ERMU RES 07-04 ELK RIVER MUNICIPAL UTILITIES
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF BALANCED
CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION
WHEREAS the Minnesota State Legislature recently passed Renewable Energy Standard (RES)
legislation requiring 25% of utility companies generation portfolio to be produced by renewable
generation by the year 2025, and
WHEREAS the RES legislation would reduce the amount of additional CO2 being emitted into
the environment by Minnesota utilities, and
WHEREAS the legislature is now considering major climate change legislation that could have
significant impacts on achieving the recently adopted RES as well as on the ability of Minnesota
utilities to meet the growing needs of the citizens of the State of Minnesota as well as
neighboring states, and
WHEREAS legislators are urged to consider the result of significantly more expensive power
due to climate change legislation and the impact that would have on economic development
throughout rural Minnesota, and
WHEREAS any climate change legislation adopted by the State of Minnesota needs to consider
the proper balance between reducing CO2 emissions and meeting the growing energy needs of
the citizens of the State of Minnesota to ensure the continued health and vitality of the Minnesota
economy, and
WHEREAS the currently proposed legislation only targets the utility sector and ignores the more
significant CO2 emissions from other sectors of the economy,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Elk River Municipal Utilities urges the
Minnesota Legislature to develop climate change legislation that will broadly consider the CO2
emissions of all segments of the economy rather than only select segments of the economy, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature is urged to consider the technological
feasibility of legislation being considered as well as the ability to meet the growing energy needs
of the citizens of Minnesota under any climate change legislation being considered, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Elk River Municipal Utilities supports a deliberative
approach to the passage of climate change legislation by the State of Minnesota involving an in
depth study of the economic,technological and environmental elements to be considered in any
such legislation, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such a study be carried out in an environment that
recognized the adopted goals of the Minnesota RES but does not prohibit the electric utility
segment from meeting the needs of the growing Minnesota economy.
Passed by the Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission by a unanimous vote on April 10,
2007.
Bryan Adams, P.E.
General Manager
Elk River Municipal Utilities