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Committee debates bill to classify wood waste as eligible carbon-free energy; amendment adopted and bill laid over
Summary
Senate File 27-10 would explicitly include certain wood waste biomass among carbon-free energy sources. Supporters said it preserves jobs and manages forest debris; opponents argued the change conflicted with Minnesota's 2023 carbon-free law and raised air-quality concerns. Committee adopted an amendment and laid the bill over.
Senate File 27-10, presented by Senator Farnsworth, would broaden the statute's definition of eligible carbon-free electricity to include energy generated from wood waste such as limbs, branches, and byproducts of timber harvesting and discarded wood products.
Proponents emphasized local economic benefits and forest-management uses for biomass. Luke Peterson, general manager of Hibbing Public Utilities, told the committee his facility operates a 35-megawatt cogeneration plant that provides steam and heat while supporting local jobs. "In a full cogent mode, we are 80% efficient ... We use our fuel responsibly," Peterson said, adding the plant supports union jobs and regional economic resilience.
Peter Wood, a third-generation logger representing the American Loggers Council, described biomass…
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