Fresh Energy, Leading the Transition to Clean Energy

Minnesota spends more than $20 billion annually on energy, yet none of it—coal, oil, uranium, and natural gas—is native to our state. Energy efficiency provides the cheapest, cleanest route to fulfilling our state’s energy needs while creating jobs, significantly reducing pollution, and keeping more money in our local economies. Fresh Energy is pursuing two different pieces of legislation this session that will help Minnesota make the most of energy efficiency.

Today, Minnesota Power filed its Integrated Resource Plan to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, opening a public comment period on how the state’s second largest investor-owned electric utility will improve northern Minnesota’s energy portfolio for the next 15 years.

On February 8, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously voted to pass an ordinance requiring large commercial buildings to report and publicly disclose energy consumption, making it the first Midwestern city to adopt such a policy.

The effort to pass a new metro-area sales tax to fund critical investments in transit and biking and walking connections has officially failed for this year. The story of transit in 2013 showcases the highs and lows of trying to pass transformative public investments.

The effort to pass a new metro-area sales tax to fund critical investments in transit, biking, and walking has officially failed for this legislative session.

On May 10, the Minnesota Senate passed a slightly modified version of an earlier comprehensive transportation funding bill 35-27. Fresh Energy supports this bill, which will provide transformative funding for transit, walking, and biking, and needed road funding.