* Minnesota is the only state with legal restrictions on the amount of dry cask storage

July 24, 2003

Minnesota intends to become an NRC Agreement State

Draft regulations and comments have been exchanged over the past year. The next big step is for the Governor to formally apply. NRC has asked the state when it expects to submit the formal application, noting that advance information will help ensure optimal manpower can be used in NRC's review.

NRC's contact point in state government for this project is currently
Ms. Patricia A. Bloomgren, Director
Environmental Health Division
P. O. Box 64975
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0975

June 6, 2003

* Transmission lines - Iowa wants more time to consider Translink plan

May 25, 2003

Minnesota legislature passes dry cask storage bill to Governor

The Minnesota legislature sent a nuclear waste bill to the Governor today, after the House agreed to changes made by the Senate. The bill's sponsor in the House, who had complained that keeping many of the provisions in the bill was like keeping "frogs in a wheelbarrow" to appease various constituencies, was quoted as saying "This keeps all the frogs in the wheelbarrow," wearing a stuffed frog toy on his right shoulder. Amongst the bill's provisions is requirement for Xcel to generate at least 10% of its electricity using renewable energy by 2015, similar to the state's commitment to ensure the same. It also authorizes use and storage of enough spent fuel casks to get Prairie Island through its current license. If the plant's license gets renewed, the Public Utility Commission is responsible for determining whether to authorize additional spent fuel storage capacity. The Governor is expected to sign the bill into law.

[Source: Dane Smith, Mark Brunswick and David Phelps (Star Tribune), "Most legislators head home as negotiations continue", Star Tribune (Twin Cities), May 25, 2003]

* Minnesota Legislature Approves Enough Casks for Prairie Island license term

* Minnesota N-waste bill sponsor points to strong energy supply and asociated economic benefits

* Minn N-waste bill provisions - like "frogs in a wheelbarrow"

* Minnesota N-waste bill opponents' failed objections

* Minn N-waste bill endorses Prairie Island settlement with neighboring Tribe

May 19, 2003

State House oks more casks for Prairie Island

The state House today passed a bill authorizing more spent fuel storage casks at Prairie Island. The Star Tribune reporter was uncertain whether the Senate will agree to a House provision that transfers oversight on waste issues from legislature to Public Utilities Commission. The bill also requires Xcel to double spending on renewable energy to $16-million/yr. [Source: David Phelps, House passes nuclear waste storage after earlier defeat Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 20, 2003]

Minnesota legislature - regular session ends Monday night

"Special session certain", says state's biggest paper. It could start Tuesday morning. House could pass energy bill now or later. [Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune, "Heading into overtime", May 19, 2003

May 13, 2003

State Senate authorizes more spent fuel casks

The state Senate of Minnesota worked into the wee hours and passed a bill last night to allow Prairie Island enough additional spent fuel casks to see the plant through current license. The bill removes future decisionmaking on casks from the legislature. That task, if necessary, will be performed by the Public Utilities Commission. The legislature gets final say on whether Prairie Island and Monticello can renew their license. The bill doubles the payments from Xcel to a fund supporting alternative energy, to about $17 million per year. The bill also requires Xcel to generate 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2015. The bill passed 42-24, and was considered a compromise: "It does keep the nuclear plants open," Sen. Ellen Anderson said. "And it moves us forward on a clean energy path." [Source: Patrick Howe (Associated Press Writer), "Senate passes nuclear waste bill", The Associated Press, May 13, 2003 3:09 AM Eastern Time]

May 12, 2003

Gov. Tim Pawlenty was worried enough that terrorists might fly a plane into one of Minnesota's nuclear power plants that he asked the federal government in mid-March to restrict the airspace over them. "We asked and asked and asked, and told them it was a direct threat," Public Safety Commissioner Rich Stanek said. But the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, the FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) turned down the requests. Stanek said he and Pawlenty were somewhat calmed by assurances from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and managers of Xcel Energy's Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear plants that such an attack would trigger "a small radiological leak at most." [Source: Greg Gordon (Star Tribune Washington Bureau Correspondent), "Pawlenty worried about airplane attack on nuclear plants", Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 12, 2003]

May 11, 2003

Laurie Blake et al. (staff writers), "One week to go [in state legislature]", Minneapolis Star-Tribune, May 11, 2003

... NUCLEAR WASTE

Xcel Energy has returned to the Legislature for authorization to store more radioactive waste at its Prairie Island nuclear plant in Red Wing. Legislators have mostly agreed that the utility should be allowed enough additional storage to run the plant until its license expires in 2014. But they disagree about whether it should operate after then and about who should make the next decision on waste storage if Xcel tries to have the plant relicensed to run until 2034.