Timothy J. Rudnicki

Timothy J. Rudnicki

Timothy J. Rudnicki is a licensed attorney and registered lobbyist in Minnesota.  

Tim offers a client centered approach for matters requiring professional legal and policy advocacy services in Minnesota and Washington, D.C.

Clients engage Tim as a legal and policy advocate for a broad range of energy and environmental matters.  From handling broad sweeping matters involving the transboundary generation and transmission of electricity to revising particular provisions in the building codes, Tim tailors an advocacy approach to serve his clients.

Tim counsels, and advocates for, clients.  The initial consultation with a client is used to identify their priorities and whether the matters will be addressed through either, or both, the legislative or legal process, including, for example, the Public Utilities Commission and rulemaking at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and U.S. EPA.  

From local and national nonprofit organizations to state and national trade associations, Tim crafts legal and policy advocacy services to address client priorities and budget constraints.  With Tim’s legal and policy advocacy services, clients tap into a broad range of experience.  Tim has handled, for instance, matters involving:

  • tax code provisions for production operations;
  • barriers to the installation and use of combined heat and power systems;
  • streamlining the air permitting process for the rapid installation of energy efficient process components;
  • closing the loop on electronic waste;
  • advancing client initiatives to grow business opportunities while reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and
  • other energy and environmental matters.

Use the contact button to arrange a no cost consultation with Tim.

Tim is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

 

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." — George Santayana

More than 65 years ago, physicist Edward Teller warned the industry about the climate harms of burning liquid fuel (Link). Yet, just a few years later, they ramped up lobbying against electric vehicles, claiming "clean-burning" internal combustion engines could match EVs' air pollution benefits (Link).

They conveniently ignored the carbon dioxide emissions threatening our life-sustaining climate.

We must remember the science that preceded us: Joseph Fourier (1824): Described the atmospheric greenhouse effect. Svante Arrhenius (1896): Quantified the CO₂-warming relationship. Charles Keeling (1958): Started continuous CO₂ measurements at Mauna Loa. Manabe & Wetherald (1967): Built the first climate model. Charney Report (1979): Established the 1.5–4.5°C warming range. James Hansen (1981): Provided the first peer-reviewed assessment of observed warming. IPCC (1991) & NCA5 (2023): Global and national consensus on climate risks.

And we must remember the denial.

The oil industry's public denial campaign began in 1980—decades before they publicly acknowledged the science (Link).

Today, this denial is exacerbated by the EPA's 2026 elimination of the Endangerment Finding (Link), capping required MPG at 32 instead of the projected 50+ (Link).

Will we choose "what is," or "what can be"?

Do we ignore the micro-economic hits (e.g., rising insurance costs) and macro-economic catastrophes and human suffering (e.g., water shortages, mass migration)? Or do we embrace the GHG-reducing solutions?

The technology is here. The savings are real.

My 5-passenger EV, with ample cargo space, is comfortable, fun to drive, and delivers 4.3 miles per kWh. Driving 100 miles in comfort currently costs just $3.05.

The science is clear. The economics are undeniable. The question is: Are we ready to act?

Federal

  • Under construction - new details will soon be here.

 

State

  • Under construction - new details will soon be here.