Bill > HF2928

This bill introduces comprehensive regulations and requirements for large water appropriation projects and data centers in Minnesota. For large water appropriation projects, the bill requires potential applicants to engage in early preapplication discussions with state departments, providing detailed project information such as estimated water usage, water source, and quality requirements. The bill mandates that data centers must achieve specific carbon-free energy targets, reaching 65% carbon-free energy by 2030 and 100% by 2030, with provisions for tracking and verification. Data centers will be subject to new environmental review processes, reporting requirements, and must pay a monthly fee based on their peak electrical demand. The bill also requires data centers to pay prevailing wages, report detailed energy and water consumption data, and establishes that non-compliant data centers will be ineligible for state financial incentives. Additionally, the Public Utilities Commission must develop a specialized clean energy tariff for data centers by January 1, 2026, designed to protect other utility customers from potential financial risks associated with data center operations. The bill aims to balance the state's energy and water resource management with the growing needs of large-scale technological infrastructure.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF2928&ssn=0&y=2025