MN GOP Pissed About State's Clean Car Rules; Now Ready To Close Parks, Slash Environment Budget
Minnesota's state parks could shut down in July if the Walz administration does not bow to demands by Senate Republicans to drop plans for new "clean cars" emissions standards. Along with parks, much of the environmental arm of state government would shut down over the impasse, which flared up during a conference committee meeting Tuesday on the Senate's proposed omnibus environment budget.
If passed, the Senate's version of the omnibus environment bill would slash tens of millions of dollars in environmental funding on a variety of projects, from combating chronic wasting disease in deer and the decline in pollinators to cleaning up forever chemicals in water supplies. Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, told the committee it is the only budget he will consider, and that he will not pass anything at all unless the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) rule-making on clean cars is stopped. "We are an outlier," Ingebrigtsen told the committee. "We're the only ones in the Midwest that's moving forward with this. It's very maddening for me and I think it is for a lot of folks."
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The new rule, similar to one in California and more than a dozen other states, aims to help drive down heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by requiring automakers to increase deliveries of electric vehicles to Minnesota for sale. DFL Gov. Tim Walz directed the MPCA to develop the rule as part of his emphasis on addressing climate change and the need to cut global warming gases.
Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, reiterated the ultimatum for clarity: "So, if there's not a repeal of the authority for the Clean Car rule-making coming out of this conference committee, then the budgets for BWSR [the Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources], the Minnesota Zoo, the LCCR [Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources], the Conservation Corps, the Science Museum … the MPCA and the DNR [Department of Natural Resources] will not happen, unless we accede to the Senate position, is that correct Senator Ingebrigtsen?"
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https://www.startribune.com/senate-republicans-threaten-to-cut-funding-for-minnesota-state-parks-environmental-programs-over-cle/600053570/