MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE LAGGING ON GLOBAL WARMING SOLUTIONS
Bright Spot Is
Constitutional Amendment Investments
SAINT PAUL (APRIL 21, 2009) -
The head of the statewide coalition of more than 80 conservation and
environmental organizations today said that the Minnesota
Legislature is neglecting its duty to protect Minnesota’s lakes,
rivers and streams and Great Outdoors by failing to act on needed
environmental policy initiatives.
“Tomorrow is Earth Day, time to take an accounting of the State of
the Environment in Minnesota,” said Steve Morse, executive director
of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, representing more than
450,000 Minnesotans who are members of the organizations in the MEP
coalition.
“We are disappointed with the inability of the 2009 Minnesota
Legislature to date to make significant progress on the major
environmental policies of the day.”
Morse noted that despite passage of the Global Warming Solutions Act
in 2007, the Minnesota Legislature has yet to take major steps
toward meeting the 80 percent reduction in global warming pollution
called for in the law. The Governor-appointed Minnesota Climate
Change Advisory Group recommended 46 policies to achieve the 80
percent pollution reduction goal; however, actions that would bring
about the greatest reductions have stalled, he said. “Setting the
goal is an empty promise unless there is a sincere effort by
lawmakers to make good on their pledge.”
Morse expressed disappointment with the lack of progress on Clean
Cars legislation that would reduce emissions pollution and
meaningful community planning initiatives that would reduce the
number of miles driven, two of the coalition’s priority issues for
the 2009 session. Other global warming pollution reduction measures
such as a low carbon fuel standard and cap and trade system also
failed to win lawmakers’ support in the last two years.
Last Friday’s announcement by the federal Environmental Protection
Agency that carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gasses are
pollutants endangering public health and welfare further underscore
the need for the Minnesota Legislature to take action, Morse
stressed.
“Here in Minnesota we have global warming solutions that are teed up
and ready for action. We have the opportunity now to be stewards for
our Earth by implementing policies that the federal government can
emulate.”
Despite disappointment with environmental policy initiatives, Morse
said that the MEP coalition remains pleased with the Legislature’s
progress to date on designating funds for land and wildlife habitat;
clean water; and parks and trails, made available from passage of
the Clean Water, Land and Legacy constitutional amendment.
“Minnesota lawmakers are to be complimented for their efforts to
respond to the will of the 1.6 million Minnesotans who voted to
dedicate revenues from a sales tax increase for Minnesota’s lakes,
rivers and streams and Great Outdoors,” he said.
“But when it comes to slowing global warming pollution, legislators have neglected their responsibilities to make real progress.” Morse added that he still holds hope that the Legislature will take action.