During the 2021 North Dakota Legislative Session, the Lignite Energy Council either created or testified in support of a total of 18 pieces of legislation that it felt were necessary to ensure the vitality of the coal industry in North Dakota. The key bills listed below comprised the 2021 ND legislative priorities as set forth by the LEC Management Committee and served as the scored roll call votes that define a legislator as a “lignite champion.”
The lignite industry is among the top five industries in the state and contributes more than 13,000 jobs to the state’s economy, many of them in central North Dakota where historically job diversity has been scarce. At this time, the mines and power plants faces consequential times due to harmful federal regulatory practices, challenging market conditions and inequitable federal tax subsidies. These five bills go a long way in ensuring that the employees at the mines and plants continue their careers in the lignite industry.
Lignite Energy Council President and CEO Jason Bohrer called the 2021 legislative session “the most important one in the history of the Lignite Energy Council,” which was founded in 1974.
LEC Priority Legislation:
SB 2287
provides the legislative authority for the insurance commissioner to study the availability, cost and risk associated with insurance coverage in the lignite coal industry and to implement any necessary recommendations by June 1, 2022.
HB 1412
Exempts coal plants from the state’s coal conversion facility tax for the next five years. The bill is expected to save the industry over $20 million per year, freeing up funds to invest in innovative projects such as carbon capture and sequestration that will curb emissions and improve the industry’s long-term viability.
SB 2206
Provides the opportunity for public utilities to recover research and development costs incurred to develop lignite more efficiently from carbon capture and sequestration utilization. The legislation also includes the ability to recover costs in rates from a dispatchable on-demand generating unit, plant or facility for power purchase agreements to help protect grid reliability.
HB 1452
creates the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority to help position North Dakota as a leader in reducing environmental impacts through a comprehensive research and development authority. The legislation provides $25 million from state’s general fund to the authority to fund qualified projects.
Lignite Luminaries
Five legislators are recognized as Lignite Luminaries for their leadership in sponsoring two or more of these five bills. Their leadership was integral to getting this legislation passed.
The five luminaries are:
Senator
Jessica Bell
(R-33) Beulah
Senator
Rich Wardner
(R-37) Dickinson
Representative
Jeff Delzer
(R-8) Underwood
Representative
Chet Pollert
(R-29) Carrington
Representative
Craig Headland
(R-29) Montpelier
Lignite Champions
Of the 141 legislators (94 representatives and 47 senators) 112 lawmakers voted for all five of these critical bills. These Lignite Champions are listed below in district order.
District: 43
District: 2
District: 6
District: 20
District: 30
District: 42
District: 10
District: 8
District: 23
District: 7
District: 5
District: 20
District: 1
District: 29
District: 32
District: 22
District: 43
District: 15
District: 4
District: 35
District: 46
District: 47
District: 39
District: 24
District: 47
District: 16
District: 13
District: 33
District: 37
District: 2
District: 5
District: 16
District: 35
District: 32
District: 25
District: 18
District: 10
District: 30
District: 8
District: 14
District: 42
District: 12
District: 17
District: 3
District: 29
District: 34
District: 22
District: 1
District: 46
District: 31
District: 40
District: 17
District: 12
District: 13
District: 31
District: 21
District: 40
District: 25
District: 26
District: 37
District: 27
District: 41
District: 6
District: 34
District: 19
District: 33
District: 18
District: 23
District: 14
District: 15
District: 39
District: 8
District: 1
District: 33
District: 5
District: 16
District: 12
District: 41
District: 32
District: 47
District: 36
District: 28
District: 19
District: 23
District: 26
District: 38
District: 17
District: 4
District: 14
District: 40
District: 42
District: 34
District: 30
District: 13
District: 20
District: 25
District: 18
District: 10
District: 35
District: 15
District: 39
District: 7
District: 46
District: 27
District: 2
District: 31
District: 45
District: 6
District: 29
District: 37
District: 22
District: 22