ST. PAUL, Minn. – Following a vote of the Minnesota Senate Thursday, the state’s Community Solar Garden Program will now be called the Melissa Hortman Community Solar Garden Program. The new name honors Speaker Emerita Hortman’s work to start the program in 2013 and her legacy in advancing clean energy and fighting climate change in Minnesota.
Following passage of the bill by a vote of 59 – 7, chief author Senator John Hoffman (DFL-Champlin) releases the following statement:
“Melissa was the driving force behind Minnesota’s Community Solar Program, which grew to become a national model for other states, and helped Minnesota become a nationwide leader in clean energy and climate policy. By renaming this program, we are honoring just one small part of her incredible legacy and making sure Minnesotans for generations to come know about her impact. As we continue the steady march away from fossil fuels and towards clean, renewable energy, we will always owe a debt to the work that Melissa did that is getting us there.”
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Photo attached: Senator Hoffman (center), Speaker Emerita Hortman (Right), and Senator John Marty (Left) speak on the Senate Floor during the 2014 session.
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