6.2 ERMUSR 03-10-2020UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:FROM:
ERMU Commission Troy Adams, P.E. –General Manager
MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
March 10, 2020 6.2
SUBJECT:
American Public Power Association Legislative Rally Update
ACTION REQUESTED:
No action requested
BACKGROUND:
Every year the American Public Power Association (APPA) holds a legislative rally fly-in where
public power representatives from around the nation travel to Washington D.C. to share their
Main Street stories with congressional members and to advocate for the best interests of their
consumer-owners. During this rally the APPA Legislation & Resolutions (L&R) Committee also
held meetings to vote on APPA regulatory policy.
DISCUSSION:
This year more than 600 public power representatives, including more than 60 Minnesota
public power representatives, attended the rally. This year’s rally was held on February 24-26.
Commissioner Bell, Conservation & Key Accounts Manager Sagstetter, and I attend this year’s
rally.
The L&R Committee considered these five resolutions:
1. Resolution 20-01: Principles for Federal Climate ChangeLegislation
2.Resolution20-02: In Support of CongressionalEfforts to ProvidePublic Power Utilities
with Comparable Incentives toEnergy-Related Tax Incentives
3. Resolution 20-03: In Support of Protecting Critical Electric Infrastructure Information
from Public Disclosure
4. Resolution 20-04: In Support of the Preservation of Public Power’s Ability to Self-Supply
without Risk of Paying for Capacity Twice
5. Resolution 20-05: Protecting Public Power Communications Systems in the 6 GHz
Spectrum Band
All five resolutions passed unanimously.
The APPA legislative priorities included, but were not limited to, the following: comparable
incentives, power marketing administrations (PMAs), Federal efforts to address climate change,
pole attachments, electric vehicles, and 6 GHz spectrum band.
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MoreinformationisavailableonAPPA’swebsiteat:https://www.publicpower.org/policy-
positions
Minnesota typically supports all the APPA priorities, but not always. Regardless, Minnesota
Municipal Utilities Association’s (MMUA) Government Relations Committee develops federal
position statements every year which are specific to the MMUA membership’s concerns. These
position statements are published and distributed to our congressional members and their
staff. The MMUA membership who travels to DC then speaks on a focus few issues from these
position statements. This year’s key MMUA legislative talking points were:
1.Responding to climate change
2. Comparable incentives and modernizing tax-exempt financing
3.Protect Western Area Power Administration customers
This year had some scheduling challenges on the House side, and the Senate had left town on a
retreat. Representative Stauber and Representative Hagedorn were the only two congressional
members to meet with our group in person. Except for Representative Omar, the Minnesota
public power delegation was able to meet with all of the other congressional members’ staff to
deliver our Main Street stories as they relate to the MMUA position statements. And for the
fourth year, MMUA hosted a reception for congressional members and staff after the day on
Capitol Hill. This event was well attended.
During the trip to Washington D.C., we also had the opportunity to attend a Midwest Municipal
Transmission Group (MMTG) event to meet with our fellow municipal Brookings transmission
line owners.
ATTACHMENTS:
Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association 2020 Federal Position Statements
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Federal
Position
Statements
2020
95
Table of Contents
Responding to Climate Change ...................................................................................................3-4
Comparable Incentives for Clean and Renewable Energy ......................................................5-6
Modernize Tax-Exempt Financing .................................................................................................7
Protect Mid-Band (6 GHz) Radio Spectrum ...............................................................................8-9
Protecting the Interests of WAPA Customers ......................................................................10-11
Photo credits:
All photographs by MMUA, except for:
Cover - Alejandro Barba, Unsplash
Page 6 - MMPA
Page 10 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Page 11 - Jarred Decker, Unsplash
Back Cover - Architect of the Capitol
About MMUA:
The Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association is a
96
Position Statement
Responding to Climate Change
Public power utilities recognize the threat posed
by climate change and are taking steps to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and bring more
have been leaders in reducing greenhouse gas
emissions.
approach that will work in every system.
If Congress moves toward implementing a Clean
Energy Standard (CES), we believe that the
program would be much easier to administer if
it applied to generators rather than retail sellers.
to allow utilities to plan, permit and build new
resources should receive credit for early action.
Need
Background
continued on next page
2020 Federal Position Statements / 3
97
Minnesota.
developed resource plans
MMUA Position
has several concerns
utilities and rural electric cooperatives that
2020 Federal Position Statements / 4
98
Position Statement
Comparable Incentives for Clean and
Renewable Energy
public power utilities.
transferable to enable public power systems to make
Need
s
Background
consequences.
alone.
continued on next page
2020 Federal Position Statements / 5
99
MMUA Position
2020 Federal Position Statements / 6
100
Position Statement
Modernize Tax-Exempt Financing
the most powerful and effective tool
in public infrastructure. To jump-
start development of much-needed
infrastructure, Congress should:
refunding of bonds; Simplify outdated
private-use rules; Raise the bank-
payments to Build America Bond issuers.
Need
MMUA Position
Background
2020 Federal Position Statements / 7
101
Position Statement
Protect Mid-Band (6 GHz) Radio Spectrum
The mid-band
spectrum, commonly
referred to as the
should not be
made available to
unlicensed users due
to the unacceptable
risk of interference
to mission-critical
electric utility
communications.
The FCC needs to
develop rules that
protect the 6 GHz
band to ensure
the safety and
reliability of essential
communications that
protect the integrity
grid.
Need
Background
satellite services.
2020 Federal Position Statements / 8
102
MMUA Position
2020 Federal Position Statements / 9
103
Position Statement
Protecting the Interests of WAPA Customers
sold at market rates should be rejected.
Selling off PMA transmission assets would provide
budget and lead to decades of higher transmission
rates for dozens of small municipal utilities in
western Minnesota.
Abandoning the long-standing policy of cost-
based rates and moving to market-based rates
would result in substantial rate increases for PMA
customers.
pay all the costs.
Background
proposal.
Retain WAPA Transmission Assets
decades.
2020 Federal Position Statements / 10
104
and rural electric co-ops.
Preserve
Cost-based Rates
rates are set at the levels needed to recover the
MMUA Position
2020 Federal Position Statements / 11
105
106
2020 GOVERNANCE AGENDA
Tuesday, January 14:Tuesday, February 11:
Annual Review of Committee Charters Review Strategic Plan and 2019Annual
BusinessPlan results
Tuesday, March 10:Tuesday, April 14:
Oath of Office Audit of 2019Financial Report
Election of Officers Financial Reserves Allocations
Annual Commissioner Orientation and Review Review 2019Performance Metrics
GovernanceResponsibilitiesand Role
Tuesday, May 12:Tuesday, June 9:
Annual General Manager Performance
Evaluation and Goal Setting
Tuesday, July 14:Tuesday, August 11:
Annual Commission Performance Evaluation Annual BusinessPlanReview Proposed 2021
Travel, Training, Dues, Subscriptions, and Fees
Review and Update Strategic Plan
Budget
Tuesday, September 8:Tuesday, October 13:
Annual Business Plan Review Proposed 2021 Annual Business Plan Review Proposed 2021
Capital ProjectsBudgetExpensesBudget
Tuesday, November 10:Tuesday, December 8:
Annual Business Plan -Review Proposed 2021 Adopt 2021Official Depository,Newspaper,
Rates and Other Revenueand Regular Meeting Schedule
Adopt 2021Fee Schedule Adopt 2021 Governance Agenda
2021Stakeholder Communication Plan Adopt2021Annual Business Plan
107