Move to undo Minn. nuclear ban sails through panel

[bananas]

Source: AP

A move to undo Minnesota's 17-year-old ban on new nuclear power plants easily cleared its first committee Tuesday as Republicans who run the Legislature make the proposal a priority.

Rep. Joyce Peppin's bill passed the House Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Committee on a 10-6 vote, with backing from groups including the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council. The 14-line bill would erase a single sentence of state law prohibiting the Public Utilities Commission from allowing construction of new nuclear plants.

<snip>

Even if the proposal sails through the Legislature, the 1994 moratorium on new nuclear power has support from Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton, who pledged to back the current law as a candidate.

<snip>

During the hearing, opposition came from environmental groups and Democrats on the panel who said they're concerned ratepayers will end up covering the cost of developing a new nuclear power facility.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-11/move-to-undo-minn-nuclear-ban-sails-through-panel.html

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I hope our Democratic representatives are able to block this.

[annm4peace]

1. as soon as i saw this I sent to my co-workers who live in Rep districts

it is such a shame the MN Rep lead Senate and House of Reps would chose this as part of their 1st act.

a place that loves it's lakes and rivers. a place that loves it outdoors. I'd say a whole lot of State politicians received a whole lot of contribution for the Nuclear energy lobbists

[UrbScotty]

2. Sailed through? 10-6?

If those figures hold up as the Legislature goes forward, they won't be able to override Dayton's veto.

If it was, say, a 14-2 vote, that could be called "sailing through."