Senator David Koehler introduced the Illinois Clean Transportation Standard Act, Senate Bill 41, in January 2025. The bill would require transportation fuel producers to reduce the carbon intensity of their fuels by 25 percent below 2019 levels within 10 years and would support the transition from fossil fuels to cleaner fuels. Continue reading »
In March, Minnesota House Transportation Committee Co-Chair Erin Koegel introduced the Minnesota clean transportation standard (CTS), House File 2847. On behalf of the Future Fuels Coalition, the Great Plains Institute commissioned analyses to better understand the potential benefits of the proposed program. Continue reading »
Minnesota is one of a few Midwestern states considering clean transportation standard (CTS) legislation to reduce the carbon intensity of fuels used in the transportation sector. Similar bills are also under consideration in Michigan and Illinois. If passed, a CTS would build upon Minnesota’s recent commitment to 100 percent clean electricity and secure the state’s position as a regional and national clean energy leader. Recent analysis shows how such a policy could drive investment in and adoption of clean fuels in Minnesota, including by supporting the deployment of more electric vehicles. Continue reading »
Transportation emissions remain the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions nationwide. Regulatory actions and policy proposals at the federal and state levels aim to reduce these emissions. The federal government recently announced updated regulations requiring vehicle manufacturers to reduce emissions from the vehicles they produce, and automakers can meet these requirements by producing cleaner gas cars and more electric vehicles. Although meaningful, vehicle regulations alone will not be sufficient to achieve necessary reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution. Continue reading »
Minnesota legislators and advocates seized a unique opportunity this spring to pass transformative clean energy and climate policy that will jump-start the state’s transition to a lower-carbon economy. The state’s legislative session adjourned on May 22, and it was a busy few months at the Capitol. The state’s historic budget surplus, unified Democrat-Farmer-Labor (DFL) control of state government, and significant federal investments in clean energy set the stage for ambitious policymaking in 2023. Continue reading »
On August 16th, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 into law. The act—which provides almost $370 billion in federal funding for climate and energy investments—includes the most significant investments in vehicle electrification in US history. Continue reading »
A Midwestern Clean Fuels Policy Initiative committee has developed a framework for designing Midwestern clean fuels policies to incorporate farm-level emissions. The framework includes recommendations for quantifying emissions from energy and fertilizer use on farms and accounting for soil organic carbon storage. Continue reading »
Electric vehicles reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and reduce fuel and maintenance costs compared to conventional vehicles. Despite these benefits, the percentage of electric vehicles on roads in the Midwest is still relatively low. Clean fuels policies can spur electric vehicle deployment, as demonstrated in A Clean Fuels Policy for the Midwest: A White Paper from the Midwestern Clean Fuels Policy Initiative, which was published last year. Continue reading »
