Top GOP senator says Japanese crisis won't affect Minn. nuke bill

The key sponsor of a Senate bill to allow nuclear a power plant to be built in Minnesota said the current Japanese nuclear problem should not affect her bill.

“Geographically, we are so different,” Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, said.

Still, she said, “we will have those discussions” about safety.

A House-Senate conference committee is negotiating relatively minor differences between bills passed by the two legislative chambers. It is not known when the committee may wrap up its work and Koch did not speculate on the timing.

There is discussion worldwide in light of nuclear plant failures following a Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

Tags: news, legislature, minnesota, updates