Minnesota
30%
50%
Net-zero
Governor
Tim Walz (Democrat)
House Party
Democratic Majority
Senate Party
Democratic Majority
34
28
Midwest
Progress by Policy Area
- Enacted
- In-progress
- Partially Enacted
- Not Enacted
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections in Minnesota
Status | Policy | Policy Area | Policy Category | YR Enacted | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Enacted |
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30% by 2025 | 50% by 2030 | net-zero by 2050 Relative to 2005 levels Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Climate Governance | 2023 | |
Enacted |
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Minnesota's Climate Action Framework Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Climate Governance | 2022 | |
Enacted |
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The 2005-2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory was published in January 2023. Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Climate Governance | 2023 | |
Enacted |
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Climate Change Subcabinet Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Climate Governance | 2019 | |
Enacted |
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Governor's Advisory Council on Climate Change Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Climate Governance | 2019 | |
Enacted |
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"Environmental justice areas" are census tracts where at least 40% of the population is nonwhite, 40% have limited English proficiency, 35% of households have an income of less than 200% of the federal poverty level, or those located within "Indian Country". "Disadvantaged communities" are communities defined as disadvantaged by the federal agency disbursing federal funds, or as "environmental justice areas" as defined by the state. Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Environmental Justice and Equity | 2023 | |
Enacted |
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Understanding Environmental Justice in Minnesota Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Environmental Justice and Equity | 2023 | |
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Environmental justice (EJ) community investment requirements help ensure communities most impacted by environmental burdens are benefitting equitably from public programs by requiring a certain percentage of funds and/or benefits from other policies are allocated to EJ communities. |
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Environmental Justice and Equity | ||
Enacted |
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MPCA – Environmental Justice Coordinator Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Environmental Justice and Equity | ||
Enacted |
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Environmental Justice Advisory Group Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Environmental Justice and Equity | ||
Enacted |
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Requires the MPCA to complete a cumulative impact analysis of EJ areas when issuing a permit. Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Environmental Justice and Equity | 2023 | |
Enacted |
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Energy Transition Plan Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Just Transition | 2022 | |
Enacted |
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Energy Transition Office within the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Just Transition | 2021 | |
Enacted |
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Energy Transition Advisory Committee Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Just Transition | 2021 | |
Enacted |
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The Energy Transition Grant program provides funds for research, planning, and implementation activities designed to assist the state's "energy transition communities" and workers following coal, natural gas, and nuclear plant closures. Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Just Transition | 2023 | |
Enacted |
Empty column
Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority Establishing Policies
|
Cross-Sector
|
Climate Finance | 2023 | |
Not Enacted |
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Carbon pollution pricing establishes a pollution fee or cap-and-trade program on the greenhouse gas emissions associated with each sector/source of emissions within the state. Programs typically cover the electricity, buildings, transportation, and/or industrial sectors. |
Cross-Sector
|
Carbon Valuation | ||
Enacted |
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Utilities must incorporate the social cost of carbon in utility resource planning. Establishing Policies
|
Cross-Sector
|
Carbon Valuation | 2018 | |
Enacted |
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25% renewable energy by 2025 | 80% clean electricity for investor-owned utilities (IOUs), and 60% for munis and coops by 2030 | 55% renewable and 90% clean electricity by 2035 | 100% clean electricity by 2040 Establishing Policies
|
Electricity
|
Energy Plans and Targets | 2023 | |
Not Enacted |
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Electricity greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets are set by a state to limit GHG emissions in the electricity sector. These targets aim to reduce emissions by different amounts over time, often expressed as percentage relative to a baseline year. |
Electricity
|
Energy Plans and Targets | ||
Not Enacted |
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Clean energy plans are documents that outline the policies and strategies states can implement to meet clean energy targets. Draft plans are often published first, and after a period of public comments and revisions, a final plan is released. |
Electricity
|
Energy Plans and Targets | ||
Partially Enacted |
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The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled. Establishing Policies
Policy Components
3/5
|
Electricity
|
Clean Energy Generation | ||
Partially Enacted |
Empty column
The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled. Establishing Policies
Policy Components
8/11
|
Electricity
|
Clean Energy Generation | ||
Partially Enacted |
Empty column
The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled. Establishing Policies
Policy Components
5/6
|
Electricity
|
Clean Energy Generation | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Community choice aggregation allows local governments to procure power on behalf of their residents, businesses, and municipal accounts from an alternative supplier while still receiving transmission and distribution service from their existing utility provider. |
Electricity
|
Clean Energy Generation | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Energy storage targets establish procurement targets for energy storage systems by a certain date, often with interim targets. Targets can vary from broad megawatt (MW) requirements to more specific mandates that focus on the adoption of certain storage technologies. |
Electricity
|
Transmission, Distribution, and Energy Storage | ||
Enacted |
Empty column
Minnesota received a C grade from Freeing the Grid. Establishing Policies
|
Electricity
|
Transmission, Distribution, and Energy Storage | 2023 | |
Enacted |
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Requires 100% of electric utilities’ total retail electric sales to be generated from carbon-free technologies by 2040, effectively eliminating coal from its electricity portfolio. Establishing Policies
|
Electricity
|
Coal Retirement | 2023 | |
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Coal securitization is a financing tool that allows utility companies to refinance debt they issued to build coal plants and close the facilities early without taking a financial hit or passing costs on to ratepayers. |
Electricity
|
Coal Retirement | ||
Enacted |
Empty column
The statewide energy code for residential construction is 2012 IECC with amendments. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Codes | 2014 | |
Enacted |
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The statewide energy code for commercial building construction is ASHRAE 90.1-2019 with amendments. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Codes | 2023 | |
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Stretch building energy codes are an optional, more stringent building code established by the state that local jurisdictions can adopt to require that newly constructed buildings are more efficient than the baseline state codes. |
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Codes | ||
Enacted |
Empty column
The sale of mercury-containing light bulbs will be phased out by 2025 in favor of LEDs. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Standards | 2024 | |
In-Progress |
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Minnesota recieved funding through the Inflation Reduction Act Support for Building Energy Codes and Innovative Codes to adopt, implement, and enforce a building performance standard to reduce emissions from existing buildings by 50% by 2035. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Standards | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. |
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Standards | ||
Enacted |
Empty column
Investor-owned electric utilities are required to achieve annual savings equivalent to 1.75% of gross annual energy sales, and public electric utilities are required to achieve annual savings equivalent to 1.5% of gross annual energy sales. Investor-owned and public gas utilities are required to achieve annual savings equivalent to 1.0% of gross annual energy sales. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Efficiency | 2021 | |
Enacted |
Empty column
Minnesota has enacted commercial PACE-enabling legislation and has active programs. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Efficiency | 2010 | |
Partially Enacted |
Empty column
The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled. Establishing Policies
Policy Components
3/4
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Efficiency | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
All-electric buildings policies require new buildings to be constructed with all-electric heating, cooling, and cooking systems to transition away from fossil-fuel use in buildings. |
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Electrification | ||
Enacted |
Empty column
Clean Cars Minnesota Establishing Policies
|
Transportation
|
Light-Duty Vehicles | 2021 | |
Enacted |
Empty column
Model Year (MY) 2025: 22% of new passenger vehicle sales are ZEVs. Establishing Policies
|
Transportation
|
Light-Duty Vehicles | 2021 | |
Enacted |
Empty column
The Electric Vehicle (EV) Rebate Program offers rebates for new and used electric or plug-in hybrid EVs: up to $2,500 for new EVs and $600 for used EVs. Establishing Policies
|
Transportation
|
Light-Duty Vehicles | 2023 | |
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Low NOx Omnibus Rules establish stringent tailpipe emission standards for heavy duty vehicles, updated testing procedures, and technology-neutral compliance mechanisms to reduce nitrous oxide (NOx) pollution. The regulation must be adopted first by California, and other states may adopt the regulation under the federal Clean Air Act. |
Transportation
|
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) zero-emission vehicle mandates, also known as "Advanced Clean Trucks", require automakers to produce and sell a certain number of zero-emission MHD vehicles to fulfill a quota based on a percentage of total sales in states. |
Transportation
|
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) electric vehicle rebates consist of programs and policies that offer rebates to make MHD electric vehicles more affordable to increase their adoption in a state. |
Transportation
|
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Public fleet electric vehicle (EV) procurement targets require that a certain percentage or number of vehicles purchased or leased by the state are zero-emission or electric vehicles. This can apply to passenger cars, light-duty vehicles, and/or medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in a state’s public fleet. |
Transportation
|
Lead by Example | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Electric bus procurement targets require that a certain percentage or number of school buses and/or transit buses purchased or leased by the state, transit authorities, and/or school districts must be electric or zero-emissions. |
Transportation
|
Lead by Example | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure requirements establish mandates for the installation of EV charging infrastructure in new construction or developments, such as residential or commercial buildings, and public parking lots. |
Transportation
|
EV Charging Infrastructure | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure rebates offer rebates to make the purchase and/or installation costs of EV charging infrastructure more affordable. |
Transportation
|
EV Charging Infrastructure | ||
Enacted |
Empty column
2021 Minnesota Electric Vehicle Assessment Establishing Policies
|
Transportation
|
Transportation Plans and Targets | 2021 | |
Enacted |
Empty column
25% by 2025 | 50% by 2030 | 65% by 2035 | 80% by 2040 | net-zero by 2050 Relative to 2005 levels Establishing Policies
|
Transportation
|
Transportation Plans and Targets | 2023 | |
Not Enacted |
Empty column
A low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) is a market-based mechanism to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels and account for the fuel's life cycle greenhouse gas emissions. |
Transportation
|
Transportation Plans and Targets | ||
Enacted |
Empty column
Minnesota is ranked 5th out of 50 in the 2022 Bicycle Friendly State rankings by the League of American Bicyclists. Establishing Policies
Policy Components
5/5
|
Transportation
|
Public and Active Transportation | ||
Enacted |
Empty column
The Environmental Standards Procurement Task Force is responsible for examining the implementation of a program requiring vendors of the state to measure, report, and limit the lifecycle greenhouse gas impact of certain construction materials. Establishing Policies
|
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
Industrial Decarbonization | 2023 | |
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) regulations include phasedown commitments, rulemakings, disclosure requirements, bans, or other measures that reduce HFC usage and emissions. |
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
F-gas Regulations | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) regulations include phasedown commitments, reporting requirements, bans, or other measures that reduce SF6 usage and emissions. |
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
F-gas Regulations | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Oil and gas methane regulations include phasedown commitments, reporting requirements, leak detection and repair, or other measures that reduce methane emissions from oil and gas production. |
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
Oil and Gas Regulations | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Fracking bans prohibit the practice of hydraulic fracking for the production of oil and/or natural gas by a certain year. Legislation often requires an environmental agency or department to promulgate regulations. |
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
Oil and Gas Regulations | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Landfill methane regulations include rulemakings, emissions monitoring, emissions control, or other measures that reduce methane emissions from decaying organic waste in landfills. |
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
Waste Management | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. |
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
Waste Management | ||
Enacted |
Empty column
The Soil Health Financial Assistance Program provides cost-share incentives for the purchase and retrofit of soil health equipment. The Cover Crop Demonstration Grants Initiative provides grants to increase the establishment of cover crops and related tillage practices. Establishing Policies
|
Natural and Working Lands
|
Agriculture | 2022 | |
Enacted |
Empty column
Minnesota passed legislation to create a "Soil Health Practices Program" which may include both financial and technical support to establish soil health best practices. Establishing Policies
|
Natural and Working Lands
|
Agriculture | 2023 |