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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Melissa Hortman (DFL)

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Minnesota to showcase energy leadership in Germany tomorrow

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Tomorrow morning, leaders from Minnesota will be featured on the global stage in Bonn, Germany. Representatives from the Target Corporation, the Office of Governor Mark Dayton, the Science Museum of Minnesota, and the House of Representatives will be featured on a panel moderated by Fresh Energy about Minnesota’s leadership on clean energy.

The event will be streamed live from 9:00-10:00AM on November 15th and posted to Fresh Energy’s website shortly after.

Speakers: 

  • Stephanie Zawistowski, Senior Policy Advisor to Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton and Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith
  • Melissa Hortman, Minnesota House of Representatives Minority Leader
  • Patrick Hamilton, Director, Global Change Initiatives, Science Museum of Minnesota
  • Greg Downing, Manager, Sustainability, Target

Moderator: J. Drake Hamilton, Science Policy Director, Fresh Energy

Minnesota has an historically carbon-intensive economy which includes industry, agriculture, coal, and transportation. Yet through bipartisan policy and business leadership, the state has made big achievements in decarbonization and has established nation-leading commitments to carbon reduction in the power sector.

Fresh Energy’s science policy director, J. Drake Hamilton, is excited to showcase deep carbon reductions made possible by smart bipartisan policy and business practices.

"Action in the heartland of our nation affirms for other nations that people in the U.S. are committed to meeting the Paris Agreement commitments, and that doing so is in Minnesota's economic interest. The actions underway in Minnesota cannot be undone by the Trump administration."

Says Patrick Hamilton, director, global change initiatives at the Science Museum of Minnesota: 

"The Science Museum of Minnesota's energy savings initiatives demonstrate to the world that in a cold climate, big buildings can cut heating bills 75% with a 3-year payback period. Buildings in the U.S. account for 40% of energy use, and up to 80% of energy use in less-developed nations. Imagine the economic and climate advantages of making every building highly efficient!"

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