Minnesota had a half-century-old process for permitting clean energy projects that could keep developers waiting over a year for approval.
FILE - Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a campaign rally, Aug. 17, 2024, at The Astro in La Vista, Neb. strolled onstage to welcome a conference of clean power advocates to Minneapolis in May, he was quick to note that his state is now getting a little over half of its power from renewables. In the next breath, Walz said Minnesota would never get to 100% — a goal he helped set — without changing what he called “outdated” permitting laws.
“If Gov. Walz becomes our VP, I hope he could help bring some of this thinking to the federal level,” said Amelia Vohs, climate program director at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, a group that was involved in helping produce the permitting reforms. “It would make an incredible difference in the nation’s progress on climate."
“The speed of the energy transition matters, it matters a lot,” said Matthew Eisenson, a senior fellow at thewho tracks legal obstacles to renewable energy facilities and develops strategies for overcoming them. The developers said about one-third of their wind and solar siting applications submitted in the last five years were canceled, while about half experienced delays of six months or more. The survey respondents were from companies that combined for about half of the wind and solar developed nationwide from 2016 to 2023.
House Majority Leader Jamie Long, a Minneapolis Democrat, had worked with Walz on the 2023 law that set the state's 100% clean energy goal. As soon as that passed, they turned their attention to permitting. Walz's appointees to the state Public Utility Commission pulled together broad working groups with the aim of having something set up for this year's legislative session, Long said.
“The legislation achieved a really hard thing in striking a balance between creating efficiency and not having other projects we didn’t intend to make easier get swooped in,” said Vohs, at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. “It maintained the integrity of process and didn’t toss out too much in the name of efficiency.”
Kamala Harris Politics Climate Tim Walz Environment Business
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Who is Gwen Walz, Minnesota's first lady and wife of VP candidate Tim Walz?If Harris and Walz ultimately win the election and move on to the White House, his wife, Gwen Walz, would become second lady of the United States.
Read more »
Harris-Walz Surrogate, Dem Rep. Crow: Fellow Guardsmen Criticizing Walz Have ‘Personal Grievance’ With HimSource of breaking news and analysis, insightful commentary and original reporting, curated and written specifically for the new generation of independent and conservative thinkers.
Read more »
Walz-to-Walz praise: Why Democrats from Manchin to AOC back Harris’s vice presidential pickPolitical News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government
Read more »
In boosting clean energy in Minnesota, Walz lays foundation for climate influence if Harris winsMinnesota had a half-century-old process for permitting clean energy projects that could keep developers waiting over a year for approval. For Gov. Tim Walz, outdated laws were going to make it impossible for his state to reach its goal of 100% renewable energy unless things were changed.
Read more »
Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz hold rally in Milwaukee on DNC day 2The rally was broadcast into the Democratic National Convention floor.
Read more »
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan could make history if Harris-Walz ticket succeedsIf Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are elected this fall, not only would a woman of color lead the country for the…
Read more »