Minnesota Energy News

Republicans believe energy independence requires an “all of the above” approach to lower utility costs and encourage responsible energy production in Minnesota.

Farnsworth votes for comprehensive permitting reform to benefit mining, manufacturing; final bill fails to deliver on promises

April 19, 2024

Watch Sen. Farnsworth’s floor speech ST. PAUL – Today the Minnesota Senate passed a bill that claims to improve permitting process for energy but lacks significant improvement for mining or manufacturing. Despite promises from Democrats to address key issues in…

Senate Republicans attempt to improve permitting for every business, Democrats refuse to level the playing field

April 18, 2024

ST. PAUL – Today the Minnesota Senate passed a bill that claims to improve permitting process for energy but lacks significant improvement for mining or manufacturing. While the Chamber of Commerce supports this bill, their own research indicates this bill…

Eichorn statement on Huber opening new OSB plant in Mississippi

June 29, 2023

Minnesota State Senator Justin Eichorn (R-Grand Rapids) issued the following statement regarding Huber Engineered Woods’ plans to open a new OSB plant in Mississippi. Huber had intended to open the plant in Cohasset but withdrew those plans in February due…

Expensive New Regulations at the Expense of Minnesotans

April 25, 2023

Senate Democrats recently pushed through a hyper-partisan bill that combines appropriations for Energy and Environment issue areas, and throws it all into one lengthy bill. Minnesota is left with a bill that imposes new and costly regulations while also growing…

Senate Energy and Environment bill imposes expensive regulations, grows government at expense of Minnesotans

April 20, 2023

Today the Senate passed an Energy and Environment budget bill that will impose costly, burdensome new regulations on Minnesotans and small businesses; grow government bureaucracy; and make life more expensive. Some improvements were made by Republican amendments to protect taxpayers, support…

Rarick appointed to Legislative Energy Commission

March 7, 2023

Senator Jason Rarick (R-Pine City) was recently appointed to the Legislative Energy Commission. The Commission is comprised of a bipartisan group of Legislators, nine from the House and nine from the Senate. The Commission was created by the Legislature in…

Koran Capitol Update: Goodbye to Gas Power?

February 20, 2023

Secure Your Child’s Safety: School Bus Safety Now! Again, this year we are tackling the issue of increasing school bus safety. According to the Department of Safety, officers cited 4,652 drivers in Minnesota for school bus stop arm violations from…

Lieske: How can we keep children safer when they are at the bus stop

February 10, 2023

Friends and neighbors – I learned something pretty shocking this week: every year, there are somewhere between 100,000 and 250,000 school bus stop-arm violations at school bus stops. It is a mind-blowing figure, and it really is a disaster waiting…

Eichorn: Minnesota kills another business

February 10, 2023

Friends and neighbors – We had a double whammy of bad news for the northland this week. First, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled against Huber Engineered Woods and their proposed $440 million mill project in Cohasset. Yesterday Huber announced…

LIESKE: Minnesota Blackout Bill will increase your energy costs; put energy grid in jeopardy

February 8, 2023

On February 2, Democrats passed a dangerous and expensive energy bill through the Senate. It is called the “Blackout Bill,” and it mandates all electric companies to get their energy from “carbon-free” sources by 2040. This may sound good, but…

Gruenhagen: A dark day in Minnesota

February 8, 2023

Friends and neighbors – It was a dark day in Minnesota on February 2. Literally. Senate Democrats rushed an extreme, risky, and divisive energy Blackout bill through the Senate. It’s called the Blackout bill for a reason – it includes…

Eichorn statement regarding Minnesota Court of Appeals ruling against Huber OSB

February 7, 2023

Minnesota State Senator Justin Eichorn (R-Grand Rapids) today issued the following statement in response to a Minnesota Court of Appeals decision against Huber Engineered Woods and their proposed $440 million mill project in Cohasset. “It is an extremely frustrating and…