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To the editor:
This is in response to Mr. Roger Baumann's letter, dated 1/17.
Minnesota has zero natural reserves of coal, oil or gas. Even if we Minnesotans wanted to mine or drill for these materials in our state, we simply can't. All of that coal we burn to generate electricity, the refined oil products and the natural gas comes from out of state. What Minnesota does have is quite a bit of wind and a lot of sorta flat space.
We use that wind to generate electricity, decreasing our dependence on imported coal. We use some of that flat space to farm crops and animals. We turn some of those crops into fuel and mix it into gasoline, reducing our need to import gasoline. Some farms use animal waste to power their operations, making them more self-sufficient and profitable. We use a tiny but growing portion of that flat space to get energy from the sun, further reducing our need to import coal. Xcel Energy is going to build an iron battery bank in Becker, which will help with reliability, bring good paying jobs with great benefits and bring $9 million in local tax revenue for their community.
Next, I ask you to think about your utility and gas bills and the occasions when the power went out. According to Mr. Baumann, we've seen huge price increases coupled with high unreliability. If you are honest, you know Mr. Baumann's perceptions are false.
In 2012, Minnesota was importing 25% of its electricity generation. A decade later we were importing just 9%. Minnesota is becoming more self-sufficient in terms of energy production by the day. Is this really supposed to be a bad thing?
Our state, not the federal government, put a moratorium on new nuclear energy plants in 1994. Many Minnesotans, including myself and Governor Walz, are willing to have conversations about nuclear energy.
Mr. Baumann is free to stoke fear about imagined wrongs and blame President Biden for Minnesotans not being able to mine for coal, drill for oil and gas, or to build new nuclear plants. Meanwhile, I'm still proud of our country and our accomplishments. And how can you not be hopeful for the future? Perhaps if Mr. Baumann was more honest with himself, he would have more hope.
One last thing: Oil and natural gas production in the United States hit record high levels in 2023.
Anthony Studemann
Marshall