We are in our second week at the State Capitol and three bills that rollback protections for our air and water have already passed out of the Senate and House Environment committees. Community leaders testified in opposition, including the executive director of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership.  We’ll keep an eye on these bills.  We expect to see more proposals like this.

But thanks to your help, we had a minor victory late last week!  (more…)

Ellen Anderson’s views are clearly in line with those of Minnesotans. An overwhelming majority of Minnesotans support increasing use of clean energy like wind and solar to meet our state’s energy needs.

Anderson’s credible work at the PUC supported jobs here in Minnesota. The University of Massachusetts’ Political Economy Research Institute found that $1 million invested in solar energy creates 14 jobs, while that same investment in fossil fuels creates only five jobs. Clean energy investments today mean solid jobs, and saving money and energy for our children and grandchildren.

Our elected leaders need to move beyond partisan politics and realize that Minnesota voters’ clear support of clean, renewable energy is not extreme – it’s mainstream.

From Patience Caso, MEP campaign director, and Eric Bergstrom, legislative and campaign outreach

Welcome to the 2012 legislative session! You care about Minnesota’s Great Outdoors and you believe in making and safeguarding investments for future generations. Your voice is critical to protecting and defending our environmental policy foundation — your elected officials need to hear from you.

This year, we’re counting on you to join the members of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership and advocate for: (more…)

The 2012 Legislative Session kicks off this week!

While it’s anticipated that this session will focus on bonding, the Vikings stadium, and various constitutional amendments, important environmental issues will still be part of the policy discussion.

As legislators return to the state Capitol, we urge them to remember that policies that affect our water, clean energy future, and Great Outdoors are vitally important to Minnesota voters – regardless of political party affiliation. (more…)

We knew Minnesotans would pitch in for Give to the Max Day, but wow! We are amazed by your willingness to join our efforts in protecting Minnesota’s Great Outdoors.

We always say our coalition works for our core Minnesota values — clean water, clean energy, and a healthy environment for our children and grandchildren — that transcend our differences. We know that despite what some state leaders claim, Minnesotans want our environment to be protected. Your support is even further evidence of this. (more…)

Breaking news: Your donation to MEP will now be doubled!

We are pleased to announce that key supporters and Board Members of Minnesota Environmental Partnership have generously issued a challenge for tomorrow’s Give to the Max Day:

•  Starting at midnight, the first $6,000 in contributions to MEP on Nov. 16 will be matched dollar for dollar!

We need your help to meet this challenge. Please visit our Give to the Max page, GiveMN.org/MEPartnership, and double your dollars all day on Nov. 16. (more...)

If you're like me, you’ve probably tried to make your home more energy efficient by doing things like switching your light bulbs, caulking your windows, and using efficient appliances.

Now imagine if we could go even further: What if our homes were powered just with clean energy?

With your help tomorrow on Give to the Max Day, Minnesota Environmental Partnership can continue advocating for 100% of new electricity in Minnesota coming from renewable sources. (more...)

An administrative law judge recommended today that Otter Tail Power Company be allowed to proceed with a plan to charge ratepayers for the costs of installing certain pollution control measures on its Big Stone I coal-fired power plant. Big Stone I is a 1975 vintage, 475-megawatt facility located near Milbank, South Dakota. Otter Tail Power serves about 60,000 Minnesota customers. The planned pollution controls do not include measures that would reduce the carbon emissions from the facility. (more…)

By Kelsey Staberg, Sierra Club Policy Intern

Last Friday, Representatives Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison and Tim Walz stood up to the pro-polluter majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and voted against legislation that exposes Americans to toxic mercury, and creates detrimental health problems caused by smog and pollution for hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans each year. (more…)

Community Leaders and volunteers gather around a giant inhaler at Stewart Field to raise awareness the dangerous health problems of air pollution. Photo by Christy Newell, Will Steger Foundation Intern

On Tuesday, Minneapolis residents protested dangerous air pollution from cars and coal-fired power plants with an 18-foot-tall human hand holding an asthma inhaler. Concerned citizens gathered at Stewart Field, warning that air pollution causes asthma attacks and makes kids sick, and demanding that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reduce toxic air pollution from coal-fired power plants and from cars and encourage a 21st-century transportation system. (more…)