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Apr 23, 2008 5:42 pm US/Central
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Legislature OKs Studies On Greenhouse Gas Limits
ST. PAUL (AP) ―
Legislation that anticipates eventual limits on greenhouse gases dominated a Minnesota House floor session Wednesday, setting off debates about global warming and jobs before passing 91-38.
The Senate gave preliminary approval to a similar bill on a 42-20 vote.
Minnesota and other Midwestern states are developing a regional cap-and-trade system designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Gov. Tim Pawlenty is working with his counterparts in states including Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and the Canadian province of Manitoba.
Rep. Kate Knuth, the bill's sponsor, said the Legislature should be involved in a process that could shape a national system and work major economic changes. Her bill would require legislative approval for Minnesota to join a cap-and-trade system, plus studies of the effect on the economy, environment and public health.
"Cap-and-trade will change the jobs that we have in Minnesota -- I think it will change the jobs for the better," said Knuth, DFL-New Brighton. "It will bring clean energy jobs."
Republicans said jobs could be lost and consumers and businesses could be hurt. Some questioned the human contribution to global warming and whether global warming should be considered a crisis. Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, read 30-year-old headlines that warned about global cooling.
"We're going to lead all right -- we're going to lead ourselves into a further economic slump," said Rep. Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove.
Some Iron Range Democrats also said they fear a cap-and-trade system could hurt steel and taconite ventures in northeastern Minnesota.
A cap-and-trade system would set an upper limit on emissions and create a market to trade and sell pollution allowances, rewarding low-emitting industries and utilities that don't use their full capacity. Minnesota is aiming to slash greenhouse gas emissions 15 percent by 2015 and 80 percent by 2050.
The bills originally proposed by Knuth and Sen. Ellen Anderson, DFL-St. Paul, would have involved auctioning off pollution allowances to raise money to promote green technology, transit and carbon-capturing efforts. That was scaled back after concerns about the cost to consumers.
The House also approved an energy policy bill touching on everything from PVC pipes to solar energy and vehicle air conditioners. The bill passed 109-22 after a failed Republican attempt to lift a moratorium on new nuclear plants.
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)