwGcDecfFXn8z0LTPCBfmOovxXJk3cJC6MB3Yxx1knTsT-WTMif96xeKwfQWwLGgxDObESTLLAOA55lc-0xsQBVyjF9QOYT74esGwNv3YORAPxJdEhYUuZFRV5MPyiiK7LTY3GK9HnquSk-Ql2uAKYdS6ryaZWAf-Msi6KvSZQ0SsGjNT3IRv45ByWZZBrmpy~4QOOl5ote6KKI0~DjHRnjIig~UDs3RmtDQoYBhELx4Hggm6zqEn8cVpG1DuLd~rhYZl3aBkkVS650mkEqr~eo~k5y960Sc3EVYAzb8lXBVWclvYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House File 2,498, a measure to create a geothermal rebate program aimed primarily at commercial and multifamily buildings, was laid over for possible inclusion after a committee hearing on the bill and adoption of an author's amendment.

Representative Hemmingson Yeager, the bill's author, told the committee the proposal is intended to help Minnesota scale thermal energy networks and reduce emissions from the heating sector by encouraging larger parcel projects that the bill's sponsors say will be efficient uses of public funds. The A1 amendment adopted during the hearing sets a per-project cap and identifies a funding range for initial appropriations.

The bill would offer a maximum rebate of $100,000 per project or up to 15% of a project's cost, according to language discussed during the hearing. The A1 amendment also put a placeholder dollar amount of $5,000,000 and indicated funds could come from either the RDA account or the state general fund. The amendment includes a provision allowing up to 10% of an awarded rebate to be applied toward addressing energy-audit findings on a project, if those findings exist.

Supporters who testified said the program is meant to move projects from planning into construction. Aurora Vaughtred, identified as legislative director for 100% (testimony packet), said the rebate would let local governments and building owners move past planning grants and \"into building and benefiting Minnesotans.\" Willie Miley, regulatory director at Darcy Solutions, said geothermal systems can lower carbon emissions and reduce the need for additional generation and grid upgrades because they rely on earth's relatively constant underground temperatures and use less peak electricity than conventional HVAC systems.

Committee members pressed testifiers and the bill sponsor on costs, payback and lifecycle questions. Testimony to the committee described typical project payback timelines for the technology presented as roughly five to 10 years; Darcy Solutions' speaker said their company forecasts a five- to 10-year payback and expects major below-ground components to last multiple decades. Representative Hemmingson Yeager described the proposal as a way to help municipalities and nonprofit owners \"get over that hump\" of higher upfront capital costs.

Members discussed equity and distribution questions, with the sponsor noting examples of interest from both Minneapolis and Winona and saying the program does not limit projects to metro or greater Minnesota but expects project selection to consider geographic distribution. Committee members also asked whether the rebate would mainly accelerate projects that would happen anyway or change project decisions; testifiers said the incentive would affect some projects on a case-by-case basis.

The committee adopted the A1 amendment by voice vote and later laid the bill over for possible inclusion. No final appropriations were adopted by the committee during the hearing; the adopted amendment identified a $5,000,000 figure as a budget placeholder but did not convert that into an enacted appropriation.

Representative Hemmingson Yeager said she would return to seek the committee's support as the bill moves forward.","A House committee heard testimony on House File 2,498, a bill to create a geothermal rebate program focused on commercial and multifamily buildings; an author's amendment (A1) was adopted and the bill was laid over for possible inclusion.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would supplement LIHEAP to fund year-round energy assistance; committee hears testimony and lays bill over

Bill to fund metro processing hub for emerald ash borer wood is laid over after testimony on capacity shortfall

St. Cloud seeks $3.5 million RDA appropriation for battery to enable green hydrogen demonstration

House committee lays over bill to create geothermal rebate program for commercial and multifamily buildings