The CLEAR Coalition:
The CLEAR Energy Coalition is building an equitable and democratic energy future by advancing policies that bring affordable, local clean energy to all Minnesotans and put power back in the hands of communities, not just corporations.
We are seeking a robust, community-centered statewide energy policy for Minnesota that tackles barriers to community energy and lowers energy burden. It is an acronym for Clean, Local, Equitable, Affordable, Reliable.
Definitions:
By CLEAN, we mean:
We promote energy that is fossil fuel-free, nuclear-free, carbon-free and renewable, with solar and wind-generated energy prioritized.
By LOCAL, we mean:
We locate solar and wind-generated energy near the communities it serves, whenever possible. We promote policies that advance community ownership, community decision-making, and community employment opportunities.
By EQUITABLE, we mean:
We prioritize policies that eliminate and repair historical racial, class, and wealth gaps in energy generation, distribution, and ownership, as well as processes that promote clean energy job training programs in underserved communities and economic democracy for all.
By AFFORDABLE, we mean:
We ensure the cost of energy generation/procurement, and distribution will not exceed 4% of people’s annual gross income, reducing utility shut-offs and promoting and Energy User’s Bill of Rights for Minnesotans. When procuring and regulating energy deployment and adoption, our affordability indices will consider avoided costs of dirty energy, including avoided medical, environmental and downstream economic costs (e.g. lost work hours due to increased respiratory health risks/effects), alongside the simple costs to ratepayers.
By RELIABLE, we mean:
We promote uninterrupted access to clean power through policies that decentralize energy production through distributed energy, including smart grids, micro grids and energy storage systems.
Intended impact of the CLEAR legislation:
1) To promote and require, of all utilities, the sole deployment and operation of CLEAR (Clean, Local, Equitable, Affordable, Reliable) energy systems in the state of Minnesota by 2030, with no new construction nor continued operation of existing non-CLEAR conforming infrastructure, of any kind.
2) To allow local governments to swiftly move to procure sources of 100% CLEAR energy and energy systems, without artificial and external impediments imposed by reluctant utility providers (including Community Choice Aggregation, Power Purchase Agreements and striking the six words: “loss of revenue to the utility” from statute 216B.45 regarding municipalization proceedings).
3) To amend the charge of the Public Utilities Commission to reflect CLEAR principles
4) To create systems and funds for the economic support (including transition planning, skill-optimized workforce transition training and community education) of communities and local governments in transition from nuclear or fossil fuel energy generation infrastructure (such as fracked gas energy generation plants, garbage incinerators or even nuclear waste storage facilities) to a CLEAR energy system.
5) To prioritize Electrification and Beneficial Electrification in the entire transportation, building, commercial and housing sectors including the infrastructure necessary to support the new load.
6) To adjust the parameters of existing medical diagnostic Z codes (e.g. Z55 - Z65.9 Persons with potential health hazards related to socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances), to grant medical professionals the authority to prescribe substance abatements and energy efficiency (e.g. insulation) installations as curative and preventative treatments, respectively, that must, then, be covered under medical insurance, as a requirement for an insurer to operate in the state of Minnesota.
7) To fund programing based upon a “Polluter Pays” model.