Environment, Climate Change, Homegrown Energy and Natural Resources

We must commit ourselves to protecting our environment and preserving our natural resources for generations to come. Environmental conservation is a fundamental part of Minnesota’s heritage—and it is part of my own family’s heritage, too. Like most Minnesotans, I grew up in a family that values the outdoors. My grandpa from northern Minnesota was an avid hunter. My dad was a bicyclist, mountain climber, and all-around outdoorsman, and my mom always liked to fish and hike. When I was growing up, we never took a family vacation that didn’t involve a tent, camper, or cabin!
As your senator, I believe a major part of my job includes ensuring that we have the right policies to protect the natural resources we enjoy in Minnesota—our lakes, rivers, and wetlands, our forests and prairies, our wildlife habitats, and abundant farmland. It is our responsibility to pass on our Minnesota way of life to future generations with responsible conservation and smart policies that allow outdoor recreation, fishing, and hunting traditions to thrive. I am dedicated to promoting policies that address the urgent climate crisis, preserve our farmlands, reduce flooding dangers, and keep our air and water clean.
The climate crisis is happening right now and we need to confront it with a sense of urgency. Reports from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the U.S. Government’s Fifth National Climate Assessment make clear that action is needed immediately. In Minnesota and across the country, we have seen stronger and more frequent storms lead to flooding and other climate-related natural disasters that cause displacement and destruction. We cannot wait fifty years to address the climate impacts that threaten the livelihoods of our children, our farmers, our businesses, our infrastructure, and our national security.
We must chart a new energy future that puts us on a path to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. This will require reductions in greenhouse gases from our energy sector, but also must include homegrown energy sources, new energy technologies, and energy efficiency measures. There’s no single solution for our nation’s energy future, so we must take an all-of-the-above strategy to power our economy and make sure consumers have access to affordable and reliable energy. In Minnesota, we have the talent and know-how to innovate and the natural resources to propel our economy forward. By transitioning to a renewable energy future, I believe we can meet our nation’s energy demands, better protect our environment, and promote economic development across America.
By harnessing our homegrown energy potential and preserving the natural resources that make Minnesota such a unique place to live, our state can continue to be a shining example for the rest of the country, showing that strong energy and environmental policies can go hand-in-hand with a strong economy.
As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:
As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I’ve been fighting for new energy policies and strong measures to protect our environment and natural resources: