The City Council’s Public Works & Infrastructure Committee is holding a public hearing 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12 on the City’s Climate Legacy Initiative, a new plan announced earlier this summer by Mayor Jacob Frey.

The Climate Legacy Initiative will begin to fund the City’s aggressive climate actions as outlined in the Climate Equity Plan. Over the next 10 years, an additional $10.2 million will be raised annually through increases in the electric and gas franchise fees in Minneapolis.

For the typical Minneapolis household, the franchise fee increases will cost an additional $12 a year – or $1 a month – on average. Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy will collect these fees from customers and pay them to the City of Minneapolis. The City will in turn invest the additional revenue in the Climate Legacy Initiative.

As part of the initiative, all Minneapolis residents will be eligible for energy efficiency programs, which could save many households over $500 a year in reduced energy costs from common home upgrades like LED lighting.

All commercial and industrial energy users in Minneapolis can also benefit from expanded programs like the Green Cost Share, which helps community members with financial assistance to install more energy-efficient systems.

Watch our video: Green Rock Apartments. Building a more climate resilient Minneapolis. This story shows an affordable housing property owner who takes advantage of City funding to help reduce energy costs for tenants and build a better tomorrow.

Public hearing on proposed franchise fee increases to fund Climate Legacy Initiative
1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12
City Council’s Public Works & Infrastructure Committee
City Hall, 350 S. Fifth St. (Room 317)
Learn more about participating in a public hearing.