Minnesota Energy Champion winners reach across the aisle to push all-of-the-above energy approach

They come from diverse districts with unique energy needs, but one common trait of the six legislators selected as Energy Champions by the Coalition for a Secure Energy Future is a willingness to work across the aisle on energy issues.

“The Coalition is proud to recognize the bipartisan work of these six legislators,” said Joel Johnson, director of the Secure Energy Future Coalition. “Energy policy is complex and finding polices that work throughout the state requires a willingness to not just advocate for specific approaches, but to listen to complex needs of businesses, farms, homes and communities. These six legislators did just that in the 2019 session.”

This year’s winners include, Sen. Dave Osmek (R-Mound), Sen. Erik Simonson (DFL-Duluth), Sen. Eric Pratt (R-Prior Lake), Sen. Jason Rarick (R-Pine City), Rep. Dave Lislegard (DFL-Aurora), and Rep. Chris Swedzinski (R-Ghent).

Although the DFL-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate have very different visions for the energy sector, the work of these six legislators offer hope for the future, particularly in their focus on abundant, reliable and affordable electricity.

  • Osmek, the first two-time Energy Champion, chairs the Senate Energy & Utility Committee and is co-chair of the Legislative Energy Commission. During his tenure, he’s kept both bodies focused on affordability and reliability.
  • Simonson was appointed DFL-lead on the committee prior to session. His district is filled with businesses operating in energy-intensive industries and he has consistently championed an all-of-the-above energy strategy for Minnesota to ensure access to affordable and reliable electricity.
  • Pratt, the chair of the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Committee and a member of the Senate Energy & Utility Committee, was a strong supporter of carbon capture.
  • Rarick won a special election last winter to fill his open Senate seat after serving four years in the Minnesota House. Rarick, a union electrician, brings unique and vital expertise to the energy committee and was the author of an amendment to include carbon capture technology in the definition of clean energy during the 2019 session.
  • Lislegard, a freshman, brings an Iron Ranger’s perspective to energy. The former mayor of Aurora has worked in the iron mining industry and his district includes some of the largest users of electricity in the state and the U.S.
  • Swedzinski, who farms in southwest Minnesota, took over as Republican lead on the House Energy & Climate Committee in 2019 and had the unenviable task of bringing the energy debate back to reality during debates. He is a strong supporter of electric cooperatives and municipal utilities.

 “The Coalition is proud to recognize the work of these six,” Johnson said. “They all understand that our energy future can support a cleaner environment by utilizing next generation energy technology like carbon capture utilization and sequestration.”