Minn. State House energy panel votes no on lifting nuclear ban

State House energy panel votes no on lifting nuclear ban

By ELIZABETH DUNBAR , Associated Press
Last update: March 27, 2009 - 12:12 PM

ST. PAUL, Minn. - A state law prevents new nuclear power plants from being built in Minnesota, and some say that means nuclear can't even be part of a discussion about the state's future energy needs.

An effort to change that suffered a setback Thursday, when members of a House energy committee voted down a bill that would lift the ban.

The 9-12 vote came after two days of hearings in which lawmakers heard testimony from more than two dozen people, including national experts, environmentalists, the nuclear industry and people who live near Minnesota's two existing nuclear plants.

While the measure still could be brought up as an amendment on the House floor, similar votes in recent years have failed. And as legislative deadlines approach, the Senate version of the bill hasn't yet been scheduled for a committee vote.

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