Governor Dayton challenges legislators to work with others to increase solar energy

Environment Minnesota

SAINT PAUL—In his State of the State address last night, Gov. Mark Dayton came out huge for clean, renewable solar power. In his own words:

“Are we doing all we can to utilize other renewables, such as solar, and also to make Minnesota the best place to locate these new industries and their jobs?… I challenge this legislature to work again with our state’s visionary clean energy advocates, large energy providers, large energy users, other stakeholders, and my administration to use your past achievements as springboards for Minnesota’s next big leap toward a sustainable energy future.

Environment Minnesota Director Ken Bradley said, “This is what we’ve been waiting for. In the days leading up to his speech, nearly a thousand Environment Minnesota members and supporters sent Gov. Dayton messages urging him to support a 10% solar energy standard. And last night, it paid off in a big way. In addition, our Solar Works for Minnesota Coalition partners also sent thousands of messages to the governor.”

It’s the 21st century. We should be less dependent on imported oil and coal and rely more on clean, renewable sources like solar power. Minnesota imports more than $20 billion dollars in polluting energy every year which harms our economy and our environment. Going solar is the right way to go for our environment: There’s no pollution, it never runs out, it will create thousands of local jobs, and it only gets cheaper over time.

Bradley went on to say, “The governor has our back; the momentum is on our side. Now it’s time for the Minnesota legislature to pass a 10% solar energy standard for Minnesota.”

For additional information, read Bradley’s recent op-ed on solar: “Gov. Dayton, legislators should commit Minnesota to 10% solar energy.”

Contact Ken Bradley: [email protected]; 612-331-8404 (o); 651-238-5376 (c).

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Environment Minnesota is a statewide, citizen-based, environmental advocacy organization working toward a cleaner, greener, healthier future.