Walz v. Vance On Pollution

September 30, 2024

The Contrast: Reducing Climate Pollution

As Governor of Minnesota, Walz has a track record of advancing efforts to cut dangerous air pollution and championing clean air and water. In the Senate, Vance opposed legislation to safeguard clean water and attempted to thwart the Biden-Harris EPA’s ability to enforce pollution standards. One of Vance’s major backers in his 2022 campaign for Senate was the Blackstone Group, which operates the nation’s deadliest coal plant.

As Governor, Walz Advanced Efforts To Cut Climate Pollution

In 2024, Walz announced Minnesota would receive $200 million through the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program to cut climate pollution from the state’s food systems.
- The grant was made possible through the clean energy plan. It was one of three funding opportunities that Walz’s administration applied for, which also included requests for funding to cut harmful air pollution and to develop an electric truck charging network across the state.
- When announcing the grant funding, Walz stressed that, “As we reduce our carbon footprint, we don’t have to reduce our economic opportunities. We don’t have to reduce our access to healthy foods.”
In 2024, Walz announced federal funding for a biomanufacturing facility focused on sustainable chemical manufacturing.
In 2021, Governor Walz announced a new Climate Action Framework that called for building out electric vehicle infrastructure, increasing the use of wind and solar, and building carbon storage in forests and soils.
In 2022, Walz rolled out a climate action plan with the goals of slashing pollution by 50% by 2030 and achieving net-zero pollution by 2050.
- Under Walz, Minnesota was working towards its goal of reducing climate pollution by 50% by 2030.
In his first gubernatorial campaign, Walz supported efforts to reduce climate pollution by 80% by 2050.
In 2023, Walz signed legislation to lead Minnesota to 100% clean electricity by 2040, which provides a foundation for the state’s work to cut climate pollution.

Walz Championed Clean Air Protections

Walz opposed Trump’s executive order that rolled back the Obama-era Clean Power Plan. Walz criticized Trump’s action, saying it failed “to keep us in the driver’s seat” on reducing climate pollution and denied “the very existence of climate change.”

In 2007, then-Congressman Walz cosponsored the Safe Climate Act, which directed the EPA to set targets for a 2% reduction in climate pollution each year from 2010 to 2050.
In 2018, Walz voted against a resolution that delayed stronger limits on pollution from brick manufacturing facilities. The bill would have delayed limits on deadly, toxic pollutants including mercury, arsenic, and carcinogens like benzene and formaldehyde, all of which can lead to negative health outcomes and death.
In 2017, Walz voted against a resolution that delayed the EPA’s updated standards for air pollution by at least ten years and doubled the five-year review periods for updating national air quality standards.

Walz Acted To Protect Clean Water

In 2023, Walz signed the first-in-the-nation ban on PFAS in products by 2032, and required manufacturers to report their use of PFAS in products to the state by 2026.
In 2019, Walz, along with fourteen other governors, signed a letter urging federal action to prevent drinking water contamination near military sites and called for action to address PFAS.
In 2021, Walz joined the governors of three other Great Lakes states to urge President Biden to prioritize investments in water infrastructure and take action on PFAS.
In 2023, Walz’s budget proposed $46 million towards preventing, managing, and cleaning up chemicals contaminating Minnesota’s soil, water, air, people, and wildlife and meeting the EPA’s newly proposed PFAS standards.
In 2014, then-Congressman Walz voted against a resolution eliminating a rule requiring a buffer zone around waterways to protect them from toxic coal mining waste.

Walz Advanced Clean Water Infrastructure

As Governor, Walz’s 2022 budget proposed for a $200 million investment in clean water and wastewater infrastructure improvements.
In 2021, Walz praised the Biden-Harris administration’s support for critical waterways and urged a continued emphasis on upgrading water infrastructure.
In 2023, Walz signed legislation providing $240 million in grants to remove and replace lead pipes for community water systems and municipalities in Minnesota, improving access to safe, clean water, and reducing negative health outcomes associated with lead contact.
In 2016, then-Congressman Walz cosponsored the Families of Flint Act, which would have established a 10-year grant program to ensure that Flint’s drinking water does not contain unsafe levels of lead or other contaminants.
In Congress, Walz repeatedly cosponsored the Clean Water Affordability Act, which sought to assist communities with upgrading their wastewater infrastructure to meet EPA mandates.
In 2013, then-Congressman Walz was an original cosponsor of the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act, which aimed to create jobs by investing almost $14 billion over five years by funding efforts to improve water quality.

Vance Opposed EPA Regulations On Pollution

Vance cosponsored legislation that would prevent the EPA from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing certain rules that aim to reduce pollution and lower the risk of health problems such as asthma.
Vance opposed a Biden-Harris administration proposed rule under the Clean Air Act to implement new source performance standards on greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, saying the rule would be “unworkable for power plants.”
Vance cosponsored a Congressional Review Act Resolution to prevent coal-fired and gas-fired power plants from complying with the Biden-Harris administration’s power plant standards, claiming the pollution standards were “unrealistic.”

Vance Opposed Protecting America’s Water From Pollution

Vance voted to repeal the Clean Water Restoration Rule and prevent future administrations from issuing similar rulings. The legislation jeopardized water resources and overturned a rule that sought to protect critical waters from unregulated pollution.
Vance has repeatedly criticized the EPA and supported legislation to gut environmental regulations around clean air & water.

The Operator Of “America’s Deadliest Coal Plant” Was One Of Vance’s Top Contributors In 2022

The Blackstone Group, which operates the General James M. Gavin Power Plant, contributed over $23,000 to Vance’s 2022 Senate campaign.
The coal plant has been referred to as the “nation’s deadliest coal plant,” and since 2016, has spewed over 106 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

The Contrast: Vehicle Pollution Protections

When it comes to protecting Americans from toxic vehicle pollution, Governor Walz established clean car standards in Minnesota to reduce climate pollution. As a Senator, Vance voted to repeal an EPA rule to limit pollution from heavy-duty trucks that would improve air quality for 72 million Americans and attempted to establish subsidies for gas-powered vehicles instead of electric vehicles.

Walz Established Clean Car Standards In Minnesota

Minnesota became the first state in the Midwest to adopt more stringent pollution standards for cars and trucks, which will reduce carbon pollution by 2 million tons by 2030.
Walz supported measures in Minnesota’s clean cars standard that encouraged electric vehicle expansion, and his climate plan sought to increase electric vehicles to 20% share by 2030.
Walz signed legislation to reduce carbon intensity in transportation fuels by 100% by 2050.
In 2019, Walz instructed the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to implement clean car standards. In 2021, a state administrative judge signed off on Walz’s proposed clean car rules and Walz officially signed them into law, making Minnesota the first state in the Midwest to adopt more stringent pollution standards.
- Walz celebrated the state’s clean car standards, noting they would benefit all Minnesotans and reduce Minnesota’s carbon pollution by 2 million tons by 2030.
In 2023, Walz signed legislation requiring state agencies to convene a clean transportation standard working group, aimed at identifying opportunities to reduce carbon intensity in Minnesota’s transportation fuels.
- The legislation aimed to reduce the carbon intensity of Minnesota’s transportation fuels by 25% below 2018 levels by 2030, 75% by 2040, and 100% by 2050.

Vance Voted Against An EPA Rule Limiting Heavy-Duty Truck Pollution And Tried To Replace EV Subsidies For Subsidies For Gas Powered Cars

Vance voted to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency rule limiting heavy-duty truck pollution. These standards are set to avoid up to 1 billion tons of emissions over the next three decades, and provide $13 billion in net benefits.
- The rule was set to avoid up to 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas pollution over the next three decades and would improve air quality for more than 72 million people who live near friend routes in the U.S.
In September 2023, Vance introduced legislation to replace the clean energy plan’s EV subsidies with subsidies for U.S.-manufactured gas-powered vehicles.
- Gas-powered vehicles are the leading source of air pollutants that affect human health, triggering problems like asthma, reduced lung capacity, and other respiratory issues.

The Contrast: Environmental Justice

On advancing environmental justice, Governor Walz has a record of centering EJ efforts. Walz announced grants to support union clean energy careers for people of color and low-income Minnesotans and invested $4 million to assist Tribal communities in applying for climate grants. Meanwhile, Vance criticized the Biden-Harris administration for canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline and voted to mandate approvals for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which threatened the homes of Appalachian and Indigenous communities. Vance has also repeatedly mocked environmental justice efforts.

As Governor, Walz Championed Environmental Justice

Under Governor Walz, Minnesota’s Climate Action Framework centered environmental justice.
Walz created a climate change subcabinet, which is advised by a citizen board, and established the Energy Transition Office to devise transition programs, economic initiatives, and equitable transition policy.
Walz’s administration launched the Interactive Power Plant and Environmental Justice Tools to better track the impacts of power plant pollution on nearby communities.
Walz celebrated a nearly $200 million federal investment from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, created through the clean energy plan, for Minnesota to tackle the climate crisis and to reduce the energy burden for lower income Americans, and provide workforce and economic development opportunities in disadvantaged communities.
- The grant was expected to coordinate with Tribal governments, as well as low-income and disadvantaged communities to improve food security.
In 2024, Walz announced $2.7 million in grants to build career pathways for people of color and low-income Minnesotans for union trade jobs in construction, clean energy, and energy efficiency.
In 2023, Walz signed legislation that established a carbon-free electricity standard. The law also ensured that workers, particularly in environmental justice areas, have the necessary tools to transition to the clean energy sector, and that emissions are reduced in environmental justice areas.
Walz said that it was important to “make the case” that “the environment and environmental justice are central.”
Walz’s 2023 One Minnesota Budget invested $4 million to assist Tribal communities and Tribal organizing with applying for and managing climate grants from the state or federal government.

Vance Mocked Environmental Justice Efforts And Supported Pipeline Projects That Harmed Disadvantaged Communities

Vance voted to mandate permit approvals for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which threatened the homes of Appalachian and Indigenous communities.
In 2021, Vance criticized the Biden-Harris administration for closing the Keystone XL Pipeline. During his 2022 Senate campaign, Vance said the decision to close the pipeline “shot ourselves in the foot when it comes to energy prices.”
- The Keystone XL pipeline’s route would have crossed through the Ogallala aquifer, which provides drinking water for 2.3 million people and stores 78% percent of the public water supply in Nebraska.
- The National Congress of American Indians celebrated the Keystone XL pipeline’s closure because it would have endangered the lands, waters, communities, and sacred sites of sovereign Tribal Nations.
Vance mocked environmental justice efforts, claiming that the net result of environmental justice was shipping manufacturing jobs to China and India in exchange for a “good feeling” that the U.S. did something about climate.
Vance said that environmental justice initiatives were a waste of tax dollars and increased energy costs and attacked Kamala Harris for her pledges to advance environmental justice.

The Contrast: Expanding Energy Efficiency

Walz has a long record of supporting energy efficiency solutions that cut pollution and save Americans on their energy bills. As Governor, he signed legislation to prioritize energy efficiency and proposed raising Minnesota’s efficiency standards to help save Minnesotans money on their utility bills. While in the House of Representatives, he introduced and supported legislation to provide grants and tax credits for energy efficiency upgrades. In contrast, Senator Vance voted to block energy efficiency standards that would save Americans money and attacked the Biden-Harris administration’s energy efficiency efforts. Vance wants to repeal the clean energy plan, which awarded 3.4 million American families more than $8 billion in residential clean energy and energy efficiency upgrades in 2023.

As Governor, Walz Championed Energy Efficiency

The “One Minnesota Path To Clean Energy” plan included regulatory policies to prioritize energy efficiency and clean energy resources when proposing to replace or add new power generation in the state.
The plan also proposed raising the state’s energy efficiency recourse standard and expanded a program to help Minnesotans save on their utility bills.

In The House, Walz Supported Legislation To Expand Access To Energy Efficiency Upgrades

In 2014, Walz introduced the American Energy Opportunity Act of 2014, which sought to extend tax credits for renewable energy and electric vehicles, and tax deductions for energy efficiency upgrades.
In 2018, Walz cosponsored the Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act, which would require the Department of Energy to provide grants for projects that improve the energy efficiency of small- or medium-sized manufacturers and develop technologies to reduce electricity or gas use.
In 2008, Walz cosponsored legislation encouraging Americans to use their tax rebate checks to invest in renewable energy and energy-efficient products.

Vance Wanted To Repeal The Clean Energy Plan And Attacked Energy Efficiency Standards That Save Americans Money

Vance sought to repeal the clean energy plan, saying there was “a lot” in the landmark legislation that he would like to see “gotten rid of.”
- The clean energy plan invested roughly $370 billion in clean energy and energy efficiency and was expected to save American families an average of $1,000 per year in energy costs.
- In 2023, the clean energy plan awarded 3.4 million American families more than $8 billion in residential clean energy and energy efficiency upgrades.
Vance criticized the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for being “too focused” on clean energy and falsely claimed it would not make the economy more environmentally efficient.
In 2023, Vance voted to block cost-saving updated energy-efficiency codes that would save an average of nearly $15,000 over the lifetime of a single-family home.
In 2024, Vance voted to repeal the Department of Energy’s rule implementing energy efficiency standards for gas furnaces.
In 2023, Vance signed onto a letter attacking President Biden’s energy efficiency efforts, accusing the administration of “forcing its agenda” onto Americans.
Vance renounced potential gas stove standards and urged the Consumer Product Safety Commission to reevaluate the harms posed by gas-powered appliances.
- Gas stoves emit harmful nitrogen oxides, and families that use gas stoves without proper ventilation can exceed the standards for safe hourly exposure to those chemicals in minutes.