News

Adapting to more extreme weather

Thursday, April 22, 2021  |  6-7 p.m.

Watch on YouTube

Join us for a virtual Earth Day event to explore how increasing extreme weather due to climate change is impacting local communities — and ways that Minnesotans are preparing for these major weather events.

We’ll discuss the challenges that communities face from more frequent and intense storms, including flooded streets, damaged homes and businesses, and sewer backups and overflows. We’ll hear from voices from municipalities and tribal nations about the needs and opportunities for helping communities across the state prepare for and adapt to these challenges.

The conversation will be moderated by Heidi Roop, PhD, assistant professor and extension specialist at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Soil, Water, and Climate.

Participants: 

Cheryal Hills, executive director, Region Five Development Commission

Katrina Kessler, assistant commissioner for water policy and agriculture, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Sara Smith, Midwest tribal resilience liaison, College of Menominee Nation Sustainable Development Institute

Wendy Turri, director of public works, City of Rochester

Dave Wanberg, city planner, City of Faribault

Send your questions on Twitter: @MnPCA The Twitter feed and questions for panelists will be monitored in real time

About the forum series: 

The forum series provides opportunities for Minnesotans and members of the Climate Change Subcabinet and its working teams to come together, discuss the challenges facing our state due to climate change, and explore equitable solutions that make sense for our communities.

Our Minnesota Climate is a multi-agency initiative focused on putting Minnesota back on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 and increasing climate resilience.

Grants are available for improving air quality in areas of concern for environmental justice

Addressing inequities in how people are exposed to air pollution is a priority of the MPCA. To help address these inequities, the MPCA has $130,000 available to help fund projects that will reduce emissions of air pollutants in areas of concern for environmental justice. These are areas where Indigenous communities, people of color, or low income residents are disproportionately exposed to levels of potentially harmful air pollution.

Any project that reduces emissions within an area of concern for environmental justice will be considered. Examples:

• Equipment upgrades or product changes in manufacturing processes
• Switching to low-VOC or water-based paint or printing products
• Switching to preferred alternatives to ethylene oxide

For other examples of facilities or activities that may qualify, see the request for proposal at www.pca.state.mn.us/regulations/improve-air-quality-areas-of-concern. Applications must be received by April 30, 2021.

For more information, visit the MPCA’s story map, understanding environmental justice in Minnesota.

Emerald Ash Borer Research: Updates from the University of Minnesota

Thursday, April 15

Please join the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the University of Minnesota's Forest Entomology Lab for updates on current emerald ash borer (EAB) research being conducted in Minnesota. Speakers include Dr. Brian Aukema, Dorah Mwangola, and Jake Wittman. Learn about Mwangola's insecticide treatment optimization study and Wittman's work on determining the attractive range of a new green prism detection trap baited with sex pheromone and ash volatile lure combination. The event will last 60 minutes with time for questions and answers. 1.0 Continuing Education Units (CEU) will be available for ISA Certified Arborists who attend.

Registration: April 15 at 11 AM

Emerald Ash Borer Virtual Informational Meetings

Wednesday, April 21

Two virtual open houses for residents and tree care professionals will be held on Wednesday, April 21. Experts from the MDA will give a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.

Registration: 10 - 11:00 a.m. 

Registration: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Emerald Ash Borer: Management Guidelines and Insecticide Treatments

Thursday, April 22

Please join the MDA to learn about EAB management guidelines and insecticide treatments. Jonathan Osthus, MDA, will go through EAB management guidelines developed for communities. Jeff Palmer, certified arborist, will discuss selection of good treatment candidates, preventative vs. reactive treatments, and limitations of different treatment options. The event will last 60 minutes with time for questions and answers. 1.0 Continuing Education Units (CEU) will be available for ISA Certified Arborists who attend.

Registration: April 22 at 11 AM

Join Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) and the Great Plains Institute for Cities Charging Ahead: Electric Vehicle Boot Camp on April 29, 10 am to 12 pm

Cities have an important role to play in determining where and how charging stations are built, and they also serve as a critical partner and leader in increasing electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Drawing on lessons learned from two successful Cities Charging Ahead cohorts, we'll cover best practices for the following:

• Adding EVs to city fleets
• Installing city-owned charging stations
• Developing EV standards for private development    

Also provide attendees with access to numerous resources developed through Cities Charging Ahead, designed to help local governments take action and become EV-ready communities.

This two-hour boot camp event is the perfect opportunity to get up to speed on actions that cities can take to scale EV adoption while meeting clean energy, climate, and public health goals.

Who should attend? Local government officials and others looking for ways that cities can be a leader in electrifying transportation in Minnesota. While the focus of our project was city actions, county staff and tribal nations could also benefit from the content provided.

Speakers:

• Diana McKeown, MetroCERT Director at the Great Plains Institute
• Katelyn Bocklund, Program Manager at the Great Plains Institute
• Rebecca Heisel, Minnesota GreenCorps member at the Great Plains Institute

RSVP and learn more 

The MPCA is hosting a live webinar on street sweeping, Thursday May 13, 9:30-11:00 AM. The webinar will feature distinguished speakers covering the following:

• Opening statement - the importance and value of street sweeping: Randy Neprash, PE, Minnesota Cities Stormwater Coalition, Stantec
• Discussion of nutrients in urban stormwater, focused on impacts of trees: Dr. Sarah Hobbie, Distinguished McKnight University Professor, Dept. of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, University of Minnesota
• Overview of recently developed street sweeping calculator: Aileen Molloy, Tetra Tech
• Overview of draft guidance for street sweeping: Hillary Yonce, Tetra Tech
• Discussion of additional research needs: William Selbig, Research Hydrologist, USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center
• Q&A

Information for joining the webinar, speaker information, and links to information on street sweeping can be found at https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php?title=May_2021_street_sweeping_webinar.

Comprehensive Plan Implementation Partnerships

The Resilient Communities Project (RCP), in collaboration with the Metropolitan Council, is now accepting proposals from townships, cities, and counties located in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area for partnerships during the University’s 2021–2022 academic year (September 2021 to August 2022).

This special call for proposals is intended for local government agencies seeking to collaborate with the University of Minnesota on projects that build community resilience, advance equity, and implement elements of a locally adopted 2040 comprehensive plan.

Successful applicants will benefit from research and technical assistance provided by graduate and professional students and faculty at the University of Minnesota, from a variety of departments and disciplines. The selection process is competitive, and successful applicants must support the effort through dedicated staff time and a modest local financial contribution.

Who Is Eligible: Local government agencies (township, city, and county) located in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. To be eligible, communities must be within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Council. 

Program Cost: For projects proposed and accepted under this special call for proposals, the Metropolitan Council will provide matching funds to offset the cost of participation in the RCP program. The local financial contribution is $2,000 per project, with a $5,000 per-project match from the Metropolitan Council. 

Deadline for Proposals: June 15, 2021. Communities selected for participation will be notified by the end of June 2021. Proposals must be submitted by email as a single PDF file to rcp@umn.edu.

For More information or to Apply:  https://z.umn.edu/RCP-CPIP-2021. 
 

Join DNR for the remainder of the "series" of one-hour learning experiences on a wide variety of floodplain and shoreland management topics.

Target audience: Local zoning and engineering officials, consulting engineers and planners, watershed officials, surveyors, state and federal agency staff involved in related programs, etc. Many sessions would also be of interest to elected/appointed officials and other interested citizens. 

• Mon, March 29, 1-2 pm: Shorelands – Aiming Higher! Registration Link for 3/29/2021 
• Wed, March 31, 9:30-10:30 am: Floodplain Administration-the Next Step! Registration Link for 3/31/2021 – 9:30 am 
• Wed, March 31, 1-2 pm: Floodplain Basics (repeat of March 8th)  Registration Link for 3/31/2021 – 1:00 pm 
• Mon, April 5, 1-2 pm: Mitigation Mindset Registration Link for 4/5/2021 
• Wed, April 7, 9:30-10:30 am: Floodplains - Aiming Higher! Registration Link for 4/7/2021 
• Mon, April 12, 1-2 pm: FEMA Maps – Dealing with “A Zones” Registration Link for 4/12/2021 
• Wed, April 14, 9:30-10:30 am: Web Sites, Floodplain Maps and Tools - Oh My! Registration Link for 4/14/2021 
• Mon, April 19, 1-2 pm: Variance Administration-A Focus on Shoreland Registration Link for 4/19/2021 
• Wed, April 21, 9:30-10:30 am: STOP LOOK and LISTEN! Flood Prep & Response Registration Link for 4/21/2021 
• Mon, April 26, 1-2 pm: Dealing with Non-Conformities (Shoreland and Floodplain)  Registration Link for 4/26/2021 
• Wed, April 28, 9:30-10:30 am: Money, Money, Money…..Flood Insurance Basics and Coming New Changes! Registration Link for 4/28/2021 
• Mon, May 3, 1-2 pm: Shoreland Management 101 Registration Link for 5/3/2021 
• Wed, May 5, 9:30-10:30 am: Variance Administration-A Focus on Shoreland Registration Link for 5/5/2021 

For more information

Please contact floodplain.dnr@state.mn.us or:

Ceil Strauss, MN DNR State Floodplain Manager

Dan Petrik, MN DNR Shoreland & River Programs Manager

See the Spring Series flyer for more details.

2021 Salt Symposium - two days of chloride research & innovation! 

August 3-4 (online only)

New Directions in Chloride - 8/3: water softening, fertilizers, and more 

Winter Maintenance - 8/4: the latest research and technology 

Learn more, register soon, and nominate an Environmental Leader at https://fortinconsulting.com/2021-symposium/ 

MnSTAC Outreach Survey 2021
Help shape the future of community forestry.

The Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee would appreciate a few minutes of your time to help understand the needs of communities and guide the committee in its advocacy for community tree resources. Your input could help your community receive a FREE tree for its 2021 Arbor Day Celebration.

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RKZ9B7J 

Join the UMN Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) for a series of workshops that dive deep into action you can take to create a welcoming community in Greater Minnesota. Hear from community leaders, businesses, and arts and cultural organizations about how they are implementing practices that welcome and include all community members.

The workshops build on an RSDP project that involved working with partners in two communities to explore their welcoming efforts and develop the guide Creating a Welcoming Community: A Toolkit to Support Immigrants, Refugees, and BIPOC.

Register for one workshop or all three. Registration space is limited to accommodate small group breakout discussions. 

April 15 - 12:00-1:30pm - Creating a Welcoming Community: Beginning with leadership 

April 29 - 12:00-1:30pm - Creating a Welcoming Community: It’s good for business

May 13 - 12:00-1:30pm - Creating a Welcoming Community: Growing with arts and education