1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to energy; providing economic stimulus through renewable energy and 
1.3 	energy efficiency grants; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDING; RENEWABLE ENERGY AND 
1.6 	ENERGY EFFICIENCY GRANTS.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Definition. For the purposes of this section, "stimulus funding" or 
1.8 	"funding" means funding provided to the state by federal stimulus funding for energy 
1.9 	programs, including, without limitation, energy programs described in subdivision 2.
1.10 		Subd. 2.Stimulus fund allocation and use principles. (a) To the extent allowed 
1.11 	by federal law, the commissioner of commerce, in consultation with the commissioner 
1.12 	of agriculture, shall allocate and spend stimulus funding according to the following 
1.13 	principles:
1.14 	(1) the Office of Energy Security shall maximize job retention and creation and 
1.15 	optimize energy conservation and renewable energy generation;
1.16 	(2) consistent with the job retention and creation and energy conservation and 
1.17 	renewable energy goals, projects must be selected to meet federal deadlines for the 
1.18 	obligation and expenditure of stimulus funding;
1.19 	(3) stimulus funding must be used for projects geographically distributed across 
1.20 	the state; and
1.21 	(4) whenever practical, stimulus funding should be coordinated with existing utility 
1.22 	conservation programs and other leveraged funds including state investments in biofuels, 
1.23 	wind, and solar industries.
2.1 	(b) Preference must be given to projects that leverage existing utility conservation 
2.2 	programs and state investments in renewable energy as well as private dollars.
2.3 	(c) Eligible projects include but are not limited to projects that:
2.4 	(1) improve the energy efficiency of biofuel facilities;
2.5 	(2) displace fossil fuel energy inputs with energy derived from renewable resources 
2.6 	via anaerobic digestion, biomass gasification, or other technologies;
2.7 	(3) produce biofuel or other bioenergy; or
2.8 	(4) install commercial-scale solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and wind energy.

2.9 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.10 	$15,000,000 is appropriated to the commissioner of commerce from funds received 
2.11 	by the Department of Commerce for the state energy program from the federal American 
2.12 	Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5, for the purpose of making 
2.13 	grants under section 1.

2.14 	Sec. 3. REPORT.
 2.15 	The commissioner of commerce shall report to the NextGen Energy Board 
2.16 	established in Minnesota Statutes, section 41A.105, the commissioner's expenditures of 
2.17 	stimulus funding under section 1.