The DFL Environmental Caucus develops a slate of positions on major issues every two years to inform our work and work to update the DFL Party Platform and Action Agenda. We ask our supporters to submit resolutions at Precinct Caucuses, then vote for them at their local Conventions so that they can be voted on at the State Convention.
The following resolutions have been approved (so far) by our Board for 2026-2027:
DFL Environmental Caucus Resolutions 2026
1. Protect Groundwater Quality
Support policies that protect the health of all Minnesotans by ensuring access to clean, safe drinking water and providing free water testing, education, and remediation for private wells.
2. Prevent Depletion of Groundwater
Support regional management of groundwater and require large users to independently obtain withdrawal permits and conduct an Environmental Impact Statement and aquifer pump test when usage exceeds 30 million gallons monthly or 40% municipal allocation, protecting domestic use and aquifer sustainability.
3. Climate Action
Support a Green New Deal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through a fair and just energy transition by investing in infrastructure, efficiency, and industry across the state, creating good union jobs, recycling our energy dollars within our local economies, and ensuring general prosperity and economic security for all Minnesotans.
4. Clean Transportation
Support development of statewide sustainable transportation with policies that prioritize reducing vehicle miles traveled and promoting mass transit, safe pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and charging infrastructure to electrify transportation.
5. Environmental Justice
Support funding to protect underrepresented communities statewide from pollution, extreme heat, and other environmental harms, and ensure that these communities’ voices are fully included in decisions that impact them.
6. Indigenous Treaty Rights
Support the state of Minnesota upholding all of our treaties with Indigenous Minnesota tribes, including those involving manoomin (wild rice). These treaties are defined as the “supreme law of the land” under the U.S. Constitution. Failure to uphold treaties is considered a violation of human rights under international law.
7. Zero Waste
Support plastic packaging rules, Organic Waste Diversion, Free Electronics Recycling, prohibiting ALL toxic substances in plastic packaging, developing “source-separated organics” (SSO) waste programs, and free collection of electronic waste for all Minnesotans.
8. No Rollbacks
Amend the Ongoing Platform: Oppose any effort to circumvent or weaken state or federal environmental laws or protections involving administrative procedures and permitting.
9. Commonsense Protections for Public Land
Support adequate buffer zones, access on signed trails only, environmental assessments, and tribal approval and local input for proposed trail projects for off road vehicles (e.g., All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)) to protect and preserve habitat and waters on public lands.
10. Conserve and Restore Natural Space
Support accelerated action to protect, restore, and improve management of forests, prairies, and wetlands to fight climate change and preserve biodiversity. Recognize the financial value of natural spaces to prioritize the environment in investment and policy decisions.
11. Sustainable Agriculture
Support funding for research, technical assistance, and education to rapidly implement regenerative farming, establish perennial crops, rotational grazing, cover crops, and no-till farming, to invest in rural communities and our food and farming system, conserve and build healthy soils, clean our water, sequester carbon and bolster farm income.
12. Phase out Lead Ammunition/Fishing Tackle
Support the adoption of legislation that establishes a reasonable effective date after which lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle are prohibited.
13. Housing and Land Use
Support housing policy tools – including zoning reforms to allow higher density housing, accessory dwelling units, and elimination of parking minimums – that promote climate-friendly, clean energy-powered housing construction in Minnesota communities.
14. Support Public Ownership of Minnesota’s Electric Utilities and Oppose Private Equity Acquisition
Oppose any sale or acquisition of Minnesota’s public electric utilities by private equity firms or other profit-driven investors to ensure Minnesota’s energy future serves the public good, not private profit.
15. Elected Officials Banned from Signing NDAs
Support legislation banning elected officials at any level of government from signing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).
16. Hyperscale data center moratorium
Call for a statewide moratorium on the approval and construction of new large data centers to ensure that Minnesota’s energy, water, fiscal resources, communities, and democratic processes are protected before any such facilities may proceed.
17. Protect clean water from sulfide mining
Supports clean water and supports a policy that would protect Minnesota’s many waters from the dangers of copper-sulfide mining and protect Minnesota from the foreign mining companies seeking to exploit and profit from our resources.