PETER 
--

peter.wagenius@swrractuborg

     

Governor Wall and Ll. Governor Flanagan,

I am Legislative Dlrector ior the North Star Chapter ol the sierra Club, one oi the nation's oldest and largest grassroots
environmental organizations, and I'm applying to serve on the Governor's Advisory Council on Climate Change In
addition to representing sierra Club, I otter deep experience in the area at sustainable transponation and land use policy.
have worked in these areas ior twenty years Also, i have worked in local government tor sixteen years, which is directly
relevant to the need you've recognized ior the State to lead, and work with, local units ot government.

Transponation is now the source oi climate pollution It is also an arena ol rapid change and org opportunities
Multiple revotutions in automation and shared mobility systems could be oeneticiat to the climate,
Automation alone could also be detrimental in some ways to both equity and the climate. but good public policy will make
the diiterence between changes that happen to us and changes that happen tor us and with us To seize those
opponunities, we must take advantage oi best practices lrom other states and nations Through my years oi work. policy
research and participation at national conterences like Rall>>Volutton and the National Association oi city Transponaiion
oriicials, I am prepared to contribute to inter-disciplinary conversations I would anticipate on the council

To be useiul. the work product oi the Advisory Council must be actionable. not rust theoretical The Mayors and Chieis oi
Stall that I served as Policy Director in Minneapolis will testiiy that I am really good at tinding the nexus oi good policy and
practical political reality, While I have produced results on a broad range oi issues, I have a particularly strong record in
transponatrcn and land use policy. This experience includes working across pany lines and around the whole metropolitan
area in pannerships to build new transponation proiecis As just one example. the rebuild oi l-35W to include Orange
Line Bus Ftaptd Transit is a story oi turning controversy to consensus That positive evolution was not an accident. but
rather the product 01 building a bipartisan, urban/suburban coalition lo embrace innovation and recognize the ditterent
needs at drtlerent constituencies

in order to be ettective. Governor Walz has oiten noted the need tor policymakers to take social permits into account I
agree. The elected otiicials have worked with will also tell you that I am adept at thinking 20 steps ahead, anticipating
the actions we need to lake ten years lrom now and working hack lrom that to develop the actions we can lake right
now that will pay oti in the tuture This approach is nowhere needed more than on the climate. a mullHaceted challenge
where some at the social permits needed tor iuture action do not yet exist. Eul our culture is quickly evolving and we can
strategically build on current social permits to create the iuture we need.

in all my work on transponation and environmental issues. I've been motivated by the climate and environmental 
in college, I visited "cancer alley" in Louisiana and wrote a papei on environmental iustice that was later used by then-
Senator Paul Wellstone to successluily argue tor creating the critice oi Environmental Justice losui at the EPA, I learned
early in lite thai (in some small way) I could make a ditterence These values have motivated me ever since

Nothing is more satislying to me proiessionaily than being pan or a smart diverse team working in service ot a common
Vision Home the big things lhat genuinely improve people's lives always requires authentic partnership and coalition-
building. Success In this Elton requires members at I diverse coaliltun Working With one another as we would want our
whole society to work. where everyone brings their lullest Contributions and sees these contributions respected and
included

I know we can do org things. My experience teaches me that we can meaningiuily contribute to goals as pig as reversing
historic inequities and global climate change. You will see in my resume that have a strong record oi working In teams to
develop and implement substantive changes that make a diiterence I would appreciate the opportunity to serve

Thank you'

Peter Wagenius