Dear Friends,
First, thank you very much to the folks who were able to attend the MPCA Clean Power Plan meeting at St. Cloud State University last night. There were roughly 120 people there. About 50 were on this list and from our area, while the rest of the audience was from the energy industry, SCSU, as well as the MPCA and other environmental groups. Several people from our district spoke on behalf of our community; I was very proud to have such a strong showing of concerned and articulate citizens from our district.
Second, VICTORY!
At around 6:00 p.m. yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Obama's Clean Power Plan is to be put on hold until the legal challenges can be addressed. This ruling came down right as the MPCA meeting was getting started, coincidentally enough. 27 States and many private companies are suing to stop the plan from going forward, prompting the Supreme Court postponement of the Clean Power Plan until these are resolved. This will buy us some much needed time, with some estimates saying it could push everything back by at least one year. Let's hope that we win this fight in the courts and that this horrible plan goes away for good.
The Dayton Administration has embraced President Obama's plan and we were well on our way to making it a reality. Governor Dayton refused to join the 27 other states in opposition to the Clean Power Plan, so this Supreme Court ruling was sorely needed in our community and our state.
I will keep you updated if anything else comes up regarding this issue.
God's peace,
Jim