A study in northeastern Minnesota found one in 10 children are born with unsafe levels of mercury in their blood. On June 2, the Environmental Protection Agency announced national carbon pollution standards that will help protect Minnesota children from toxic mercury while reducing carbon pollution that is changing Minnesota’s seasons. 

Minnesota has already taken steps to reduce carbon emissions from power plants by more than 20 percent. The new carbon pollution standards provide a huge opportunity for Minnesota to continue its transition to clean, renewable energy and protect our communities and families from pollution.

Coal-burning power plants are responsible for one-third of the carbon pollution in Minnesota and more than half the mercury pollution in our lakes and rivers. This pollution poses a serious health risk to Minnesotans, responsible for premature deaths, higher risks of asthma attacks and respiratory disease, and tens of thousands of missed work days. We have an obligation to our children and future generations to act on climate now and create a strong economy built on clean energy jobs.

Join us in thanking Governor Dayton for his leadership on clean energy and ask him to seize this opportunity to protect Minnesotans through strong implementation of the new carbon pollution standards.