Minnesota—in protecting freshwater resources and leading the way in creating a clean energy economy—has always been at the forefront of crafting responsible environmental policy. Sen. Smith carries this spirit to Washington and continues to fight for federal policies that seek to combat climate change, preserve clean air and clean water, and protect our most precious natural landscapes.
Despite the great work being done in states like Minnesota, environmental challenges persist every day. Terrible accidents like the Flint water crisis where cost-cutting measures led to dangerous levels of lead in Michigan homes, and sweeping challenges like climate change, make clear that the federal government has an important role to play in protecting our environment. Ignoring this responsibility would put our natural treasures, our public health, and even our economy at risk.
Part of this responsibility means fighting back against efforts to rollback responsible environmental policy. Decisions like pulling out of the Paris Agreement, a landmark international agreement to address climate change, and undermining a plan to reduce air pollution are both outdated and out of touch with what most Americans want. Sen. Smith will fight back against policies that threaten our environment and our public health, but she stands ready work with her colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make sure our environmental policies work better for Minnesotans and all Americans.
Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Press Forest Service on Boundary Waters Visitor Permit Disruptions
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) are pressing the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) over recent reporting about dramatic staffing and budget cuts at USFS that will negatively impact local economies across Minnesota and make it more difficult for visitors to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to receive necessary permits. Specifically, the Senators probed USFS Chief Tom Schultz for more clarity on the full extent of the staffing cuts at USFS and the public safety, economic, and environmental impacts this will have on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and the Superior and Chippewa National Forests. “In Minnesota, the Superior National Forest, Chippewa National Forest, and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness attract over 1.5 million visitors annually. This results in an economic impact of nearly $200 million to the communities around these critical public lands. Efforts to reduce the Forest Service’s workforce raise doubts about the agency’s ability to manage forests against risks like wildfire while preparing visitors to both enjoy and respect the land,” wrote the Senators. “The administration of over 5,000 permits will now largely be the burden of local small businesses, who are concerned about their ability to administer this volume of permits. In addition, we are concerned that basic maintenance and management of the Boundary Waters will suffer without dedicated staff working to safely clear canoe portage trails and campsites.” the Senators continued. The Senators posed several questions to the Trump Administration, including: Read a full copy of the letter here and below. ###
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on Trump Administration Releasing Heating Assistance Funding for Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Following news that the Trump Administration responded to her bipartisan push to release $12 million in frozen emergency heating assistance for thousands of eligible Minnesotans, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) released the following statement: “Cutting heating assistance for families just trying to stay warm and safe in cold weather was thoughtless and cruel by DOGE. Thousands of Minnesotans depend on LIHEAP to make ends meet. They don’t have a Plan B. I fought hard for this funding for a reason and I wasn’t going to sit by and watch it disappear for folks who rely on it,” said Senator Smith. “I’m glad Trump and DOGE have reversed course on this decision, but I want to be clear that LIHEAP is still threatened. The Administration has fired all the workers who administer the program, and come this winter, I worry about how this funding will get to families needing to stay warm.” Senator Smith has long been a champion of the LIHEAP program. Senator Smith helped secure $112 million for Minnesota last year, an increase from years prior. Following the announcement that the Trump Administration fired all the workers at LIHEAP, Senator Smith released a statement saying she would demand answers.
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Reintroduce Bill to Secure Critical Federal Funding for Northeastern Minnesota Counties
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) reintroduced their bill to provide critical federal funding for northeastern Minnesota counties hosting federal wilderness lands. Cook, Lake, and St. Louis counties benefit from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) as a world-renowned tourist destination, but they also forgo property taxes and other potential revenue streams. The bill would restore fairness to the longstanding Thye-Blatnik payment system and prevent massive cuts in county revenue now or in the future. “For decades, Thye-Blatnik payments have provided critical funding to northern Minnesota counties that host federal wilderness lands. This bill
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Celebrate Historic Investment in State’s Largest Electric Co-Op for Affordable, Clean Energy
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN), celebrated historic funding for clean, reliable and low-cost energy for rural Minnesotans. Connexus Energy will use funding secured by Senators Smith and Klobuchar to produce over 280 megawatts of clean energy through hydro, solar and wind energy that will lower costs for its 146,000 members in rural Minnesota while supporting 400 jobs. With $170 million in funding, these projects will reduce climate pollution by more than 1.1 million tons of harmful, climate-warming emissions each year. Minnesota’s electric cooperatives provide electricity to nearly one-third of the state. Connexus is based in
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Provision Reconnecting Community to Area Around Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock to Be Signed into Law
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) announced her provision, written along with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN05) to expand community access to land around the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock, passed the Senate as part of the Water Resources Development Act and is expected to be signed into law. The provision directs the Army Corps of Engineers to minimize the space they use around the lock and dam as much as possible, while maintaining access for safety and maintenance purposes, to make room for the development of a public recreation space. Redevelopment for a recreational space is being led
In Big Win for Minnesotans in Lake, St. Louis and Cook Counties, U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Bill to Support Counties Passes Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement after her bill to provide critical federal funding for hosting federal wilderness lands passed the Senate: “Thye-Blatnik payments have been a vital source of revenue for Cook, St. Louis and Lake Counties in northeastern Minnesota since 1948. But in 2018, a suspect and likely wrong reappraisal led to massive potential cuts in county revenue, which would have devastating impacts for communities in Northern Minnesota,” said Sen. Smith. “Today, after years of work with the Trump and Biden Administrations to reappraise and correctly uphold the value of this one-of-a-kind wilderness, I am pleased that
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