The legislation was introduced by State Senator Grant Hauschild of Hermantown (near Duluth) . His first quotes seemed a little testy. There was a public hearing and no one testified against it and Hauschild later made very supportive and positive comments that it was it was a really exciting prospect and that heium exploration doesn't cause environmental damage. I think that Thomas Abraham-James has done a great job informing the local community broadly including elected officials about this different kind of an enterprise, even before they started drilling.
April 9, 2024 (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
As Pulsar Helium inches closer to building Minnesota's first helium drilling operation near the Iron Range, lawmakers and other officials are scrambling to make sure the government can make money if the new and potentially lucrative industry touches state land.
State officials also hope environmental rules pass the Legislature because there is little regulatory oversight on this new type of gas extraction.
Sen. Grant Hauschild, DFL-Hermantown, introduced a bill that would block companies like Canada-based Pulsar from extracting gas without first obtaining a permit from the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and would direct state regulators to adopt rules for environmental review, production and reclamation.
"There is a fear that Pulsar would be able to drill and suck out helium at a commercial level from private land, and we would get no royalties," Hauschild said Friday.
In a written statement, Pulsar CEO Tom Abraham-James said he and his company "welcome the introduction of the bill and look forward to continuing to work with the State and people of Minnesota on this exciting development."
Apr 10, 2024 KFGO News, Fargo.
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A bill advancing in the Minnesota Senate would establish the framework needed for helium exploration in the state.
Sen. Grant Hauschild of Hermantown says a large pocket of helium was recently discovered between the Iron Range and the North Shore.
“It’s the highest concentration of helium in the world. So, this is a really, really exciting prospect,” Hauschild says.
Hauschild says helium exploration doesn’t cause environmental damage and no one testified against the bill during a public hearing. He says it would also establish a royalty and pooling process where cities, counties and the state would benefit from helium extraction.