FAST, FREE, BIG IMPACT ENVIRONMENT ACTION FOR YOU RIGHT NOW!
Our state legislature- including many democrats- is considering permanently enshrining a definition of "carbon free energy" that totally walks back the standards we already won years ago, by enshrining several power sources as "carbon free" that are actually worse than coal and gas!
Worse still, it looks like a big part of the motivation is so they can lure in AI data centers that will otherwise obliterate our power grid. Ostensibly this is to "create jobs" which is a laugh when it comes to attracting an industry that openly adversities itself as eliminating jobs while skyrocketing electrical prices and depleting our water table. It's already fucking up towns where these parasitic data centers have been erected, with some people noting that their town is in danger from lack of water, or people reporting $600 electrical bills.
Ruling that things like biomass burning which, again, creates more emissions than coal are "carbon free" is straight up lying. It's anti-science and betrays the goals Minnesotans popularly support. It also undermines our clean energy industry, which provides good, safe jobs but is hurting because our federal government loves fossil fuels because they're paid off by that industry.
What I'm actually asking you to do is simple: Email [email protected] Identify your name, that you live in MN, and that you oppose biomass, "renewable" natural gas, or trash burning being incorrectly labeled as "carbon free" and you want law makers to actually stick to the very popular and legitimately won carbon neutrality goals our state set years ago. You could add that you particularly don't approve of this in light of the goal to add AI data centers, and that the science is clear that carbon capture is a false solution.
You must include the docket number 24-352. Put it in the body of the email and the subject line!
You have till September 17th to email, and to please please please spread this as far and wide as possible! Tell your neighbors! Your coworkers! You granny! Your instagram and facebook! Nobody wants $600 energy bills, laws that lie, and law makers ignoring the popular mandates so many people worked so hard for! This is a bipartisan issue when there are so many of these.
With the federal government out of the green energy race for now, it's up to states to pick up the slack, and MN can join the states leading the charge.
If you want to do a deeper dive, here's some more information.
Be concise, be specific, show that you're passionate about this! If you work in an industry you can point to being impacted or there's a specific impact on your life/community, get personal! Let them know you feel betrayed and upset!
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD! DO NOT LET POWER COMPANIES GET AWAY WITH GREENWASHING THEIR CARBON EMISSIONS AND ROB US OF THE CARBON NEUTRAL ENERGY WE'VE EARNED! SHOW THEM WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION AND DON'T WANT LIES IN THE PLACE OF SOLUTIONS!
Minnesotans and non-Minnesotans please reblog!
