The Minnesota legislature ended its regular session on May 15th without approving a biofuels infrastructure grant program supported by legislators from both parties. On May 12, the Republican-led Senate approved a $7 million grant program as part of an omnibus agriculture bill. In April, the DFL-controlled House passed its omnibus bill, which contained $4 million for a biofuels infrastructure program. With larger budget issues blocking completion, the differences in the two bills were not resolved before time ran out.
As the regular session ended, Governor Walz and the leaders of the House and Senate held a joint press conference to announce they had reached a broad agreement on a $52 billion state budget deal. Few details of the deal are available. However, it did set spending parameters for all of the omnibus bills developed during the 2021 regular session.
Conference committees will now begin the work of combining omnibus bills from the two legislative bodies. They will then submit them for a final vote during a special session, which will likely be in June.
We are hopeful for a biofuels infrastructure grant program from the state this year. Combined with Minnesota Corn Growers Association $1 million in infrastructure funding, we will be able to further expand needed biofuel availability throughout the state. A grant program at this level would benefit so many, including fuel retailers, consumers, farmers and the environment.
Minnesota already has a healthy network of stations offering higher ethanol blends. Potential new funding would help expand on that and offer drivers more options. Increasing biofuel availability is an important step towards emissions reductions and combating climate change. We are proud that Minnesota can serve as an example to other states!