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Clean air and a sound environment are vital to all Minnesotans and especially to the business community. But it’s detrimental to the state’s vitality if Minnesota businesses are placed at an economic disadvantage with their competitors in the national and global marketplaces.
Businesses of all types and sizes identify problems associated with the state’s environmental permitting system – an important element of economic development. In general, what takes months in other states can take multiple years in Minnesota.
It’s also misguided and unrealistic to believe that Minnesota can singularly reduce greenhouse gases without affecting the livelihood of all Minnesotans. Cap-and-trade legislation is intended to gradually reduce the amount of greenhouse gases from air emissions and to use a trading market among businesses to minimize their costs. We oppose putting Minnesota on an island and oppose any system specific to the state and/or region. A cap-and-trade program must be addressed on national and international levels.
2010 Legislative Priorities
We will ensure that the report ordered by the 2009 Legislature will result in legislation that streamlines, shortens the timeline and reduces the cost of environmental permitting.
We oppose any state-specific or region-specific proposals for a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gas emissions.
2009 Legislative Accomplishments
We led efforts to pass a requirement for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to report back to the Legislature on options to reduce the cost of, and timetable for, environmental permitting.
We defeated several measures, including:
Chair: Eric Yost, Hutchinson Technology, Inc.
Staff: Tony Kwilas, (651) 292-4668, tkwilas@mnchamber.com
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