St. Paul, MN - Today, the Capital Investment Committee and the Climate and Energy Finance and Policy Committee held a joint hearing on infrastructure investment and its potential role in climate change solutions. The committees, chaired by Rep. Fue Lee (DFL – Minneapolis) and Rep. Jamie Long (DFL – Minneapolis), heard testimony from experts in the areas of climate science, clean energy, and sustainable infrastructure.
“Minnesota is not only already experiencing the effects of climate change, we’re already paying for it,” said Rep. Fue Lee, chair of the Capital Investment Committee. “Today’s presentations have shown the financial cost of ignoring climate change, as well as the potential solutions available to us should we embrace a cleaner, more resilient infrastructure. As we start the process of crafting a bonding bill, it’s important that we do so in a way that builds a more sustainable, climate-conscious Minnesota.”
“As one of the fastest warming states in the nation, Minnesota needs strong, resilient infrastructure to withstand the impacts of climate change,” said Rep. Jamie Long, chair of the Climate and Energy Finance and Policy Committee. “Investing in sustainable infrastructure will create new jobs and help our communities adapt and thrive as the climate continues changing. It’s time to seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity and position our state for long-term success.”
The committees heard testimony from Dr. Kate Knuth, Policy Consultant from the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators; Dr. Jessica Hellmann, Director of the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota; Dr. Heidi Roop, Assistant Professor of Climate Science at the University of Minnesota; Frank Kohlasch, Climate Director at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; Sam Rockwell, Executive Director of Move MN; and Ben Passer, Lead Director of Energy Access and Equity at Fresh Energy.
Additional information, including supporting materials and presentation slides from testifiers, is available on the committee websites for Capital Investment and Climate and Energy. Video recording of today’s joint hearing will be made available on the House Public Information YouTube channel.