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Minnesota Agencies

Information on Minnesota State Agencies, Boards, Task Forces, and Commissions

Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library


Power Plant Siting Advisory Task Force on Wind Power in Minnesota

Active dates:1993-1995
Function: Provide advice and recommendations to the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board on the following: a) At what level of government and at what threshold of committed or anticipated generating capacity in a given geographic area should wind power development be regulated; b) How should the MEQB amend the Power Plant Siting Act and/or rules to better address the environmental issues specific to wind power; c) Are new rules and/or standards specific to wind power necessary to effectively consider turbine noise levels, turbine density, setbacks, siting on prime farm land or near major migratory flyways and related environmental issues; d) For incremental additions of wind generation how should cumulative effects be addressed; 3) How should the possible need for additional transmission and distribution lines, substations, and backup generation be considered in a regulatory process; and f) How should the MEQB address the issue of Critical Area designation for all wind resource areas.

Recommendations must be made to the MEQB by June 16, 1994.
History: Large-scale development of wind power in Minnesota was initiated by an order of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission in November 1992, that directed Northern States Power Company to develop at least 50 megawatts (MW) of wind generated electricity by 1997.

To assist the board in evaluating the appropriateness and applicability of existing environmental and siting regulations to future wind power development in Minnesota, the EQB through the Power Plant Siting Act (Minnesota Statute 116:'59, Subdivision 1) approved a resolution in June 1993 establishing an Advisory Task Force on Wind Power in Minnesota. The board authorized
the chair of the EQB to appoint members of the task force and its chair.

The task force expired October 1995 per M.S. 15.059 subd. 6.

Entries for this agency in the Annual Compilation and Statistical Report of Multi-Member Agencies Report: 1995, 1994, 1993.

Note: This report provides membership details as well as meeting information and a summary of the group's activities.

Note: The Legislative Reference Library may have additional reports on or by this group available through our catalog.
Record last updated: 10/29/2013
 

All information on this group from the Library’s collection of agency notebooks has been digitized. These materials are incorporated into the “documents/articles” section of the record. Please contact a librarian with any questions. The Minnesota Agencies database is a work in progress.

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