Foundation Money Driving MN Energy Policy

Freedom Foundation of Minnesota - Tom Steward just released a comprehensive series of articles on the amount and effects of environmental Foundations' money on MN Energy Policy.  Great articles Mr. Steward. 

Part 1 National Foundations Bankroll $48 Million Campaign to Rewrite Minnesota Environmental Policy.

Part 2  Policymakers, Media & Public Targeted in $48M Campaign to Rewrite MN Policy


Part 3  National Foundations Take Lessons Learned in MN and Bankroll New Expensive Green Campaigns

Public backlash builds as green rhetoric becomes reality in complete streets, politically correct natural gas pricing, wind turbines and power lines


Rochester Minnesota's KTTC interviews Tom Steward of Freedom Foundation of Minnesota.



These RE-AMP funded organizations routinely show up to testify against citizen interests at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, at legislative hearings, and in in the media. It is usual for these philanthropic, often non-profit charitable organizations, to be listed as "experts" without the disclosure "paid lobbyists".  Instead, they insist they are "educating" legislators and the public. 

 

 

Is “engaged philanthropy” a backdoor way of injecting special interest money into the political process?

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Federal 1603 cash grants dead (for now)

The Coalition for Sensible Siting is relieved to announce that federal Section 1603 cash grants, at about $1 million per industrial wind turbine, were not continued in the federal tax bill. This is a huge victory for citizens. For once, the industrial wind energy lobbyists got "no" for an answer.

A heartfelt thank you to Minnesota Congressman John Kline and his staff. Congressman Kline provided leadership and a rallying point for legislators, citizens and industrial wind opposition across the US. A summary and documents can be found on John Kline's website.

Another major factor was the leadership of Lisa Linowes of Industrial Wind Action Group for activating and coordinating responses from citizens. Lisa’s efforts yielded 1600 citizen signatures from 25 states to U.S. legislators over a short 5 days.

Freedom Foundation of Minnesota's Tom Steward wrote an excellent story on the topic during the lead-up to the vote on the tax bill.

MN StarTribune's Washington D.C. reporter Kevin Diaz weighed in with coverage from the center of this national fight. 

Read more about federal 1603 cash grants on the Coalition for Sensible Siting website.

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