Agenda

Webinar instructions will be emailed before the date of the webinar.

Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.

Log into Webinar
8:00 – 8:30 am CDT
Morning Session
8:30 am – 12:15 pm CDT
Break
12:15 – 1:15 pm CDT
Afternoon Session
1:15 – 4:00 pm CDT

Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC)                              I. Bjorklund
Rules of Practice and Procedure and Guidance Documents
PUC structure
Role of other agencies in PUC process
Types of proceedings
PUC meeting and hearing procedures
Public involvement

Energy Facilities Permitting by PUC                                                   H. Waller Pitts,
PUC jurisdiction over generation, transmission, pipeline facilities          C. Brusven
Energy facilities outside PUC jurisdiction
Application filing and review
Permit types and processes
Environmental review
Case study

Minnesota’s Community Solar Program                                            H. Waller Pitts
Statutory background and requirements
Issues related to PUC regulation
Local permitting and land use
Subscription agreements
Looking ahead

Emerging Technologies in                                                                     M. Cummings
Renewable Energy and Decarbonization
Background, current status, and future potential for renewable natural gas,
carbon capture, hydrogen, and battery storage
Policy drivers for decarbonization of the energy sector
Potential legal issues


Webinar Instructions

All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited.

Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher.

Webinars are presented via GoToWebinar, an easy-to-use application that can be run on most systems and tablets. Instructions and login information will be provided in an email sent close to the date of the webinar. It is highly recommended that you download, install and test the application before the webinar begins by clicking on the link in the email.

GoToWebinar App requirements:
Windows 7 – 10 or Mac OSX Mavericks (10.9) – macOS Catalina (10.15)

Web Browser:
The two most recent version of the following browsers:
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge
Internet Explorer v11 (or later) with Flash enabled


Internet connection:
 Minimum of 1Mbps       Hardware: 2GB RAM or more

For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com

Credits

Attorneys
Minnesota CLE Pending
Wisconsin CLE Pending

Minnesota
Professional Engineers
6.0 PDHs


Continuing Education Credit Information

This webinar is open to the public. HalfMoon Education has applied to the Minnesota Board of CLE and the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners for course approval for attorneys. The applications are under review.

This course offers Minnesota engineers 6.0 PDHs. Educators and courses are not subject to preapproval in Minnesota. Engineers seeking continuing education credit in other states will be able to claim the hours earned at this webinar, in most cases. Refer to specific state rules to determine eligibility.

Completion certificates will be awarded to participants who complete this event, respond to all prompts, and earn a passing score (80%) on the quiz that follows the presentation (multiple attempts allowed).

Speakers

Ingrid E. Bjorklund

Principal Attorney at Bjorklund Law, PLLC
Ms. Bjorklund is the Principal Attorney at Bjorklund Law, PLLC, which provides legal and consulting services to energy clients. Her clients include renewable energy developers, trade associations, nonprofits, utilities, and closely held businesses. With over 20 years of experience working with governmental agencies, Ms. Bjorklund works with clients to develop effective regulatory and legislative strategies on a wide variety of energy issues. Her experience includes serving in governmental roles at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Minnesota Department of Commerce, Midwest Reliability Organization, Minnesota Legislature, and the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings. Prior to starting her own firm, Ms. Bjorklund also served as an executive and associate general counsel for a renewable energy developer, represented energy clients at a Minneapolis law firm, and lobbied the Minnesota Legislature on energy policies. Ms. Bjorklund also served as a Contract Administrative Law Judge and Adjunct Professor of Energy Law at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. She currently serves as special counsel to Mendoza Law, LLC. Ms. Bjorklund previously led an initiative to advance private high-voltage transmission lines to carry renewable energy across a portion of the Upper Midwest in the late 2000s. Today, she helps clients achieve their goals before state public utility commissions, county commissions and city councils, Minnesota Legislature, and works them on a variety of energy transactions. Ms. Bjorklund earned her J.D. degree in 2005 from William Mitchell College of Law and served on the William Mitchell Law Review. She holds an M.A. degree in Environmental Resource Policy from The George Washington University and a B.A. degree in International Relations from St. Catherine University. Ms. Bjorklund served as chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Public Utilities Law Section and served on the Minnesota Second District Ethics Committee and the Board of Supervisors for the Ramsey Conservation District.

Christy Brusven

Attorney with Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
Ms. Brusven is the chair of Fredrikson & Byron’s Energy Department. Ms. Brusven advises utilities, independent power producers and pipeline companies on siting, routing, permitting and other regulatory matters before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and other federal, state and local agencies.

Michael Cummings

Attorney with Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
Mr. Cummings advises clients on environmental and permitting matters related to the development, financing, purchase, and sale of renewable and traditional energy projects. His experience includes assisting clients with wind, utility- and community-scale solar, biomass, oil and gas production, oil and natural gas pipeline, and electric transmission line projects across the Upper Midwest. Mr. Cummings also advises commercial and industrial clients on environmental and regulatory matters. Prior to joining Fredrikson & Byron, Mr. Cummings worked at an environmental consulting firm focusing on environmental review and permitting for the development, construction, and operation of energy projects.

Haley L. Waller Pitts

Attorney with Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
Ms. Waller Pitts is a shareholder in Fredrikson & Byron’s Energy and Litigation Groups. In her energy practice, she focuses on assisting clients with wind farm, solar, transmission and pipeline permitting matters. Ms. Waller Pitts is part of a team advising utilities, independent power producers, independent transmission companies and pipeline companies on siting, routing, permitting and other regulatory matters before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, Wisconsin Public Service Commission, and other federal, state and local agencies. In her litigation practice, she primarily represents clients in litigation related to energy infrastructure in trial and appellate courts. Ms. Waller Pitts has experience in both state and federal courts, administrative proceedings, and arbitration and mediation.

Streamable MP4/PDF Price: $299.00