Austin Chanen

“When evaluating policy, referring to scientists and empirical data is not just important—it is an absolute necessity for objective, human-centric governance.

I will consistently look to scientific experts to understand the objective reality of complex issues, free from corporate spin. This is especially vital when navigating major public health initiatives, mapping out localized environmental protections to defend our air and water, and managing emerging technologies like AI data centers to ensure they do not devastate our power grids or ground water resources.

However, looking to science means seeking objective data on what is happening, not letting unelected bodies dictate how we govern. Scientists provide the crucial facts and risk assessments, but as an elected official, my job is to take that evidence and balance it with a fierce dedication to civil liberties, worker protections, and constitutional rights. I will use science as a guiding light to cut through special-interest lobbying, ensuring our state’s policies are grounded in hard truth while firmly protecting the autonomy and well-being of everyday working Minnesotans.”

KEYWORDS: Empirical Fact-Finding

“I am completely unyielding in my opposition to copper-sulfide mining in the watershed of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The passage of H.J. Res 140 is a devastating blow that strips away vital protections from 225,000 acres of public land, inviting irreversible “acid mine drainage” that can poison our pristine waterways with toxic heavy metals for centuries.

Now that federal shields have been dismantled, the State of Minnesota must act as an aggressive backstop to protect our environment, public health, and outdoor economy from corporate exploitation. I support the following state-level policies to defend the watershed:

State-Level Permanent Mineral Withdrawal: Enacting a state-level ban on copper-sulfide mining within the Rainy River watershed to create a permanent barrier that future congressional maneuvers cannot undo.”

KEYWORDS: Watershed Preservation Promised

“The presence of toxic “forever chemicals” exceeding safety standards in 21 of our community water systems is a direct public health crisis. While Minnesota has taken steps through Amara’s Law to phase out nonessential PFAS use, we must scale up our response to protect residents’ health right now.

I propose a three-pronged legislative strategy to secure our drinking water:

Clean Water Emergency Funding: Meeting national safety standards will cost local communities heavily. We must establish a state-funded emergency grant program to help cities fast-track advanced filtration systems without passing the bill onto working-class families through skyrocketing water utility rates.

Enforce “Polluter Pays”: Large corporate manufacturers responsible for introducing these toxins into our environment must bear the financial burden of remediation. I support aggressive state legal action to force corporate polluters to pay for long-term water treatment infrastructure.

Choke Off Source Contamination: We must halt PFAS contamination at the source by strictly enforcing disclosures and aggressively restricting the industrial use of intentionally added PFAS unless independent, science-based reviews prove the use is completely unavoidable.”

KEYWORDS: Polluter Pays Principle

“The rapid expansion of hyperscale data centers threatens to push our clean energy grid to its limit and strain local water supplies. While recent legislation took steps by ending electricity sales tax exemptions and requiring basic DNR water reviews, it did not go far enough to protect ratepayers and the environment. I support unyielding state-level regulations to act as a shield for our communities: Mandatory Closed-Loop Systems: Any facility using over 100 million gallons of water annually must be mandated—not just encouraged—to use closed-loop, recycling cooling systems to preserve critical groundwater. Grid Infrastructure Protections: We must strictly enforce that 100% of the massive energy infrastructure upgrades required by tech conglomerates are paid for upfront by the corporations themselves, guaranteeing utility bills never skyrocket for working-class families. Local Sovereignty and Transparency: I support empowering local municipalities to implement temporary development pauses or moratoria without the threat of corporate litigation, ensuring residents have a transparent, democratic say over noise, water, and grid impacts. We cannot allow massive tech companies to exhaust Minnesota’s resources for corporate profit while everyday citizens foot the bill.”

KEYWORDS: Closed-Loop Mandates

“Federal funding through the NIH is a vital economic and scientific engine for Minnesota, but we cannot rely on Washington alone to secure our state’s innovation economy. I plan to support robust state-level policies that amplify these federal investments and protect our local research workforce.

First, I will advocate for expanding state-backed matching funds—similar to the state’s bioinnovation and environmental trust funds—to help Minnesota universities and independent researchers bridge federal grant cycles. This ensures critical health and safety research never grinds to a halt due to federal gridlock. Second, I support aggressively investing in state higher education infrastructure to maintain world-class clinical, training, and laboratory spaces, keeping Minnesota competitive for top-tier scientific talent.

Finally, I will fight to protect these research jobs from corporate exploitation, ensuring state funding prioritizes public-health and community-driven advancements rather than special-interest profits. By building a solid state-level foundation, we can shield our public universities, secure thousands of working-class tech and research jobs, and ensure Minnesota remains a global leader in scientific discovery that benefits everyday people.”

KEYWORDS: Public Health Prioritization

“While Minnesota’s overall decline in fatal overdoses is a major step forward, the stark racial disparities show that our current safety nets are failing our Indigenous and Black neighbors. To ensure the downward trend reaches every community, I support targeted, culturally localized public health policies. First, we must directly empower Tribal Nations and Black-led community organizations by establishing decentralized, stable state funding. This will allow local leaders to expand mobile harm reduction units and establish culturally specific peer-recovery networks right where they are needed most.Second, I support standardizing comprehensive addiction care and evidence-based medicine across all regional correctional systems. Because individuals released from correctional facilities face a tragically elevated risk of overdose, we must build seamless continuity of care as they transition back into our communities. Finally, I will advocate for widespread community access to critical, life-saving resources—like naloxone saturation programs and drug-checking test strips—to counter emerging, hyper-potent synthetic adulterants. By removing corporate and bureaucratic barriers to healthcare, we can shield family budgets and save lives.”

KEYWORDS: Universal Healthcare Resources