Minnesota is on track to become the 15th state—and first in the Midwest—to adopt stricter tailpipe emission standards after an Administrative Law Judge approved the Clean Cars rule and recommended it for adoption last month.
In the fall of 2019, Governor Walz announced the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) would use the rulemaking authority granted by the Legislature to adopt stricter standards. Since then, our staff have worked to increase support and combat misinformation related to the rule and electric vehicles.
We leveraged relationships and digital organizing expertise to elevate the importance of reducing climate pollution in our transportation sector. Our field team worked with city councils and environment commissions to pass resolutions in support of the rule and generate local public media attention. Conservation Minnesota members submitted over 1,800 petitions and testimony in support of the rule.
The rule has a few more stops—including the governor’s desk for signing—before it becomes official later this summer. The judge’s ruling is truly a win for Minnesotans. Conservation Minnesota is proud of the key role we played, and we’re excited to see more electric vehicles in the years to come.