There's a new license plate proposal being considered by the state legislature that has a pollinator-friendly purpose.
The Habitat-Friendly Solar license plate features butterflies and a field of flowers, painting a picture of the pollinator-friendly ground cover that could get planted on solar facility land.
Chief author of the bill is DFL Representative Matt Norris (Blaine). He says proceeds from the plates could make solar panel production even greener.
"One of the tensions with solar is the concern that we're taking up valuable native habitat," says Norris. "And so this program is a way to make sure that we're making progress towards our goal while also maintaining other valuable uses of that land."
Norris says there are currently only 59 habitat friendly solar projects in the state, and if the bill passes the projects would be vastly expanded.
Norris says in a sea of new license plate proposals, this one comes with a worthy purpose.
"So you do at times worry about, you know, is there license plate fatigue up here at the Capitol? But I think this one, I've heard from so many people who are attracted to different aspects of this particular license plate," Norris explains. "Maybe it's helping our pollinators, maybe it's advancing solar energy."
The plate features butterflies and a field of flowers, and would cost plate holders 60 extra dollars a year and has artwork from Minnesota artist Timothy Turenne.
The rusty patched bumble bee is the first native bee species to be listed as endangered in the lower 48 U.S. states under the Endangered Species Act. Some of Minnesota’s native bee and butterfly species are in danger of extinction. When you purchase the brand new pollinator Critical Habitat license plate, you support managing land where Minnesota’s pollinators can thrive.
The Critical Habitat Plate was created in 1995 to provide an opportunity for citizens to contribute a nominal amount to conservation of Minnesota's natural resources, and show their commitment and individuality with a special vehicle license plate. The critical habitat plate replaces the standard Minnesota license plate on your vehicle.