By Marya Hart
Campaign teams advocate for legislative change on environmental issues.
Zero Waste Task Force
The Zero Waste Task Force is compiling a Dirty Dozen list of Minnesota's biggest corporate polluters while also educating and empowering the public to take action in protecting our air, land, and water. The team continues to push and support two pieces of state legislation on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and single-use plastic ban bills. The task force also encourages Sierra Club members to write letters to the editor and contact their legislators to oppose weakening Kenya's plastic laws as a trade deal between Kenya and the U.S. is negotiated.
Clean Energy
The Clean Energy team is continuing to try to influence the Public Utilities Commission’s assessment of Xcel’s Integrated Resource Plan, which is to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2050. However, Xcel plans to build a new fracked gas plant and extend the use of a nuclear power plant by ten years, and has not made specific commitments to support BIPOC communities in the energy transition.
With this in mind, the team continues to have three objections: 1) get members of the public to register comments on Xcel's plan, 2) encourage those who wish to support the future effort further to become public comment captains to recruit 20-30 others to submit comments, and 3) establish a subcommittee to identify issues and find approaches to increase environmental justice.
Land Use and Transportation
The LUT team spent time over the Labor Day weekend passionately collaborating on transportation initiatives. They were thrilled with the 175 comments that were received by the Sierra Club on the Met Council’s 2021-2024 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) in August. They are also encouraging progressive dialog with city council members in Minneapolis and St. Paul on the Rethinking I-94 initiative to combat highway expansion and promote community connection.
Until October 9th, the public can weigh in on this survey on the future of bus rapid transit in the Twin Cities and help decide which lines will be implemented as part of Network Next, a Metro Transit bus expansion plan.