Minnesota committee advances bill to lift nuclear moratorium; amendment protects Prairie Island

The Minnesota House Committee on Energy Finance and Policy on Wednesday adopted an amendment to House File 2002 that bars new nuclear construction on Prairie Island and forbids storage of outside spent fuel there, and then voted to place the bill on the General Register.

The amendment (DE2), offered by Representative Igoe, was described as placeholder language developed in consultation with the Prairie Island Indian Community; the committee approved the amendment by voice vote and later approved moving HF2002, as amended, to the General Register by voice vote.

The vote advances a proposal to lift the state's nuclear moratorium and allow utilities and local governments to consider building or permitting nuclear facilities. Representative Igoe said the measure does not itself permit any new reactor and "is not permitting a new nuclear power plant," but would remove the statutory barrier that prevents consideration, planning and permitting under state law.

Supporters, including several labor, municipal and clean-energy groups, told the…