Minnesota governor calls on state utilities to cut GHG emissions

Portland, Maine (Platts)--13Dec2006

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is calling on the state's electric
utilities to include carbon dioxide emission offsets for any new fossil-
fueled power plants in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Pawlenty, a Republican, on Tuesday asked the Center for Climate
Strategies to help Minnesota begin a discussion with affected parties to
develop a plan to "aggressively" reduce GHG emissions in Minnesota. The center
has helped other states develop GHG reduction plans.
As part of the GHG reduction effort, Pawlenty proposed that Minnesota
join the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) or a similar national registry that
will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from state operations. The CCX is a
GHG emission registry, reduction and trading system in which members make a
voluntary, but legally binding commitment to cut GHG emissions.
"Our global climate is warming, at least in part due to the energy
sources we use," Pawlenty said in an address to a Midwest energy meeting in
St. Paul. "Minnesotans did not create this problem, nor can we solve it by
ourselves, we need an effective national and international effort. That said,
we should identify and take a number of reasonable and fair steps that will
reduce our greenhouse gas emission."
In addition, Pawlenty said utilities should be required to cut their
retail sales by 1.5% a year through conservation and energy efficiency
programs. The governor also called for 1,000 US Environmental Protection
Agency and Department of Energy certified Energy Star commercial buildings in
the state by 2010, up from 87 today.
In addition, the governor called for the state's "renewable energy
objective" to be expanded so that 25% of electric sales come from renewable
resources by 2025, up from 10% by 2015. There should be financial penalties
for non-compliance, he said.
Utilities that would be affected by Pawlenty's plan include Minnesota
Power, Otter Tail Power and Xcel Energy.

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