[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz signed a bill into law to unlock billions in federal infrastructure grants for clean and renewable energy projects across Minnesota. The bill creates a $115 million competitiveness fund within the Minnesota Department of Commerce, which will provide the required state matching funds to help Minnesota compete for billions of dollars in federal grants. Governor Walz also signed Chapter 25, House File 1581 into law.
“We have a golden opportunity to invest in clean, sustainable infrastructure and improve our energy grid. These funds will be used to unlock billions of dollars for infrastructure projects that will create clean jobs across the state and move us closer to a sustainable future for all Minnesotans,” said Governor Walz. “Minnesota is and will continue to be a leader in creating a clean energy economy.”
Chapter 24, House File 1656 provides $115 million to help state, local, and tribal governments, higher education institutions, rural cooperatives, and electric utilities in Minnesota pursue federal grants for clean energy infrastructure. The state grants awarded would be used to fund any nonfederal match requirement and would be used to help applicants develop their federal grant applications.
Chapter 25, House File 1581 makes miscellaneous and technical corrections to laws and statutes, corrects erroneous, obsolete, and omitted text and references, and removes redundant, conflicting, and superseded provisions.