White House taps Minn. legislator for energy working group

The White House has selected a Minnesota legislator to lead a White House working group of on energy and climate change.

DFL Rep. Jeremy Kalin of North Branch will lead a group of roughly 40 state lawmakers to provide information on clean energy and climate change. Kalin said a key aspect of the plan will be a focus on helping create clean energy jobs in the U.S.

"We're going to live in a clean tech economy by 2020," Kalin said. "Is it going to be 10 percent, 20 percent or 50 percent of the global economy? It's going top be a key portion. I don't want to see us replace our reliance on Middle Eastern oil with reliance on far eastern solar panels. I want those products to be made here at home."

Kalin said he'll work with the group, White House staffers and Cabinet members to help shape legislation being crafted in Congress.

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