CURE is excited to welcome Tom Burnett to our staff during the summer of 2024 as a Legal Intern. Tom is a second-year law student at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. During his time with CURE, Tom is conducting legal research, drafting comments for submission to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, and collaborating with rural communities and other environmental organizations to advocate for climate resilience, sustainability, and energy democracy. He is primarily working on CURE’s opposition to the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions carbon dioxide pipeline in Minnesota. He is also focusing on CURE’s campaign for a forward-thinking implementation of Minnesota’s recently enacted Carbon Free Standard and a variety of issues related to rural electric cooperatives.
Tom grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and the surrounding rivers and woods inspired a lifelong love of nature. Before attending law school, Tom was a continuing education planner and taught English and Communications at Chippewa Valley Technical College. He holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from Oklahoma State University and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
After finishing law school, Tom hopes to continue advocating for an energy future that promotes both communal and environmental good. He views the energy transition not simply as a challenge to be overcome but as an opportunity to rethink the balance of who sacrifices for and who benefits from an electrified world. As we work toward a cleaner, sustainable grid, Tom wants to ensure we value the needs of all who call Minnesota home—including listening to rural voices and keeping our eyes on wild things.
