Advancing cleaner, greener cars

In May, President Obama announced the first ever federal global warming standard for vehicles. The standard will reduce global warming pollution from new vehicles by 30 percent and achieve an average fuel economy of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. Our network’s research and grassroots action prodded 13 states to adopt this policy – and worked in 6 more, including Minnesota, to urge adoption of the policy this year. Environment Minnesota and allies made the case to Minnesota legislators this spring that clean cars, light-duty trucks and SUVs were a win-win-win for all Minnesotans, cleaning up the air we breathe, saving us money at the pump and cutting the global warming pollution that threatens our special places.

Leaving a dangerous and costly power source behind

This spring, the Minnesota Legislature rejected a proposal to repeal the 15 year old ban on the construction of new nuclear power plants in Minnesota. Solving global warming won’t be easy, but some solutions are safer and more cost effective than others. Environment Minnesota worked with allies to make the case to legislators that nuclear power is the least desirable option for our state, posing grave risks and leaving a serious burden for future generations.

 

Cleaning up our rivers, lakes and streams

 

 

In February, we worked with President Obama to secure $6 billion for clean water — including projects to prevent sewage overflows and conserve water through efficiency.

 

Repowering Minnesota with clean energy

This February, President Obama signed an economic recovery plan that delivers nearly $80 billion in clean energy and green transportation: $33 billion in clean energy, $27 billion in energy efficiency, and $19 for green transportation. We worked to ensure that the new administration made clean energy and green transportation investments a cornerstone of any recovery plan, recognizing the environmental and job-creation benefits of these programs.

Protecting Minnesota’s waterways and wildlife

In November, the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment will help to protect waterways, parks and wildlife habitat across the state. Environment Minnesota worked with a coalition of over 200 environmental, conservation and other organizations to talk to thousands of Minnesotans and make sure the amendment passed.

Preserving the Great Lakes

Water from the Great Lakes will be used in a more sustainable way thanks to the Great Lakes Compact, passed in 2008. Environment Minnesota and our allies helped to build support for this regional agreement, and our advocates in Washington helped to push it through Congress.

Bringing clean energy to Minnesota

We could be getting much more of our energy from clean renewable sources, like the wind and the sun. New tax credits for renewable energy, backed by Environment Minnesota and approved by Congress in 2008, will help to move us in the right direction.

Protecting Minnesota’s rivers, lakes and streams

With our partner groups across the Midwest, we stopped BP from increasing pollution in Lake Michigan, and sued polluters to enforce the Clean Water Act to protect countless rivers and streams.

Standing up for Minnesota’s forests

Our staff and members helped win protections for nearly 60 million acres of our pristine national forests. We gathered a record-setting number of public comments from Minnesotans to the Forest Service in favor of saving the Superior and Chippewa National Forests from logging and drilling.

Bringing change to Washington

In 2008, voters elected the most pro-environment president and Congress in recent memory. As part of Environment America Voter Action, we talked to more than one million voters about the environmental records of Barack Obama and the 29 congressional candidates we endorsed—all of whom were elected.