By Matt Doll and Sara Wolff – Minnesota Environmental Partnership Anna Grace Hottinger addresses the rally at Clean Energy & Climate Action Day, along with Tiger Worku (left) and MEP’s Steve Morse (right) (Photo credit: Climate Generation) As the consequences of climate change grow increasingly apparent in our communities, the issue has inspired an unprecedented level of… Read more »
By Matt Doll – Minnesota Environmental Partnership On Tuesday, Governor Walz signed legislation, passed with bipartisan support at the Capitol, to responsibly fund a series projects, including water and waste infrastructure, and entirely fix the raid on the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. This agreement worked out by both Houses of the Legislature and the… Read more »
By Matt Doll – Minnesota Environmental Partnership On Monday, Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan announced a new plan to put Minnesota on the path to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. Joined by legislators, state agencies leaders and advocates, including Executive Director Michael Noble of MEP member Fresh Energy, they declared their commitment to… Read more »
By Matt Doll – Minnesota Environmental Partnership This week, two committees in the Minnesota House of Representatives heard bills that would bolster two important programs to boost clean water, soil health, and Minnesota’s farming economy. These two programs, the Forever Green Initiative and the Working Lands Drinking Water Protection Program, are major components to a broad… Read more »
By Matt Doll – Minnesota Environmental Partnership On Tuesday, Governor Tim Walz announced that he would allow the Department of Commerce’s appeal against the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approval of Line 3 to continue moving forward. Walz had previously said that he and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan would consider whether to continue the appeal of the pipeline decision, launched… Read more »
Three young Minnesotans testify on the need for climate action at the House Climate and Energy committee. (Photo credit: 100% Campaign) By Matt Doll – Minnesota Environmental Partnership On Tuesday, hundreds of Minnesotans gathered at the State Capitol to send lawmakers a message: for Minnesota to do our part for climate action, we must ramp up… Read more »
Senator Dick Cohen addresses a packed hall at the Legacy Amendment 10th Year Anniversary Celebration (photo credit: Freshwater) By Matt Doll – Minnesota Environmental Partnership On Wednesday evening, hundreds of legislators, advocates, state staff, and other interested Minnesotans gathered at the Minnesota History Center to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of one of our state’s great innovations… Read more »
By Matt Doll – Minnesota Environmental Partnership In the wake of the tragic collapse of a Brazilian mining waste dam that killed more than 100 people and displaced thousands more, observers around the world have asked, “Could it happen here?” While it is evident that lax enforcement and managerial malfeasance contributed greatly to this disaster, it… Read more »
By Matt Doll – Minnesota Environmental Partnership This week, the Minnesota Legislature began its discussions of bills that would protect the viability of Minnesota’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund and finance infrastructure investments responsibly, after last year’s legislative raid threatened to deplete the fund for unconstitutional purposes. Though the bills will continue to be amended… Read more »
By Matt Doll – Minnesota Environmental Partnership This week, the Minnesota House of Representatives’ Energy and Climate Finance and Policy Division committee took testimony from some of Minnesota’s top scientists on the effects of our greatest threat – climate change – and some of the steps Minnesota can take to face this challenge. This committee is… Read more »