Rep. Jamie Long, Assistant Majority Leader, is running for re-election to district 61B. He is a long time environmental activist working with a history of involvement with national advocacy groups like the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council, before focusing his education on environmental law. He successfully led the effort to pass 100% Clean Energy policy in the House and authored bills on electric vehicle rebates, energy usage data rights, community solar garden changes, biomass and the Clean Energy First Act. Long was the recipient of Clean Energy Economy MN’s 2019 Clean Energy Legislative Champion Award.
Jamie Long on a just transition to 100% clean energy and reforming our transportation system:
“This is perhaps the most critical question we face as we combat the climate crisis. We cannot leave frontline and fenceline communities behind as we pursue climate solutions. I have introduced legislation to expand access to community solar projects to low income communities by increasing the payment for these projects if developers commit to not using credit scores to exclude applicants. I also strongly believe in weatherizing all eligible homes for low-income families and am working on legislation to help us get there. Our current spending on weatherization is woefully inadequate.”
“We need a massive new investment in our state’s transit system, and the House passed a visionary transportation package this session at the leadership of Rep. Hornstein. We need to keep fighting hard for transit investment, and fund it as a public good rather than funding it on the backs of transit riders. I am also a strong supporter of Governor Walz’s actions to join California and a dozen other states in adopting the Low-Emission Vehicle and Zero-Emission Vehicle standards. This was one of the most important steps he could have taken to reduce emissions from vehicles, and must be defended against the attacks we know are coming.”
