Local Video
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| Student testifies about Clean Car Act |
By: SUZANNE ROOK, Managing Editor
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Posted: Friday, March 20, 2009 9:51 pm
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NORTHFIELD — Katherine Horvat was in her element Monday, testifying before a committee of state senators.
Supporting the Clean Car Act, which stipulates that beginning with 2013 models, new cars purchased or leased in Minnesota would need to meet stringent emissions standards, Horvat asked senators to consider the environment.
If passed, Minnesota would be the 15th state in the nation to approve the legislation, which, it’s estimated, would reduce emissions from cars and light-duty trucks by 30 percent by 2016, according to the MPIRG Web site.
Horvat, 20, an environmental science major at St. Olaf College, isn’t just concerned about the environment, she’s looking for a career where she’s helping formulate policies on the topic. So when Horvat, a Rice Lake, Wisc., native and member of St. Olaf’s Environmental Coalition, was asked by members of the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group to speak before the legislators, she jumped at the chance.
It didn’t hurt that the bill, known as the Clean Car Act, is sponsored by Sen. John Marty of Roseville, the father of a fellow Ole and friend, Micha Marty.
“One of my biggest passions is climate change,” said Horvat of her support for the bill. By approving the legislation, which reflects California emission standards, Minnesota can significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
For those who don’t believe global warming is manmade, Horvat has this to say: “We can debate whether it was caused by humans or not. It is happening. If we want to keep life as we know it, we have to work to reduce (greenhouse gas emissions).”
Her experience at the Capitol was exciting, she said, though her testimony was delayed for two hours.
But when things got going, Horvat was first at the plate. “You don’t know where you’re going, who’s who, there were a lot of students from high schools — the room was packed,” she said of the atmosphere.
Following Horvat was a speaker from the farm lobby who opposed the legislation and a woman who backs the bill, believing it will improve air quality and therefore, reduce breathing problems such as asthma.
Though Horvat said she has heard some prefer to wait until the federal government enacts similar legislation, she doesn’t believe in waiting.
“We can’t do it alone.” she said. “We have to work together. There are no guarantees it’s going to be introduced soon (in Washington) or even passed.”
— Suzanne Rook can be reached at srook@northfieldnews.com or 645-1113.
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