Laura is an editor for MN350, and Brett is MN350's Communications Director
The ECO Act is gaining momentum at the Minnesota Legislature with bipartisan support. The bill would support jobs, economic development, and energy efficiency measures directly benefiting Minnesotans.
Fresh Energy wrote this detailed roundup of the legislation and its benefits. MN350 supports the ECO Act and has launched a campaign targeting the MN Chamber of Commerce, which testified against the bill. In recent years, the Chamber has publicly opposed almost every piece of legislation designed to increase access to renewable energy for Minnesotans and limit the amount of climate pollution created by our state. In 2019, for another example, the Chamber opposed Gov. Walz’s proposal to put Minnesota on a path to 100 percent clean energy.
The Chamber’s positions contradict the stated goals of some of its largest members, including Target, Cargill, Best Buy, General Mills, and Tennant, which were among companies that sent a letter last year urging state lawmakers to address climate change. Many of these businesses have also made significant commitments to reduce their climate impact – including General Mills, which recently announced it would power its operations with 100 percent clean energy by 2030.
The campaign targeting the Chamber launched in early May and includes advertising in the opinion section of StarTribune.com. Other sponsors are Environment Minnesota, Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light, the Sierra Club and TakeAction MN. Learn more about our campaign and sign the petition here.