skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

As climate change conference opens, one CA city takes action; Israel and Hamas extend Gaza truce by one day in a last-minute deal; WV could lose hundreds of millions in Medicaid funding.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

An expulsion vote looms for Rep. George Santos, the Ohio Supreme Court dismisses lawsuits against district maps and the Supreme Court hears a case which could cut the power of federal agencies.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Congress has iced the Farm Bill, but farmer advocates argue some portions are urgent, the Hoosier State is reaping big rewards from wind and solar, and opponents react to a road through Alaska's Brooks Range, long a dream destination for hunters and anglers.

Plans for Clean-Energy Policy Get New Life in MN

play audio
Play

Tuesday, January 7, 2020   

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Supporters of a statewide clean-energy policy for Minnesota have renewed hope that such a plan will pass; that's because a key GOP lawmaker no longer opposes it.

In 2019, Gov. Tim Walz pushed a plan that called on utilities to be carbon free by 2050. That bill ultimately failed. But Senate Republican David Osmek, who chairs the Energy and Utilities Committee, has now said he will support a similar plan this year.

Gregg Mast heads the nonprofit Clean Energy Economy Minnesota. He said with the state already proving it can meet renewable-energy standards, it needs to regain momentum.

"What the Senate Republicans are now bringing forward as a policy proposal is really a logical next step in figuring out where and how we can continue to explore ways to increase the amount of renewable energy and clean energy here in Minnesota to position us well for the future," Mast said.

The GOP proposal would require Minnesota utilities to prioritize carbon-free technology in their future plans when they are submitted to regulators. But unlike previous bills, this plan would include nuclear power as a clean-energy source.

Still, Mast said he doesn't see that as a roadblock. He said he believes most utilities will still focus on traditional clean-energy sources because technology advancements will lower costs.

Mast said there are still a lot of challenges in trying to make Minnesota solely reliant on clean energy, including infrastructure needs. But he said they have to respond to a growing sentiment for this type of action.

"It's what consumers are expecting us to do. It's what businesses also are seeking to incorporate more into their long-term strategic goals," he said.

A recent survey by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication found 84% of Minnesota residents support renewable energy research. And Xcel Energy, the state's largest electric utility, already is implementing its own plan to be carbon free by 2050.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The Economic Policy Institute found the number of child labor law violations increased from 1,012 in 2015 to 3,876 in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A bill in Congress with a Connecticut House sponsor aims to reduce child labor in the United States. Called the "Children Harmed in Life-Threatening …


Social Issues

play sound

As the opioid crisis continues, more New Hampshire grandparents are seeking financial help to raise their grandchildren. Already struggling with the …

Social Issues

play sound

As of Jan. 1, insulin will become a lot more affordable for many Nebraskans, and those who have come to rely on telehealth visits are more likely to …


Extremes of hot and cold weather have taken their toll on a concrete barrier along Binghamton's Riverwalk. Concrete crumbles between the stones of the wall in upstate New York. (Chet Wiker/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Some state and local lawmakers are on a long list calling on New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to require big oil companies to help offset the costs of …

Health and Wellness

play sound

November has been Diabetes Awareness Month - but heading into the holidays, people who are diabetic know they can't lose their focus on keeping it in …

Wolverine need deep snow for their habitats, but experts say snow levels are dwindling due to climate change. (jamenpercy/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Conservation groups are celebrating a long-fought battle to protect the dwindling population of wolverine in the Northwest and northern Rockies…

Environment

play sound

As world leaders gather in Dubai for the international conference on climate change, the City of Long Beach is acting on multiple fronts to help the …

Environment

play sound

A new report is calling for greater accountability in the system providing funding to farmers in underserved communities. The research takes a dive …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021