| Members Present: Sen. David P. Hinkins, Chair Rep. Carl R. Albrecht, Chair Sen. Nate Blouin Sen. Derrin R. Owens Sen. Evan J. Vickers Rep. Joel K. Briscoe Rep. James Cobb Rep. Ariel Defay Rep. Joseph Elison Rep. Colin W. Jack Rep. Phil Lyman | Rep. Matt MacPherson Rep. Doug Owens Rep. Judy Weeks Rohner Rep. Rex P. Shipp Members Absent: Sen. Ann Millner Staff Present: Samantha D. Brucker, Managing Policy Analyst Scott Elder, Associate General Counsel Samantha Merrell, Administrative Assistant |
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Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
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| Chair Albrecht called the meeting to order at 1:37 p.m. |
| 1.Committee Business |
| MOTION:Rep. Owens moved to approve the minutes of the November 15, 2023, meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-7. | |||
| Yeas - 9 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 7 | |
| Rep. C. Albrecht Rep. J. Briscoe Rep. J. Elison Sen. D. Hinkins Rep. P. Lyman Rep. M. MacPherson Sen. D. Owens Rep. D. Owens Rep. J. Rohner | Sen. N. Blouin Rep. J. Cobb Rep. A. Defay Rep. C. Jack Sen. A. Millner Rep. R. Shipp Sen. E. Vickers |
| 1a. Interim Study Item List |
| MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to approve and add the following items to the study item list: FERC Regional Planning Rule;EPA Rules Report;Fibernet Mercury-Delta Report;Federal Transmission Line Permitting Rule;Green River Solar Project Update; andEnergy Fuels Report on Russian uranium ban.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-7. | |||
| Yeas - 9 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 7 | |
| Rep. C. Albrecht Rep. J. Briscoe Rep. J. Elison Sen. D. Hinkins Rep. P. Lyman Rep. M. MacPherson Sen. D. Owens Rep. D. Owens Rep. J. Rohner | Sen. N. Blouin Rep. J. Cobb Rep. A. Defay Rep. C. Jack Sen. A. Millner Rep. R. Shipp Sen. E. Vickers |
| MOTION:Rep. Lyman moved to allow the chairs to open bill files on behalf of the committee.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-7. | |||
| Yeas - 9 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 7 | |
| Rep. C. Albrecht Rep. J. Briscoe Rep. J. Elison Sen. D. Hinkins Rep. P. Lyman Rep. M. MacPherson Sen. D. Owens Rep. D. Owens Rep. J. Rohner | Sen. N. Blouin Rep. J. Cobb Rep. A. Defay Rep. C. Jack Sen. A. Millner Rep. R. Shipp Sen. E. Vickers |
| 2.FERC Transmission Rule Report 1:30 - 2:00PM |
| 2. Presentation, Public Service Commission, Transmission Rule |
| David Clark, Commissioner, Public Service Commission, and Yvonne Hogle, Executive Staff Director, Public Service Commission, reported on the long-term regional electric transmission planning rule for grid expansion adopted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. |
| David Clark and Yvonne Hogle answered questions from the committee. |
| 3.EPA Rules Report 2:00 - 2:45PM |
| 3a. Presentation, Air Quality Carbon Rules |
| Bryce Bird, Director, Division of Air Quality, provided an overview on three new federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules regarding greenhouse gas standards and guidelines for fossil fuel-fired power plants. |
| Bryce Bird answered questions from the committee. |
| 3b. Fact Sheet, Carbon Capture and Storage |
| David Crabtree, President & CEO, Deseret Power, spoke critically of the EPA regulation requiring carbon capture and storage technologies by power plants and illustrated the barriers faced by the industry for compliance. |
| David Crabtree answered questions from the committee. |
| Thom Carter, Vice President, Rocky Mountain Power, and James Owen, Vice President of Environmental Fuels and Mining, PacifiCorp, presented on the impact of the EPA carbon capture regulation on Rocky Mountain Power’s facilities and resource planning, spoke to the technical and legal deficiencies of the rule, and illustrated what PacifiCorp’s role is in relation to the state in challenging this rule. |
| Thom Carter and James Owen answered questions from the committee. |
| Chair Albrecht read a statement to the committee from the North America Electric Reliability Corporation regarding energy blackout risk this summer and the new federal regulations. |
| Thom Carter and James Owen continued to answer questions. |
| 4.Fibernet-Mercury-Delta Report 2:45 - 3:15PM |
| 4. Presentation, Fibernet MercuryDelta |
| Lane Livingston, CEO, Fibernet MercuryDelta, introduced Fibernet MercuryDelta and presented on why saving the Intermountain Power Plant is critical for Utah and the efforts, costs, and timelines, and steps going forward for Fibernet MercuryDelta to make an offer for the assets of the Intermountain Power Plant. |
| Lane Livingston answered questions from the committee. |
| 5.Project Entity Status Update 3:15 - 3:45PM |
| Joel Ferry, Director, Department of Natural Resources, and Bryce Bird, Director, Division of Air Quality, gave an update on the Office of Energy Development's efforts to implement SB161, including establishing the Decommissioned Asset Disposition Authority, collaborating with stakeholders, preparing for studies, and hiring efforts for a special projects manager. |
| MOTION:Rep. Shipp moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 13 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Rep. C. Albrecht Sen. N. Blouin Rep. J. Briscoe Rep. J. Cobb Rep. J. Elison Sen. D. Hinkins Rep. C. Jack Rep. P. Lyman Rep. M. MacPherson Sen. D. Owens Rep. D. Owens Rep. R. Shipp Sen. E. Vickers | Rep. A. Defay Sen. A. Millner Rep. J. Rohner |
| Chair Albrecht adjourned the meeting at 3:28 p.m. |