Student environmental leaders from across the Twin Cities teamed up with arctic explorer and climate change educator Will Steger on Friday, March 25, to encourage Minnesota governor Mark Dayton to support a clean energy future for Minnesota. Groups represented at the meeting included EcoWatch, Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG), YEA Minnesota, The Will Steger Foundation, Campus Beyond Coal, and the Southeast Como Improvement Association.
Leaders urged the governor to veto Republican legislators' multiple attempts to repeal key components of Minnesota's Next Generation Energy Act. Over the hour-long meeting with governor Dayton and his staff, students engaged in a productive discussion about the carbon, health, and economic benefits associated with the Next Generation Energy Act of 2007.
Carbon
Minnesota has made great progress towards reducing harmful carbon pollution that leads to global climate change. A repeal of any of the key provisions of the Next Generation Energy Act would be a staggering setback to reaching the state's climate goals.
Health
Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes. However, most of these lakes now have advisories on fish consumption because of mercury pollution associated with coal fired energy. In addition, emissions of sulfates, nitrates, and particulate matter have adverse effects on human health.
Economic Development
Minnesota is currently one of the largest importers of energy per capita in the country. At the same time, our state has tremendous renewable energy resources, including wind, biomass, solar, and geothermal. Because they are local in scale, these options create sustainable jobs within the state. Benefits are multiplied as these wages are spent within local communities.
What can you do?
Contact your legislators and demand that they vote against any provision seeking to repeal part or all of the Next Generation Energy Act.
Contact Governor Dayton and express your support for Minnesota's clean energy future.
Join EcoWatch and have an impact on the outcome.
Join EcoWatch and have an impact on the outcome.
The Next Generation Energy Act: More Information
Passed with broad bipartisan support and signed by Republican governor Tim Pawlenty, the act intended to decrease the state’s carbon emissions associated with energy by:- Tripling investment in home and business energy efficiency measures
- Mandating that 25% of Minnesota’s energy be produced from renewable sources by 2025
- Setting aggressive goals for reduction of carbon emissions, including a requirement that new coal-fired plants offset all of their carbon emissions
Current attempts to weaken the act include legislation that would repeal the act entirely, along with legislation that would do away with the carbon offset mandate for coal power. These attempts are especially concerning because key proponents of the act when it passed are now leading the charge to repeal it. For more information, you can visit the legislature's page about the act.
