Date: October 19, 2007
Contact: Kelly Griffith, Marketing Manager
Phone:
(612) 492-7514
Email: kgriffith@fredlaw.com
For Immediate Release
Fredrikson & Byron Attorney Appointed to C-BED Advisory Task Force
Minneapolis, MN October 19, 2007 – – Fredrikson & Byron attorney Dan Yarano has been appointed to Minnesota’s C-BED Advisory Task Force. Community Based Energy Development (C-BED) is legislation enacted by Minnesota lawmakers that promotes locally-owned renewable energy production facilities, including wind projects. The C-BED law gives higher payments for the first 10 years of a power purchase contract to local owners or local entities to help finance locally-owned projects.
The task force is charged with advising the State on the scope of C-BED and whether the C-Bed law is achieving the legislature’s intent. The C-BED task force is overseen by Minnesota’s Legislative Electric Energy Task Force. “Over the last couple of years, the operating margins on wind projects have become thin, due to higher turbine and related costs. This makes it more difficult for landowners to achieve their anticipated economic benefits,” said Yarano. “As a member of the Taskforce, I will share my recommendations for changes to the C-BED legislation in order to make community-wind projects financially viable.”
Yarano serves as Chair of Fredrikson & Byron’s Energy Group. He focuses his practice exclusively in the wind industry, assisting rural farmers and large national energy companies in the development and financing of large and small community wind energy projects. Yarano has represented wind energy developers and investors in the development of over 500 MW of wind energy capacity, and wind projects that are currently in process will account for an additional 1,000 MW.
Fredrikson & Byron is a 200-plus attorney law firm based in Minneapolis, with offices in Bismarck, Des Moines, London and Monterrey, Mexico. The firm’s primary areas of practice include banking, corporate, employment, franchise, government relations, healthcare, intellectual property, international, litigation, real estate, securities, tax and energy. We serve a broad range of clients, including multinational corporations, public companies, privately-held businesses, entrepreneurs, government agencies, and family businesses. Fredrikson & Byron’s attorneys also work with individuals on estate planning, family law, and immigration matters. We are the exclusive Minnesota law firm member of the World Services Group, a worldwide network of professional service providers. More information about the firm is available at www.fredlaw.com.