The Minnesota House DFL recently formed a new “Climate Action Caucus” and plans to work with youth climate activists to develop a “Climate Action Plan” to push through the State Legislature in 2020.
That’s according to a legislative update from House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) sent to her constituents Tuesday afternoon.
“Climate change is one of the most significant threats to Minnesota’s crops, wildlife, and lakes. As the leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives, I hear and agree with those calling for action,” Hortman wrote. “Minnesota is a national leader on clean energy, but we can and should do more. For that reason, I asked Rep. Patty Acomb to lead a Climate Action Caucus in the Minnesota House.”
The formation of the new climate caucus was announced in September ahead of the global Youth Climate Strike.
“Climate change is one of the top issues that my colleagues and I hear about from community members, particularly young people,” Acomb said in a press release announcing the formation of the caucus. “As Chair of the newly-formed Climate Action Caucus, I’m looking forward to working with Minnesotans on a bold, comprehensive plan to combat climate change. Together, we can secure a future in which we all thrive.”
In that announcement, Mia DiLorenzo, a leader of the Minnesota Youth Climate Strike, said that “preventing the climate crisis must be at the forefront of all political decisions and declarations.”
Hortman has now revealed that Minnesota House Democrats will work with youth climate activists over the next several week to develop a “Climate Action Plan for Minnesota.”
“Then we will work to pass that plan during the 2020 session,” Hortman said Tuesday. “Stay tuned for the launch of our Climate Action website and the opportunity for Minnesotans to sign-on as citizen co-authors on our climate action bills.”
“We don’t need any more studies or task forces before we get going. The time to act is now,” she added.
Later in her legislative update, Hortman highlighted a number of bills that did not become law during the previous legislative session “because Senate and House Republicans opposed further advancing Minnesota as a leader in clean renewable energy.”
Among those provisions was a clean energy standard supported by Gov. Tim Walz that would put Minnesota on a path to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050.
As The Minnesota Sun reported, Gov. Walz recently announced that Minnesota will adopt California’s clean energy standards for low or zero-emission vehicles.
“The Governor doesn’t get to unilaterally decide how Minnesotans live their lives,” Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) said in response. “This is an emotional response to fear-mongering by the left. Like the federal Green New Deal, it might make you feel good, but it’s really expensive and unworkable for most people.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Youth Climate Strike Minnesota” by Lorie Shaull. CC BY-SA 2.0.
