May 24, 2023, MINNEAPOLIS—Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has signed into law a sweeping set of first-time incentives and other funding approved by the state legislature that significantly elevates the state’s efforts to expand transportation electrification. Continue reading »
May 23, 2023, MINNEAPOLIS—Taking decisive action to move Minnesota to the forefront of national transportation policy, the Minnesota State Legislature has approved funding for consideration of a statewide clean transportation standard, following a concerted push by a diverse coalition of automakers, electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and charging providers, biofuel producers, and clean energy and conservation advocates. Continue reading »
Local governments are setting aggressive climate and clean energy goals in Minnesota. Encouraging distributed solar energy will play a key role in meeting them. The Great Plains Institute (GPI) has conducted an analysis of Minnesota Public Utilities Commission data on where and what types of distributed solar installations are occurring in the state. Continue reading »
We need federal and state policies to support carbon management technologies essential to reducing planet-warming carbon emissions in the atmosphere. In a 2023 Federal Policy Blueprint released April 24, the Carbon Capture Coalition outlines a road map on how the 118th Congress can support responsible scale-up of the carbon management industry to accomplish this. Convened by the Great Plains Institute, the more than 100 Carbon Capture Coalition members spanning industry, labor, conservation, environmental policy, and nonprofit organizations joined together to create this consensus-based federal road map. Continue reading »
Direct air capture (DAC) is one of many carbon management technologies that can provide opportunities for the US to reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to meet midcentury climate goals while providing environmental and economic benefits to local communities. Continue reading »
March 30, 2023, MINNEAPOLIS—The Minnesota Future Fuels Coalition, a diverse effort representing automakers, electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and charging providers, biofuel producers, and clean energy and conservation advocates, is pushing the Minnesota State Legislature to include funding to develop a legislative recommendation on a clean transportation standard for the 2024 legislative session. Continue reading »
March 29, 2023, MINNEAPOLIS—A nonpartisan group of Minnesota local elected officials is launching a new coalition focused on influencing state policy and regulations to help cities as they ratchet up their climate and clean energy goals.
The Minnesota Cities Climate Coalition includes representatives from cities across the state. That includes one or more representatives from 21 local governments—such as Bloomington, Duluth, Minneapolis, Moorhead, and Saint Paul—that have passed resolutions declaring climate change emergencies. Continue reading »
The Great Plains Institute released the following statement from Patrice Lahlum, interim vice president of Carbon Management, in response to the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) announcement that Matt Fry, senior policy manager of Carbon Management, will serve on the new Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization and Sequestration Federal Lands and Outer Continental Shelf Permitting Task Force:
“Matt is a perfect fit for the important work this task force will undertake to ensure the efficient and responsible permitting processes needed to further deploy carbon management projects and technologies on our federal lands and in the offshore environment. Continue reading »
MINNEAPOLIS—The Great Plains Institute released the following statement by President and CEO Rolf Nordstrom:
“We are excited about the announcement that Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has appointed longtime Great Plains Institute (GPI) Energy Systems Vice President, Doug Scott, to serve as Chair of the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) beginning in June 2023.” Continue reading »
March 10, 2023, MINNEAPOLIS—The bicameral Clean Transportation Standard Act received initial approval in the Minnesota Legislature with passage March 9 out of the Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Committee.
The bill from Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Scott Dibble (DFL) and Representative Jeff Brand (DFL) is now referred to the Minnesota Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee. Continue reading »
