Legislature Pushes Hydroelectric Plant from @mndaily #NoCrownHydro

From John Hageman at mndaily on April 14:

A long-denied hydroelectric plant near St. Anthony Falls could finally become reality, and critics are up in arms.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has denied the construction of a hydroelectric plant in the area for years, fearing its impact on the historic falls. Crown Hydro, LLC has explored several avenues to convince the park board to allow construction, and so far none has been fruitful.

But a bill authored by Rep. Mike Beard, R-Shakopee, and a group of 25 bipartisan legislators directs the park board to authorize an agreement with the company. It also allows the board to collect a royalty of up to 4 percent of annual electrical production revenues.

Discussion of the bill at Wednesday night’s Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee hearing quickly turned to questions of state government’s role in local matters.

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