Minneapolis City Council plans to override Mayor Frey veto of plan to fine the city's largest carbon dioxide polluters

Members of the Minneapolis City Council are promising to override the Mayor Jacob Frey's veto of their carbon fee plan.

Council members argue the fees would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by six percent and while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey agrees with that idea, he says he’s been advised that the practice would be largely considered illegal. Currently under state law, the city can only charge regulatory fees to recoup its costs. City attorneys concluded that the new fees and the order things were being proposed by the council could be considered an "illegal tax".

But Council Vice President Aisha Chigtai says passing this policy is all about supporting the needs of Minneapolis residents.

"We approved this action unanimously out of our last council meeting," says Chigtai. "It is unfortunate that we are in the position that we have to legislate veto after veto, but we plan to override this next one and the one after that too."

Under the plan, the city's top 36 carbon dioxide emitters could faces fines from the city. Council Member Robin Wonsley, who led support for the plan, says it would charge the those polluters $452 per ton of carbon dioxide emissions. She said they council did their homework and believes the proposal is sound.

"Climate change is caused by carbon emissions and Minneapolis residents consistently asked the city to take immediate action to reduce carbon emissions and do what we can to prevent the worst damages from happening here in Minneapolis as a result of climate change," Wonsley says.

Council members say they are willing to address Frey's concerns around legal risks to get him on board with the plan, They are expected to vote on the override Thursday.

Carbon dioxide is Earth’s most important greenhouse gas , which is a gas that absorbs and radiates heat. Unlike oxygen or nitrogen (which make up most of our atmosphere), greenhouse gases absorb heat radiating from the Earth’s surface and re-release it in all directions—including back toward Earth’s surface.

That greenhouse effect is important, as it allows the planet to warm up and keep surface level temps above freezing. But too much can cause harm.

The National Weather Service explains that by adding more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, humans are supercharging the natural greenhouse effect, causing global temperature to rise.