Bill would give Minnesota state lawmakers final approval on Clean Power Plan

Source: By Elizabeth Dunbar, Minnesota Public Radio • Posted: Wednesday, March 11, 2015

A bill that would give the Minnesota Legislature the final say on a state plan to reduce carbon emissions passed a state House committee yesterday.

In the coming months, U.S. EPA plans to set carbon reduction goals for each state to address climate change. Following the goals by the federal agency, state officials will devise a plan to meet the targets. The bill would require state lawmakers to approve the plan before it’s implemented.

Yesterday’s bill was approved mostly along party lines, with all 11 Republicans on the House Job Growth and Energy Affordability Finance Committee voting in favor of the legislative approval, fearing the plans could increase electricity costs.

Democrats on the committee opposed the bill and said lawmakers shouldn’t interfere in the process.

“This is the perfect example of where you want a deliberate process of stakeholders to come up with a plan that makes sense and [is] in the best interest, public policy-wise, for the state rather than expecting individual legislators to understand the nuances of this kind of very complicated issue,” said Democratic Rep. Sheldon Johnson (, March 9)