| Committee/Agency Jurisdiction:
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Energy Policy
Environmental Policy
Public Utilities Commission
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| Note:
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The Minn. Public Utilities Commission may consult with the Minn. Environmental Quality Board when selecting the contractor to conduct the study.
The Minn. Public Utilities Commission must consider the report's findings and recommendations when issuing siting permits for carbon dioxide pipelines.
The study must include, at a minimum, the following elements:
(1) identification of geographic areas in Minnesota that, due to the geographic area's geology or the presence of environmentally sensitive resources, are unsuitable sites to construct and operate carbon dioxide pipelines;
(2) the amount of energy and water required to operate the equipment used to capture the carbon dioxide that is transported in a carbon dioxide pipeline;
(3) the potential human and environmental impacts of a carbon dioxide pipeline leak or rupture, especially to long-term human health, surface water bodies and wetlands, animals and animal habitat, croplands, and other sensitive resources;
(4) measures that can be taken to mitigate the impact of a carbon dioxide pipeline leak or rupture, including setbacks, protection for wildlife and wildlife habitat, and enhanced local emergency response strategies and resources;
(5) the long-term impacts of pipeline construction on wetlands, soils, crops, and other vegetation;
(6) the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions resulting from carbon dioxide pipelines, including the ultimate disposition of the carbon dioxide, whether the carbon dioxide is sequestered, used to manufacture other products, or used to extract incremental oil or gas supplies from underground reservoirs. The greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the process to extract incremental oil or gas supplies from underground reservoirs and the subsequent combustion of the incremental energy sources must also be estimated. The analysis should also indicate the degree to which any emission reductions are verifiable; and
(7) recommended provisions for a state regulatory process to site, operate, maintain, and abandon carbon dioxide pipelines that are transparent, provide opportunity for public engagement, and provide pipeline operators with clear signals and efficient procedures regarding permitting issues.
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