Almanac: At the Capitol

A coalition of lawmakers, the University of Minnesota and arctic explorer Will Steger announced an effort to get the world's largest wind turbine manufacturer to open a new research and development center in Minnesota. Steger said "this is a great opportunity for Minnesota, like when the iron mines opened." Everyone touted the high-end jobs this could bring.

Lawmakers are putting together an incentive plan that could include bonding money and tax incentives. The company Vestas says the center would employ 80 people and be ready by 2009. Rep. Aaron Peterson (DFL-Appleton) sent the Danish company a letter and heard back quickly that they're looking for a place with a major research university, good quality of life and legislative incentive package. Other states that could be vying for this facility include Iowa, Texas, Washington and Oregon.

The Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher said this venture could only grow more "green collar jobs." Sen. Ellen Anderson said something like this needs real leaders "we need to close the deal and bring in jobs." With Sen. Anderson standing just feet away, Gov. Tim Pawlenty says the Vestas deal is a "great idea" and he welcomes them along with several other wind and renewable energy companies he is in private conversations with and hopes to "bring good news in the future."

The governor announced four new energy initiatives today, the first concentrates on "microenergy" that's small scale technologies like solar, wind, geothermal that individual homeowners or communities would qualify for low-interest state loans if the legislature agrees. The second, Clean Energy Technology Collaborative was created through executive order and it basically ensures last year's nation-leading standards are implemented. Third, a new Office of Energy Security would be established without any cost or major changes. Finally, the governor is asking the legislature to create the Carbon Market Planning Authority to create a carbon trading marketplace.

One final note, the "Gov. Angry" was now back to being "Gov. Amiable" today joking with reporters and staff including sarcastically calling returning Capitol Reporter Tom Hauser a "putz" when a Ch. 5 reporter asked the governor to comment publicly about Hauser's return. Pawlenty did say he would welcome Hauser's return as we all will.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle just held a press conference to "pledge to make the Midwest a renewable energy leader." Not a lot of new news here, Pawlenty is chair of the National Governors Association and Doyle is chair of the Midwestern Governors Association. They said it makes sense for the two states to work together because our people, geography, agriculture are so similar. I was wondering if Minnesota is still positioned well on biofuels with so much talk about moving away from corn-based ethanol and more talk about things like switchgrass. Pawlenty said, "we have a lot of stuff to make fuel out of, but we also have an innovative spirit." Where the two states do differ is a statewide smoking ban. Doyle wants one and hasn't gotten it from his legislature. Pawlenty got one from his legislature last year. Gov. Doyle said he's "glad the Packers took care of the Vikings, but on the smoking ban you guys won."

Reporters also wanted to talk presidential politics, which Pawlenty won't do from the podium in the governor's office. So he motioned to reporters to walk into the hallway so he could serve as McCain's co-chair outside his office. There he expressed delight that McCain won New Hampshire "for a person who was written off for dead." Pawlenty said he'll continue to serve as a surrogate speaker for McCain and may go to Michigan later this week. When asked if McCain will be adding offices here like Obama did today or any paid staffers for Minnesota he paused a while and said, "Ahhhh, no." Finally, Pawlenty continued to deny that he'd be McCain's running mate, saying he's focused on being governor of Minnesota and they've never discussed it and this new quote that he's supporting McCain for president "not because I need or want something out of it."

Based on the pace so far, it's going to be very late tonight or early tomorrow morning before what was supposed to a brief special session ends. The property tax relief that the House was seeking is now off the table. But many hours of the special session were eaten up try get that to take off. A Senate committee has been marking up a disaster relief bill in technical boring fashion for what seems like hours now. It appears a second bill will also be considered, dealing with the Help America Vote Act. It would delay townships enactment of HAVA for people with disabilities needing special equipment. The governor is said to be on board. But the attempt to add other major subjects seems to be dead. Now after a few more hours of hammering out the final disaster relief bill, then the two chambers will take several more hours of speeches to actually pass the bill. It seems impossible that Gov. Pawlenty will have a bill to sign tonight and he's not around tomorrow because he's in Washington D.C. to talk about clean energy in front of the National Press Club. No wonder he was so eager for a special session and bill today.