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Bill to help energy‑transition communities pursue data‑center redevelopment laid over after testimony
Summary
Representatives and local officials from Becker, Sherburne and Itasca counties testified in favor of House File 4153, which aims to assist communities losing power‑plant tax bases to attract data‑center redevelopment; DNR staff offered voluntary water assessments; the committee laid the bill over for further work.
House File 4153, a measure aimed at helping energy‑transition communities redevelop former power‑plant sites for data centers and other uses, was discussed and laid over by a Minnesota House committee on April 6 after concentrated local testimony.
Supporters — including Sherburne County officials, the mayor of Becker and local economic development staff — told the committee the bill would assist communities that lost significant tax base and jobs after power‑plant closures. Sherburne County administrator Bruce Message said the measure focuses on redevelopment of specific transition sites rather than broad statewide policy, noting prior state assistance helped position sites for private investment.
Becker’s mayor and community development director outlined local planning and infrastructure work to prepare sites for data‑center investment and said recent state policy changes had reduced the communities’ ability to compete. They said the bill would restore or streamline options for redevelopment that local leaders had pursued for a decade.
A DNR division director for ecological water resources said the agency can provide voluntary assessments of water availability and that total annual water volume is not the only factor; seasonality and peak pumping matter for feasibility. The DNR suggested some revisions to clarify how water constraints would be evaluated.
The committee accepted testimony and laid the bill over to allow further drafting and technical fixes.
Next steps: committee staff and the sponsor said they will work with local officials and DNR to refine water‑use language and other technical provisions before returning the bill for further consideration.
