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Housing & Economic Development <br />State policies and support programs that substantially increase speed and capacity of <br />broadband services statewide, including facilitating solutions at the local level. The state <br />should offer incentives to private sector service providers to respond to local or regional <br />needs and to collaborate with cities and other public entities to deploy broadband <br />infrastructure capable of delivering sufficient bandwidth and capacity to meet immediate <br />and future local needs as well as policies which seek to position Minnesota as a state of <br />choice for testing next -generation broadband; <br />Metro eligibility for broadband funds, including increased capacity for areas with existing <br />levels of service; <br />Municipal authority and encouragement of local governments to play a direct role in <br />providing broadband service. This includes repealing Minnesota Statute 237.19. The state <br />should clarify that cities have the authority to partner with private entities to finance <br />broadband infrastructure using city bonding authority; <br />Local authority to manage public rights -of -way, to zone, to collect compensation for the use <br />of public assets, or to work cooperatively with the private sector. Cities may exercise local <br />authority over zoning and land -use decisions for wireless service facilities; and <br />Public -private collaboration that support broadband infrastructure and services at the <br />local and regional level, including partnerships and cooperation in providing last -mile <br />connections. <br />3-Q City Role in Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development <br />Historically, cities have played a major role in environmental protection, particularly in water <br />quality. Through the construction and operation of wastewater treatment and storm water <br />management systems, cities are a leader in protecting the surface water of the state. In recent <br />years, increased emphasis has been placed on protecting ground water and removing <br />impairments from storm water. In addition, there is increased emphasis on city participation in <br />controlling our carbon footprint and in promoting green development. <br />Metro Cities supports public and private environmental protection efforts to reduce <br />greenhouse gas emissions and to further protect surface and ground water. Metro Cities <br />also supports "green" design and construction techniques to the extent that those <br />techniques have been thoroughly tested and are truly environmentally beneficial, <br />economically sustainable and represent sound building practices. Metro Cities supports <br />additional, feasible environmental protection with adequate funding and incentives to <br />comply. <br />Green jobs represent employment and entrepreneurial opportunities that are part of the green <br />economy, as defined in M.S. 116J.437, including the four industry sectors of green products, <br />renewable energy, green services and environmental conservation. Minnesota's green jobs <br />policies, strategies and investments need to lead to high quality jobs with good wages and <br />benefits, meeting current wage and labor laws. <br />2018 Legislative Policies <br />34 <br />