This February 2006 policy brief by John Bailey and David Morris offers a brief overview of the existing renewable electricity mandates in Minnesota, and discusses the impact a proposed extension and expansion of these mandates might have. Last year, the Minnesota legislature debated a proposal to establish a new statewide renewable electricity mandate. That debate will undoubtedly continue this session.

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This February 2006 policy brief by John Bailey provides background and analysis to support a state or local policy that would require construction projects funded with tax-exempt bonds to result in no net increases in greenhouse gases within the community. This brief proposes a strategy that can begin to allow us, as citizens and taxpayers, to make concrete our desire to live lightly on the earth. That strategy is to convince all tax exempt bond issuing agencies at the state and community level to adopt a climate neutralbonding policy.

According to an August 2005 Harris Poll 74 percent of people agreed that, "Protecting the environment is so important that requirements and standards cannot be too high, and continuing environmental improvements must be made regardless of cost."

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