The Minnesota Senate voted Thursday to repeal a law that puts a lid on new coal power plants unless power companies offset their carbon footprint.

The moratorium was crafted in 2007 as part of legislation to encourage the use of renewable energy. It puts a costly requirement on utilities to purchase carbon offsets before they can build new coal plants.

The 42-18 vote comes several weeks after both bodies passed legislation lifting Minnesota's ban on new nuclear plants. That bill has stalled in conference committee after Gov. Mark Dayton expressed stern opposition.

The sponsor of the coal measure, Sen. Julie Rosen, said the state needs all options available to ensure baseload energy is available in the future. Rosen, R-Fairmont, noted the economic slowdown reduced the need for more baseload power, but that situation could change.

"I have a saying I like to say that man cannot live by renewables alone," Rosen said.

Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, said the state already spends too much money purchasing coal from other states. He expressed concern about what the bill would do to previous energy efforts.

"The building of one additional new coal plant, members, would eradicate all the progress we've made to date building new wind in Minnesota."

The bill's passage drew criticism from Nancy Lange with the Izaak Walton League of America.

"We don't need to open our doors to more coal power, its higher costs and the increased pollution," Lange said. "We hope that if this legislation reaches Governor Mark Dayton, he vetoes this bad bill."

Gov. Mark Dayton said in a meeting with reporters Thursday that he believes the current law, which was partly crafted by this lieutenant governor, is sound.