News
Press Release
April 22, 2021
Contact: Liz Deering, liz@conservationminnesota.org
Nearly 60 Minnesota officials ask Congress to support Build Back Better Plan
Letter calls for clean energy, jobs, justice, and climate action to be at the core of federal economic recovery and infrastructure bill
Minneapolis, MN—Elected officials from across Minnesota are calling on Congress to seize a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create millions of good paying jobs and put our state and country on a path to 100% clean energy, while building a more equitable society. Fifty-seven elected officials, from Governor Walz to the Hastings School Board Chair, want to see President Biden’s American Job Plan move through Congress and become law later this summer. Nationally, over 1,200 state and local officials signed onto the same letter organized by League of Conservation Voters and Conservation Minnesota Voter Center worked within the state to organize signers.
“Minnesota is well positioned to benefit from Biden’s Build Back Better infrastructure investment plan. We already see the economic and job benefits that come with clean energy” said Paul Austin, Executive Director of Conservation Minnesota Voter Center. “Thank you to the Minnesota leaders who signed onto this letter. Congress should see this broad collection of support as a clear signal to take immediate action to invest in our clean energy future.”
The letter calls on Congress to focus an infrastructure plan on three major principles, all outlined in President Biden’s American Jobs Plan:
Put the US on the path to 100% clean energy, powering everything from our electricity grid, transportation, and buildings with reliable, affordable clean energy.
Promote equity by ensuring at least 40% of benefits go to the communities who need it most, prioritizing just and equitable solutions being led by low income and communities of color most harmed by toxic pollution and climate change.
Incentivize high-quality, good paying union jobs, especially in the domestic clean energy and manufacturing sectors, while supporting communities historically reliant on oil, gas, and coal jobs.
“In Minnesota, we know that clean energy is the right and responsible choice for future generations, and I’m glad that President Biden shares those values in his plan to Build Back Better. Prioritizing clean energy creates good-paying, local union jobs and grows our economy,” said Governor Tim Walz. “I look forward to working with our partners in Congress to power America’s clean energy economy together.”
“Fighting climate change by investing in clean energy solutions not only protects the Earth for future generations, it promotes equity, gives back to our communities, and creates local jobs,” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. “I am proud to stand with Minnesotans across the state in calling for Congressional action on strong clean energy policies.
“Local communities have been leading the fight against climate change because we see its impacts firsthand,” said Kelsey Waits, School Board Chair of Hastings. “A clean energy plan will rebuild the vital infrastructure that our public services rely on. For our school districts across the country this means investing 100 Billion dollars in modernizing our schools and electrifying our bus fleets, helping our kids to breathe cleaner air while inspiring them to imagine a better future. That’s why I support President Biden’s American Jobs Plan.”
The American Jobs Plan has strong bipartisan support—70 percent of US voters support the proposal after hearing details of the plan. Specific environmental and infrastructure policies in the plan, including investing in modernizing our outdated electrical grid and expanding rural broadband are overwhelmingly popular. More than 80 percent of voters support eliminating all lead pipes in our drinking water systems and 70 percent of all voters support investing in clean energy generation and storage, like solar panels and wind turbines.