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HF4377 • 2026

Required elements in an application to the Public Utilities Commission for a certificate of need for a petroleum pipeline specified.

Required elements in an application to the Public Utilities Commission for a certificate of need for a petroleum pipeline specified.

Energy
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Jones, Keeler, Feist, Falconer
Last action
2026-04-07
Official status
Author added Falconer
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The plain English breakdown is still being put together. The official documents below are already here.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 House

    Author added Falconer

  2. 2026-03-23 House

    Authors added Keeler and Feist

  3. 2026-03-16 House

    Introduction and first reading, referred to Energy Finance and Policy

Official Summary Text

Required elements in an application to the Public Utilities Commission for a certificate of need for a petroleum pipeline specified.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
A bill for an act

relating to energy; specifying required elements in an application to the Public

Utilities Commission for a certificate of need for a petroleum pipeline; proposing

coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 216B.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

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[216B.2431] CERTIFICATE OF NEED; ENERGY DEMAND

FORECASTS; PETROLEUM PIPELINES.

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Subdivision 1.

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Definitions.

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(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have

the meanings given.

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(b) "Application" means an application for a certificate of need filed under section

216B.243 to construct a pipeline that transports crude oil, motor fuel, or other refined

petroleum products.

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(c) "Calendar day" means a measure of daily refinery capacity that adjusts for typical

operating conditions, including downtime for maintenance.

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(d) "Consumer" means a person that purchases a motor fuel or other refined petroleum

product from a retailer to utilize or otherwise consume the energy contained in the motor

fuel or other refined petroleum product.

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(e) "Contiguous states" means the states of Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and

Wisconsin.

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(f) "Demand" means the quantity of motor fuel or other refined petroleum products from

the applicant's facilities that consumers in Minnesota and in contiguous states are willing

and able to purchase. Demand includes any resulting quantities placed in the applicant's

interim storage facilities.

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(g) "Electric vehicle" has the meaning given in section 169.011, subdivision 26a.

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(h) "Forecast period" means the 15 consecutive years following the year in which an

application is filed.

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(i) "Fuel efficiency" means the distance a motor vehicle is capable of traveling on one

gallon of motor fuel.

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(j) "Motor fuel" means a liquid fuel derived from petroleum and used to propel a motor

vehicle. Motor fuel does not include casinghead, absorption, condensation, or natural

gasoline, as defined in section 296A.01, subdivision 10.

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(k) "Motor vehicle" has the meaning given in section 169.011, subdivision 42.

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(l) "Other refined petroleum product" means a product, other than motor fuel, produced

from crude oil at a refinery.

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(m) "Refinery" means a facility that processes crude oil into motor fuel and other refined

petroleum products.

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(n) "Remote work" means an employment construct in which employees work from a

location other than the place of employment one or more days per week.

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Subd. 2.

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Applicability.

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This section applies to an applicant seeking a certificate of need

for a pipeline that transports crude oil, motor fuel, or other refined petroleum products.

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Subd. 3.

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Demand forecasts; motor fuel.

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(a) An application must contain separate annual

demand forecasts for motor fuel from consumers for each year of the forecast period:

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(1) in Minnesota; and

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(2) in contiguous states.

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(b) The forecasts required under paragraph (a) must be derived from the following factors

using separate forecasts for each year of the forecast period:

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(1) population;

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(2) vehicle miles traveled, which must consider trends in remote work, mass transit

ridership, and vehicle miles traveled reduction targets established in the statewide multimodal

transportation plan under section 174.03, subdivision 1a;

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(3) fuel intensity and efficiency of motor vehicles using motor fuel;

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(4) penetration rates of electric vehicles, which must consider federal and state financial

incentives for vehicles and charging stations;

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(5) specific capacity expansion plans proposed by a refinery designated to receive crude

oil supplies from the proposed pipelines; and

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(6) world crude oil prices and crude oil prices from the proposed pipeline's supply sources

and the impact of prices on demand from consumers.

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(c) For purposes of the forecasts and data under paragraphs (a) and (b), the applicant

must specify underlying assumptions, including a narrative description of how changes in

the assumptions may affect the findings under paragraphs (a) and (b), with respect to:

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(1) crude oil prices in the United States, in Canada, and globally; and

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(2) changes in crude oil transportation infrastructure out of Western Canada and into or

out of Minnesota and contiguous states.

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Subd. 4.

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Demand forecasts; other petroleum products.

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(a) The application must

contain separate annual demand forecasts for other refined petroleum products from

consumers for each year of the forecast period:

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(1) in Minnesota; and

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(2) in contiguous states.

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(b) The demand forecasts required under this subdivision must be derived from forecasts

of the factors influencing consumer demand for each product.

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EFFECTIVE DATE.

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This section is effective the day following final enactment and

applies to an application for a certificate of need for a petroleum pipeline filed with the

Public Utilities Commission on or after that date.

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