Dear Neighbors,
Yesterday morning, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) kicked off a series of hearings that officially open the process to adopt the California Car Mandate.
This policy, which the Walz administration is seeking to implement via administrative rule rather than working through the legislature, will raise the cost of all new vehicles for Minnesota families by $1,000 or more, reduce consumer choice, and will make Minnesota the only state in the Midwest that places these burdensome mandates on auto dealers.
Many families are hurting because of government-mandated shutdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and it is unconscionable that Governor Walz would seek to raise prices on vehicles for families during such a difficult time.
Additionally, why would Democrats want to put an unelected board in California in charge of policy here in Minnesota? By outsourcing policy-making to California bureaucrats, Governor Walz is directly preventing Minnesotans from having a say in this dramatic change.
Also, California has the dirtiest air in the nation. Why would we want to follow their lead on matters related to “clean air”? Much of California's air comes from China, carried over the Pacific by prevailing winds, and is then trapped by mountains in California.
The MPCA will be holding additional public information sessions on January 20th, January 27th, and February 2nd. Links for those meetings and other information can be found here.
If you wish to submit public comment on this matter, you can either attend and speak at one of the planned virtual hearings, submit links via the Office of Administrative Hearings Website here, or by attending a public hearing. The hearings for public comments are expected to take place virtually on February 22nd and 23rd at 3 PM.
Staying in Touch
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me to share your thoughts, questions, and concerns as it relates to state government. I can be reached at 651-296-4229 or via email at rep.glenn.gruenhagen@house.mn.
Have a great day,
Glenn