Climate change is the global humanitarian crisis of our time. It's time for action at all levels of government to mitigate the damage. When bad environmental policy is passed and disaster strikes, we know which communities feel the impact most: impoverished communities, indigenous communities, and communities of color. The state legislature has a responsibility to act as steward of our environment and to protect our natural resources.

FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE

  • We must implement a carbon fee and dividend system, which puts a price on carbon emissions and returns the revenue directly to us, the people of Minnesota.
  • It is long overdue for us to divest our state pensions from fossil fuel companies.
  • Renewable energy is Minnesota's second largest source of energy, trailing coal-fired power plants. We will expand our clean energy portfolio past the current standard of 25% renewable by 2025 and aim to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2030.
  • We must invest in infrastructure statewide for electric vehicles and grandfather in fossil fuel powered vehicles for the state, county, and municipal fleets.
  • The freedom of movement is very important to an open and free society. Personal automobiles will always be less sustainable and accessible than public transit. Therefore, we must expand our system of public transportation statewide and make it free.
Omar speaks on behalf of fossil fuel divestment at the MPRB during 2018 race ─ from our archives 4/4/2018

PROTECT OUR WATER

  • A MN Court of Appeals recently overturned permits granted to PolyMet, in part due to lack of an adversarial review process. We must bar the executive branch from circumventing a rigorous review process for any project which could have an impact on the environment.
  • Copper-nickel sulfide mining is different from taconite mining and has never been done safely in water rich environments like that of northern Minnesota. I oppose the PolyMet and Twin Metals projects and won't support any copper-nickel sulfide mining until there is proof that it can be done safely.
  • I will vote to protect Wild Rice sulfate standards and block projects that will impact tribal sovereignty
  • I stand with activists in the fight to Stop Line 3 and hold Enbridge accountable for its existing pipelines.

Prepared and paid for by the Omar Fateh Senate Committee 2020