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Housing & Economic Development <br />meet immediateand future localneedsaswellaspolicieswhichseektoposition <br />Minnesotaasastateofchoicefor testingnext-generationbroadband; <br />Metroeligibilityforbroadbandfunds,including increasedcapacity forareaswith <br />existinglevels ofservice; <br />Testing and review of street-level broadband speeds and updating of comprehensive <br />statewide street-level mapping of broadband services to identify underserved areas and <br />connectivityissues. <br />Programs and projects that improve broadband adoption, achieve significantlyhigher <br />broadband speeds, and support efforts to improve digital inclusion by ensuring that <br />robustandaffordableInternetconnectivityiswidely availableto allMinnesotans. <br />Municipalauthorityandencouragementoflocalgovernmentstoplayadirect rolein <br />providing broadband service. This includes repealing Minn. Stat. § 237.19. The state <br />should clarify that cities have the authority to partner with private entities to finance <br />broadbandinfrastructureusingcitybondingauthority; <br />Local authority to manage and protect public rights-of-way including public and <br />private infrastructure, to zone, to collect compensation for the use of public assets, or to <br />work cooperatively with and respond to applications from the private sector. Cities <br />mayexercise local authority over zoning and land-use decisions for siting, upgrading, or <br />alteringwireless service facilities and exercise regulations of structures in the public <br />right-of-way;and <br />Public-private collaborations that support broadband infrastructure and services atthe <br />local and regional level, including partnerships and cooperation in providing last-mile <br />connections. <br />3-QCityRoleinEnvironmentalProtectionandSustainableDevelopment <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,increasedemphasishasbeenplacedonprotectinggroundwaterandremoving <br />impairmentsfromstormwater.Inaddition,there isincreased emphasison cityparticipationin <br />controllingourcarbonfootprintandinpromotinggreendevelopment. <br />Metro Cities supports public and private environmental protection efforts to reduce <br />greenhousegasemissionsandtofurtherprotectsurfaceandground water.MetroCities <br />also supports ÐgreenÑ 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.MetroCitiessupportsstatefundingformunicipalrenewableenergyobjectives. <br />2022 Legislative Policies <br />40 <br /> <br />