Latest news with #SB132
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Legislative session hailed as success despite challenges for energy sector
Utah lawmakers made protecting existing electricity ratepayers one of their top priorities this past session — especially for rural consumers; they moved to keep the Intermountain Power Plant open and they tackled the use of AI for existing apps and app developers. Additionally, they put in guardrails for above ground storage tanks for petroleum products and they assessed a 5 cent tax per barrel of oil to help local communities pay for road repairs associated with industrial activity. At a Tuesday webinar hosted by the Utah Petroleum Association, multiple representatives from energy, mining and retail associations detailed some of the bigger impacts that came from a record-breaking session that saw 959 bills introduced. Rikki Hrenko-Browning, association president, said there were 159 bills those industries tracked, with some coming down to passage in the final minutes of the session. 'Overall, it was a successful session,' she said, although there was a lot of wrangling, negotiations and last-minute angst. Lawmakers moved to amplify energy transmission and put in safeguards for rural electric cooperatives, said Nathan Johnson, executive director of the Utah Rural Electric Cooperatives. 'I think we walked away as unscathed as was possible. I think the issues that we saw and just the underlying kind of political issues were the House and Senate were not fully aligned on how they wanted to deal with the issues of data centers, and so that created some obstacles and challenges for us,' Johnson said. Those safeguards were contained in SB132, which deals with large load electricity consumers — those of 100 megawatts or greater — to operate within rules and cost allocations to be developed by the Utah Public Service Commission. Johnson said a key aspect of the measure deals with data centers that want to access existing electric utility providers and the transmission infrastructure without necessarily paying for those costs. Another win for industry came from HB378 which establishes a predictable funding source for Endangered Species Act mitigation, which will be the species protection account after the bill takes effect. 'We obviously don't need to preach to the choir here and tell folks how problematic an Endangered Species listing can be for extractive industries. And so the work of this fund is very, very important, and it's something that, you know, we've had a lot of success over the years as a state,' said Brian Somers, president of the Utah Mining Association. The fund has been inherently troublesome because of its variability, Somers added. 'Over the years, the funding has really gone up and down from year to year based on the budget situation. And where most of these projects are very long term and they're getting multiple year projects, it's difficult,' he said. 'It was difficult for us on the advisory committee to really figure out how to allocate funds when one year we would have a couple of million dollars and maybe if it was a good budget year, we'd get a couple million extra dollars.' Changes in the bill rope in transmission lines for wind and solar generation, which was contentious for those industries that will face an assessment based on per mile of line of those systems that generate 340,000 volts or more. HB201 changes how the Public Service Commission evaluates integrated resource planning by PacifiCorp, while SB159 moves the state to be more protective of handling nonhazardous waste by requiring synthetic liners at disposal facilities. 'Those waste disposal facilities are going to be regulated under (the state division) of waste management and radiation control,' said Hrenko-Browning. 'This sets out some requirements to ensure that there are synthetic liners or liners with equivalency in terms of transmission of fluids to ensure that we've got cradle to grave protection for those oil and gas wastes that go into these kinds of landfills,' she said. 'It's done in a way that it's structured over time, so we're not asking folks to immediately close their facilities if they don't meet some of those liner requirements.' Two big bills were attention grabbers this last session — HB70 and HB249. The latter will establish a nuclear energy consortium as Utah eyes advanced nuclear technologies such as small modular reactors to provide carbon free baseload power. Utah has been one of many states across the country that see nuclear energy as a long-term answer to embrace new energy demands. Participants pointed out the framework solidified in the bill is in tandem with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox's 'Operation Gigawatt' that seeks to double the state's energy production in the next decade. In the interim, Hrenko-Browning said natural gas will have a large part to play because new coal-fired power plants simply aren't being built anymore. HB70 preserves the state's ability to protect the assets of Intermountain Power Agency's power plant in Delta, and its attendant infrastructure, so it could produce that energy for Utah for the grid. The Utah Retail Merchants Association closely tracked SB226, which kept the group's president reaching for antacid pills. 'This bill took several years off my life,' said Dave Davis, president and chief legal officer for the retail association. The bill imposes certain requirements on app developers which Davis said could deter implementation of those services. 'I think technology is something that is going to touch us all and we need to make sure we keep a very innovative environment here that isn't stifled by government regulation,' he said. In the end, lawmakers agreed to a delayed implementation date for 2027, which Davis said gives the group another chance at the Legislature in 2026 to work out any bugs. 'If there are problems with the system, then we still have another legislative session that we can come back and hopefully tweak or fix or address any of those concerns that come up,' when it comes to liability if a transaction isn't made clear to consumer that they are using AI, he said. Lawmakers, in a nod to the importance of critical minerals, also passed SJR11, which recognizes the importance of developing a national strategy when it comes to supply chains of these minerals. They also passed a measure to tackle problems associated with the large infrastructure tax credit for mining operations and mineral extraction via SB234.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Changes are coming to Rocky Mountain Power's contracts with AI centers, but not its rate structure
Transmission lines lead away from the coal-fired Intermountain Power Plant near Delta, Utah on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) After Rocky Mountain Power announced it would pursue a double-digit rate increase for Utah residences, Gov. Spencer Cox and legislative leaders vowed to take matters into their own hands to keep it from happening. It has been a couple eventful months for the utility ever since. The rate proposal also led the Legislature to request splitting the utility's parent company, PacifiCorp, into two consortiums of states — red and blue — with similar energy policies, and raised the question of how it would serve large energy users, such as the artificial intelligence and data centers the state is hoping to host. Here's how some 2025 bills may change — or not — how Rocky Mountain Power operates in Utah. Finding ways to feed power-hungry AI centers in the state has been on the state government's mind for a while. Cox dedicated part of his opening statement during his March monthly news conference broadcast by PBS Utah to highlight the importance of it, arguing that the U.S. is in an 'AI arms race with China.' But, building an AI center may take gigawatts of power off the grid. SB132, sponsored by Sen. Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, established an alternative process to provide electric power to customers with large loads so existing ratepayers wouldn't have to bear the cost of the additional demands. According to the bill, if the data center and the utility can't reach an agreement within 90 days after a service application is submitted, the customer may be able to negotiate a contract with one or more large-scale generation providers. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'This is outside their regulated monopoly, where we allow them to basically compete with other generators for this new load, and we give them the opportunity to come in and compete for these higher demand loads,' Sandall said. It took a long time to finetune details of the bill and merge in some provisions included in another competing Senate bill, but it ultimately passed the Legislature almost unanimously and is waiting for the governor's signature to become law. Cox criticizes 'radical agenda of the extreme environmental movement' after legal win Initially, Sandall's bill allowed intermittent energy sources, such as solar and wind, to be used in these hyperscale contracts only if they were 100% backed up with energy storage. That provision was eliminated, allowing AI centers to use solar and wind resources. But, they must still specify any arrangements for backup power supply. 'We married the two together through a lot of long hours and negotiation, and I think we're in a spot where both sides didn't get everything they wanted,' Sandall said, 'but I think they feel comfortable moving forward.' David Eskelsen, a Rocky Mountain Power spokesperson, said that overall, the company followed its long-standing practice to provide information to lawmakers to help them draft their energy policy bills. 'Senate Bill 132 authorizes a path for the state to serve and attract large energy users, like data centers, while ensuring existing customers are protected from related rate impacts,' he said in an email. Sandall worried that if intermittent resources didn't provide enough electricity to power the data centers, Rocky Mountain Power would try to provide power through its traditional resources, leaving other consumers short on power, he said. 'We were able to create language where I believe that we did give the protection to the consumer,' Sandall said. 'At the same time, we gave the possibility to find new generation sources without laying the cost back onto our traditional consumer.' A House bill that directly changed Utah's largest utility's fee system was only used as a negotiation tool during the 2025 session and never received a Senate hearing, even after it was proposed and prioritized during the interim session. HB72, sponsored by Rep. Carl Albrecht, R-Richfield, targeted Rocky Mountain Power's Energy Balancing Account. That account is tied to a market adjustment fee that can either credit or debit ratepayers for the utility's costs not covered by the regular electricity rates. Nuclear development and electricity rates to dominate energy discussion this legislative session Since the Legislature eliminated the sharing band that allowed customers to cover 70% of the adjustment and shareholders absorb 30% in 2016, Rocky Mountain Power has been able to recover 100% of its 'prudently incurred costs in an energy balancing account,' through adjustments for ratepayers. Albrecht's proposal would have completely eliminated that fee from customers' electricity bills. But, amid other negotiations, the legislation fell through. 'Sometimes you use the bill for motivation, and we were trying to motivate Rocky Mountain Power to do some other things in the state,' Albrecht said. While the bill had overwhelming support in the House, when it reached the Senate, the sponsor was asked to stand down until other negotiations took place. But, the bill will come back during the interim this year, Albrecht said, because there's still a need for it. 'We want to make sure that Rocky Mountain Power is not including costs from other states in their rate base that Utah customers have to pay,' he said. But, Albrecht's next proposal may be a little more lenient, since he believes there should be a sharing band in place, a system that existed before that 2016 bill, sponsored by Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton. While the fee changes according to market prices, it has been in an increase pattern for years. Last summer, for example, an interim 11.6% rate increase of the Energy Balancing Account came into effect on July 1, sending electricity costs soaring through the summer. The Legislature also approved HCR9, a concurrent resolution to create an energy compact with Idaho and Wyoming, sponsored by House Majority Leader Jefferson Moss, R-Saratoga Springs, which, may elevate Utah's request to split PacifiCorp into two consortiums; one grouping California, Oregon and Washington together, and the other serving Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. Cox has already signed the legislation and commended it, as Utah leaders make strong requests to step away from blue states' aggressive pursuit for a clean energy future. Cox has already met with Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright on the issue, and they have 'aligned' with those goals, he said. During interim committee meetings, lawmakers grilled Rocky Mountain Power executives as they searched for ways to make that split happen. However, the feat would be expensive and politically difficult, officials from the utility warned. Albrecht, who has led some of those interim committee hearings, said that there's interest from Idaho and Wyoming as well. 'We did get a report back in Natural Resources and also Public Utilities (committees) during summer interims, fall interims, but it was very superficial,' Albrecht said, 'and we've asked them to do more work on that, because we feel like it's an important thing for the ratepayers in the state of Utah.' 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Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Updates on bill proposing ban on Delta-8 and similar products
ALABAMA (WHNT) — Cities across Alabama have started banning Delta-8 products, and a Senate bill could make that a statewide ban. SB 132 proposes a ban on 'psychoactive cannabinoids,' or mind-altering substances containing THC. It specifically names Delta-8, Delta-9 and Delta-10 derivatives. 11-year-old falls off swing in New Market, airlifted to hospital It would classify THC in hemp products as Schedule 1 Controlled Substances, making the drug classification equivalent to that of heroin. The Chief Science Officer for Mountaintop Dispensary John Dietz said this is a bill that would have crippling effects on multiple industries. 'That would completely eradicate the hemp industry,' Dietz said. 'It would also eradicate state jobs who are hemp program employees as inspectors, growers, the list goes on and on. It would even eradicate the CBD market. When you're growing plants for CBD or hemp fiber, there are still trace amounts of those psychoactive cannabinoids in that plant. So it would completely shut down and close down the industry.' Dietz has spent the last nine years of his life as an organic chemist. He's also currently finishing his PhD in chemistry. Decatur man arrested on multiple drug charges after cocaine, guns found He said the positives of hemp products outweigh the negatives, with local patients and doctors sometimes turning to these products instead of traditional medications. 'We work with terminally ill patients,' Dietz said. 'We work with different oncology departments in the area. We work with pharmacists around the area. A lot of patients get too sick from opiates and get too sick from certain medications. It's a natural and organic alternative.' While the Senate Healthcare Committee did not vote on the bill today, it discussed additional revisions. The first revision was harsh penalties for those caught selling psychoactive cannabinoids to a minor. The first offense is a $1,500 fine, the second offense is $2,500 and the third would be $5,000. If caught a fourth time distributing to a minor, State Senator Tim Melson, the sponsor of SB 132, says a business license will be revoked. 'On the fourth one, you would lose any license to sell any age-related products,' Melson said. 'So that would take away your tobacco, your alcohol, and your Delta-9 derivatives.' Ensuring that children do not have access to psychoactive cannabinoids is something Dietz agrees with. 📲 to stay updated on the go. 📧 to have news sent to your inbox. 'We do agree with there needs to be a fine-tuned solution on children not getting these products in their hands,' Dietz said. Dietz disagrees with the committee's idea to get the Alcohol Beverage Control Board to regulate this bill. He said that hemp is a plant, not alcohol. 'From hemp products or cannabis products, we don't agree with the ABC control,' Dietz said. 'We believe that this is an agricultural product.' The committee will discuss this bill again at a later date. News 19 reached out to two local state senators, the Vice Chair of the Senate Healthcare Committee Senator Larry Stutts and the Committee Chair and sponsor of the bill Senator Tim Melson. News 19 has not heard back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Competing Senate bills try to answer the question, how should Utah power new data centers?
Transmission lines lead away from the coal-fired Intermountain Power Plant near Delta, Utah on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) After a couple of years focusing on keeping coal burning to power the state, Republican lawmakers are expanding their focus to cover hyperscale demands, potentially from data and artificial intelligence centers. Two bills establishing requirements to process large-scale electricity service requests are currently being considered in the Senate. One, by Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, hasn't left the rules committee, and the other by Sen. Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, who has successfully sponsored substantial energy legislation, has already advanced to the Senate floor. Because there's currently not a specific process to single out large energy users, to serve potential large customers in data centers or other manufacturers, Rocky Mountain Power, the largest electricity provider in the state, must include those loads in its general rate calculations filed to the Utah Public Service Commission. That's what both of those bills are trying to change. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'What my bill file does is allow Rocky Mountain Power to step out of that regulated monopoly space and into the competitive space and contract directly with these large loads,' Sandall told reporters on Wednesday. Under SB132, sponsored by Sandall, Rocky Mountain Power may individually contract with new customers requiring over 50 megawatts of power without affecting demands and rates for existing customers. The utility would have six months to review those novel contracts. 'If at that point in time no deal can be made, or it looks like they are struggling to make a deal, a third-party producer could come in then with the large load under a separate contract,' Sandall said in his presentation to the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee last week. One aspect of Sandall's bill has raised concerns for those who would like to see more renewable energy sources in the state's portfolio — the fact that intermittent energy sources, such as solar and wind, need to be 100% backed up with energy storage to serve large-load contracts. Energy demand from data centers growing faster than West can supply, experts say 'What we don't want to have is billions of dollars of investment under these contracts and an energy source that's not being able to supply the whole base load, then coming to the legislature and saying, 'excuse us now, we've got to have more power,'' Sandall said. 'And where do we leverage that?' SB227, Cullimore's bill, is similar to Sandall's. But, the biggest difference is that Cullimore's proposal doesn't dictate which resources should be included in the contracts with data centers. It's an approach that advocates for renewables prefer, Josh Craft, director of government relations and public affairs for the nonprofit group Utah Clean Energy, said in a statement. 'It is resource neutral and provides a pathway to utilize Utah's incredible clean energy potential,' Craft wrote. 'Utah should be expanding access to affordable, clean energy, not creating barriers that limit options for businesses and communities.' Sandall called that resource neutrality the 'movement of unrestricted energy through the meter,' which is what gives Rocky Mountain Power — and him — some pause. But, while both senators have different approaches, there's a lot that Sandall said he and Cullimore are trying to work out together. After working on his bill for six months, Sandall said he thinks he's getting close to creating a firewall between current customers' rate structure and data centers. Rocky Mountain Power representatives have told him that his bill would allow them to find the power to serve those new, large loads, he told Utah News Dispatch. 'Rocky Mountain Power, quite honestly, has some apprehension around this bill, because they're not used to stepping in a competitive space,' Sandall said. 'And so I've had to bring them along, and they've finally gotten here.' Because data and AI centers are still speculative customers, Michele Beck, director of the Utah Office of Consumer Services, believes it is reasonable to expand views on what models could work for Utah. 'Under the utility model, it's impossible to understand how we can build enough resources fast enough to serve what might be out there, what people are saying is out there,' Beck said about the potential for new data centers in the state. 'So I think it's good to evaluate alternatives, but on the other hand, it needs to be done in a way that protects existing customers.' Sandall's bill does a reasonable job of protecting other customers, she said. His intent, Sandall said, is to be cautious since these contracts are a new space for the state. 'We're having a really hard time making sure that we don't go to deregulation, but we still allow this faster build-out of the energy that we're going to need,' he said. Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, supported the idea of making plans to 'keep a firewall between them and our public utility' since, he said, data centers are willing to pay more for energy, potentially affecting rates for other Utahns. As for which of the bills Senate leadership will end up supporting for final approval? Adams said he expects the process to dictate the answer. 'There's two bills, and they'll work together, and it'll be interesting how they come out.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Delta 8 could be as illegal as heroin and LSD under proposed Alabama law
DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) — A new bill has been filed that would ban hemp-derived THV products like delta-8, delta-9, and delta-10. If passed, SB132 would put the psychoactive cannabinoids delta-8, delta-9, and delta-10 under the Schedule I classification. This is the same class as LSD and heroin. Under current Alabama law, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance is a Class D felony that carries a possible sentence of one year and a day to 10 years. The bill, sponsored by Republican Tim Melson, is currently pending action in the Senate Committee on Healthcare. If passed, the bill would go into effect on October 1, 2025. The Associated Press reports that Delta-8 THC exploded onto the scene under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, more commonly known as the Farm Bill. Under the Farm Bill, hemp products and cannabinoids were classified as distinct from marijuana. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
