STATE SENATE GIVES APPROVAL TO BUILD NEW NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

 

 

St. Paul – the Minnesota Senate gave overwhelming approval to lift a 15 year old ban on the creation of new nuclear power plants.  The 42 to 24 vote was an amendment added on to the Omnibus Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Policy Bill.

 

Sen. Jungbauer (R-East Bethel) on of the original proponents of the provision praised the Senate for acting.  “This is a great day for Minnesota,” Jungbauer said.  “I was pleased to see so many of my fellow senators on the other side of the isle support this amendment.  Now we can move forward and have a real discussion about the future of nuclear power in this state.”

 

Jungbauer, who first introduced legislation two years ago to lift the ban, insists that nuclear power generation must be apart of the states aggressive carbon reduction standards.  “If we are insistent on reducing our carbon footprint, nuclear power has to be part of the equation, after all, it has zero carbon emissions,” Jungbauer said.

 

Opponents of the bill argue that the issue of what to do with the spent fuel rods has not been addressed, while proponents argue that advanced reprocessing technology as well as the federal government’s commitment to the Yucca Mountain storage facility addresses these issues.  “The federal government has secured the funding and promised us that Yucca Mountain will come on line. We need to hold our federal officials to that commitment,” Jungbauer said.  “In addition, the reprocessing of spent fuel rods as well as the use of 3rd Generation Advanced Nuclear Power Reactors will help shed the Three Mile Island mentality that so many people still have.”

 

The bill is scheduled for a final vote on Monday.

 

Posted 4/3/09

Jungbauer Attends National Summit on Education Reform 

 

Conference provides a roadmap for education reform for local, state and federal leaders across the nation  

 

State Senator Mike Jungbauer recently returned from attending the Excellence in Action – A National Summit on Education Reform sponsored by the Foundation for Excellence in Education held in Washington D.C. on October 8th and 9th.

 

Excellence in Action is organized around seven core principles, including High Academic Standards, Objective Measurement of Student Progress, Data-Driven Accountability, Teacher Quality, School Choice, Outcome-Based Funding and Disruptive Innovation.

 

“As good as our education system is in Minnesota there is always room for improvement,” Jungbauer said.  “Our kids today compete not only with students from other states, but with students from around the world.”

 

“More than 25 industrialized countries are superior to the United States in math and 16 of those countries surpass us in science,” Jungbauer said.  “This directly impacts our country’s global competitiveness in jobs, technology and even our national security.”

 

The Foundation for Excellence in Education was launched in 2007 by former Governor of Florida Jeb Bush.  The foundation examines what motivates students to exceed expectations, exposes the secrets to successful teaching, and replicating academic achievement across classrooms, schools and districts irrespective of their unique challenges.  As a reform minded body there is also a focus on identifying failed policy and impediments to achieving competitive excellence in U.S. educational systems.

 

“I was honored to attend this event and have the opportunity to work with leading education experts in defining where we as a country can lift our educational system back to a position of leadership and prominence,” Jungbauer said

Posted 10/16/09

          The New Batman?

Update 10/12/09: Mike had his last rabies shot.  He's not feeling very well at the moment, but perhaps things will start looking up!

Update: 9/20/09:  The first two rounds of rabies shots are completed, with more to come on 9/21, 9/28 and 10/12.   When asked to comment on the "bat incident", Mike explained that at first he thought the bat just fell on him.  He picked it up and brought it outside so it could fly away.  It wasn't until later that he discovered his cheeks were starting to swell up.  And yet he didn't think much of it.  He credits his wife, Vicki, with being concerned enough to notice what looked like two teeth marks on his face, and to call the doctor at that point.  That was the beginning of his education with rabies.  Due to the high number of rabies carrying bats in the state of Minnesota, "Hospitals don't send out the bats for rabies testing anymore, they just start the shots."

Senator Mike Jungbauer wasn’t expecting the goblins, ghouls or vampires to appear in his neighborhood till next month,, so what took place on Sunday night might have Robin, The Boy Wonder, making a fist with his green, gloved hands saying, “Holy Sudden Incapacitation Batman!”

While attempting to put a car away in his shed, something we think Bruce Wayne probably never did, Mike apparently disturbed a bat, which took the opportunity to communicate his unhappiness by tearing the skin or biting the senator beneath his right eye. The bat couldn’t be reached for comment, but his neighbors stated that, “He was just hanging around minding his own business.”

The Senator has started the series of rabies shots as a precautionary measure. (“Holy Complicated Rabies Shots, Batman!) He wishes to thank everyone for their concern, and will keep you updated here and on his facebook page! Mike has also learned so much about rabies in the last couple of days that he has requested we post information here for the general public to read. Check back often for updates!

Now, to the Batmobile!

Posted 9/16/09

Senator Mike Jungbauer Heads Third Annual Run/Bike Across the District

  

Senator Mike Jungbauer is busy training for his “Third Annual Run/Bike Across the District” and he’d like to invite members of the public to join him.

 

The last two years Senator Jungbauer successfully completed the 22 mile run/bike route between the cities of East Bethel and Elk River in his district.  He hopes to raise awareness for the transportation needs in rural communities.  “In one section of the run we go right through the business district of the City of Nowthen where the roadbed is dangerous and in extreme disrepair,” Jungbauer said.  “This is a prime example of where improvements need to take place”.

 

It took Sen. Jungbauer 18 years to overcome the pain of back and neck surgeries before he was able to return to long distant running.  “I have several ‘titanium spare parts’ in my neck that keep me going.  I want other people with physical constraints to know that you can overcome similar difficult hurdles,” Jungbauer said.  Last year Sen. Jungbauer completed the Twin Cities Marathon after being chosen as a Medtronic “Global Hero”.  Global Hero participants are recipients of medical implant devices.

 

This year the event takes place on Saturday, September 12 beginning at 8 a.m. at the East Bethel Recycling Center (2751 Viking Blvd NE).  The route will proceed along Viking Blvd. to Lions Park in Elk River where the run will transition to bicycles for the return trip to East Bethel.

 

A lead car and follow car will be present, book ending the participants for safety throughout the route.

Posted 9/11/09      

                                                                      

CAP-and-Trade

Senator Jungbauer gives his views on Cap and Trade.   

Posted 6/24/09

  Senator Jungbauer Argues

Against Higher Taxes On Senate Floor

Posted 4/27/09

Mike Speaks at International Conference on Climate Change

 

                                                      Photo: Andrew C. Revkin/ The New York Times

 Read the complete New York Times Story

Posted March 11, 2009 

Mike Competes in Twin Cities Marathon!

"Mike Jungbauer to run in Medtronic marathon as a Global Hero "

For the first time in 22 years, Minnesota Sen. Mike Jungbauer, R-East Bethel, will stretch his limits to run a marathon, but not just for his own personal goal, but to inspire others.  Read more on this story published in the Anoka County Union.

Posted 10/5/06

 

"Complete Streets" Event

Photos taken from the beginning of the event on Saturday, September 6

 Posted 9/6/08

Senator Mike Jungbauer Heads Second Annual Run Across the District

Second Annual Event to Draw Attention to "Complete Street" Concept

 

State Senator Mike Jungbauer (R-East Bethel) is busy training for his “Second Annual Run Across the District for Complete Streets” and he’d like to invite members of the public to join him.

 

Last year Senator Jungbauer successfully completed the 22 mile run/bike route between the cities of East Bethel and Elk River in his district.  This year the route will also move through Nowthen, the newest city in Minnesota.  Senator Jungbauer hopes to raise awareness for the transportation needs in this burgeoning new community.  “This is the only section along this main east/west transportation corridor of our run/bike route that does not even have so much as a shoulder on the road,” Jungbauer said.

 

During the 2008 Minnesota Legislative Session, Senator Jungbauer successfully introduced legislation requiring the Minnesota Department of Transportation to study the implementation of “complete streets” in new and future road design.

 

The “complete street” concept utilized existing right of way many roads currently have or are designed with, providing access for bicycles and pedestrians.  This may involve reducing a currently designed four lane road to three with the center lane being dedicated as a left turn lane. “Statistics show that a three lane road actually increases safety by at least 25% for autos and pedestrians with less congestion because all vehicles are much more visible especially in the left hand turn lane,” Jungbauer said.  The remaining space would be devoted to bicycle lanes and wide pedestrian sidewalks. 

 

This year the event takes place on Saturday, September 6 beginning at 7a.m. at the East Bethel fire station on 2751 Viking Blvd. East Bethel.  The route will proceed to Lions Park in Elk River where the run will transition to bicycles for the return trip to East Bethel.

 

A lead car and follow car will be present, book ending the participants for safety throughout the route.

 

Media or members of the public wishing to speak with Senator Jungbauer about the event should either meet the Senator before the start of the event at the East Bethel Fire station, or at Lions Park during the transition from run to bike. 

          

 Posted 8/29/08