Minnesota House Climate Action Caucus

Welcome to the official webpage of the Minnesota House Climate Action Caucus! Connect with us on our Facebook page and subscribe to our email list for exclusive news and updates about what Minnesota is doing to address the climate crisis.

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On January 18, 2022, we introduced a $1 billion Climate Action Plan to address the climate crisis. You can download a copy of the plan here.

Here is what Minnesotans are saying about the comprehensive and innovative solutions put forth by the climate caucus that will create jobs, lower household costs, and contribute to a more equitable and just society:

Denise Specht, President, Education Minnesota:
“Everyone agrees students and educators do their best in buildings that are safe and welcoming, with clean air, comfortable temperatures and plenty of ventilation. This proposal puts Minnesota closer to that goal while protecting the environment and saving money that can be invested in reducing class sizes, adding mental health resources and paying every educator a living wage with a dignified retirement.”

Deb Allan, Board Chair, Land Stewardship Project, Retired Soil Scient:
“The Land Stewardship Project applauds the House Climate Action caucus for crafting a strong proposal that ensures our soil, farmers, and rural communities thrive. By bolstering the Soil Health Cost-Share program, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, commercialization of continuous living cover crops, and the Forever Green Initiative, we will see a tangible impact on the resiliency of our land and the health of our farmers and rural economies.”

Joel Smith, President and Business Manager, LIUNA Minnesota and North Dakota:
“This climate spending proposal has the potential to provide more working Minnesotans with opportunities for the infrastructure careers of today and tomorrow. With substantial new construction and critical infrastructure upgrades, LIUNA members and our fellow trades brothers and sisters will have better opportunities to build wholesome middle-class livelihoods, providing for their families, while using their skills and passion to help our state transition towards a cleaner and safer future.”

Nicole Rom, Executive Director, Climate Generation:
“At Climate Generation, we know that climate justice requires action everywhere, and we need investments like these across our communities, especially those already impacted by climate change. This billion dollar budget proposal meets the level of investment we need in order to adapt and respond to the climate impacts that are increasingly being felt across Minnesota. With this funding, students will have expanded opportunities through electric school buses, solar universities, efficient buildings, workforce training, tree plantings, and ways to engage so that they can shape and prepare for a future of climate change. Future generations are calling for climate action and these investments are a critical step forward for Minnesota.”

Marco Hernandez, Public Policy Director, COPAL:
“COPAL appreciates the leadership of Rep. Patty Acomb and Rep. Jamie Long for developing a budget that tackles the climate crisis at its roots. It is crucial to develop more electric vehicle and electric public transportation infrastructure instead of more fossil fuel infrastructure. In addition to more electric buses, that would also mean more bus rapid transit routes that will connect the Twin Cities and the suburbs for people who rely on public transportation to get to work and run errands. Lastly, we have been hearing from the Latino community on access to adequate and healthy living accommodations. This budget would provide more money for weatherization assistance to make sure people’s homes and apartments are well-prepared for the unforgiving Minnesota winters and heat is not escaping through poor insulation. It is important for Minnesota to begin moving away from our heavy reliance on fossil fuels and natural gas. The budget and legislative priorities of the MN House Climate Action Caucus is the beginning of the course-change the state should be preparing for in the years to come.”

Suzanne Sobotka, Policy and Research Director, Move Minnesota:
"The investments in the House Climate Action Caucus budget proposal are important steps forward in the significant work Minnesota needs to do to reduce climate pollution and air pollution in the transportation sector. We are thrilled to see over $320M invested in transit, rail, biking, walking, and rolling in this proposal. We stand ready to advocate to make these historic investments a reality.”

Kathleen Schuler, MPH, Policy Director, Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate:
“Climate change threatens individual and community health, with the greatest impacts on the communities least resourced to adapt to these changes, including communities of color, low-income communities, Indigenous people and people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Our Minnesota Department of Health must be adequately resourced to address the climate crisis as a health emergency and to assist communities in adapting to our changing climate. This budget is a good approach for 2022, setting us up for much needed and ongoing improvements.”

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On October 27, 2020, we introduced the brand new Minnesota Climate Action Plan. Click here to download and read a copy.

What Minnesotans are saying about the new Minnesota Climate Action Plan:

Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota:
"Clean energy is good for Minnesotans and good for the planet. CUB is excited and committed to working with the House Climate Action Caucus and appreciates their leadership."

Jessica Tritsch, Senior Campaign Representative with the Minnesota Sierra Club:
"Minnesotans - Black and white, Indigenous and immigrant, urban and rural - want a clean energy future for our children. The climate crisis threatens our health and our planet, disproportionately impacting people of color and poor people in Minnesota. For too long, fossil fuel companies have lied to us about the climate crisis and worked to stop the transformation away from fossil fuels to clean energy. But Minnesotans know better. We know that we must reduce climate emissions while centering communities in our solutions. If adopted, the House Climate Action Caucus Plan will make ambitious progress towards keeping us and our planet healthy, create good jobs, and address racial and economic injustice. Thanks to Climate Caucus Chair Patty Acomb and all the legislators who developed this excellent framework for action."

Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate:
Click here to read a letter of support.

Steve Clemmer, director of energy research at the Union of Concerned Scientists:
"Speaker Hortman's and Rep. Acomb's Climate Action Plan presents a pathway for Minnesota's future that includes strong, science-based targets to significantly reduce emissions across all sectors. This visionary plan is an important step that ensures all Minnesotans benefit from a just and equitable transition to clean energy while helping to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. UCS looks forward to working with House leaders to turn the plan into enacted legislation that will further cement Minnesota's place as a national leader in deploying clean energy."

Rob Schultz, Executive Director of Audubon Minnesota
"We know that more than 150 bird species in Minnesota are at greater risk due to climate change and that birds are an indicator of our climate health. We applaud the House Climate Action Plan and its attention to the most urgent need facing birds and our community."

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