Environmental Quality Board Will Seuffert| Executive Director MN - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Environmental Quality Board Will Seuffert| Executive Director MN - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Mar 07, 2023 205 likes •414 views

Environmental Quality Board Will Seuffert| Executive Director MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us Mission The EQBs mission is to enhance Minnesotas environmental quality for current and

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Environmental Quality Board

Will Seuffert| Executive Director

MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us

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Mission

The EQB’s mission is to enhance Minnesota’s environmental quality for current and future generations by leading interagency work to advance meaningful public engagement and facilitate informed decision-making on critical environmental issues.

2 MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us

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Membership

  • Citizen Members representing districts

throughout Minnesota

  • Commissioner Members providing agency

perspective and jurisdictional impact

  • Board Chair EQB leader and spokesperson
  • Preside over meetings, propose agendas
  • Strategic leadership
  • Vice-Chair vacancy

3 MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us

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EQB Support

4 MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us

  • Budget: Annual $1.2 million
  • One Executive Director; Seven Staff and AGO support
  • Staff specialize in Communication, Rulemaking, Environmental Review and Coordination
  • Technical Representatives from all agencies
  • Support Environmental Review, planning, public engagement
  • Liaison and ambassador for EQB work; operational link to agency resources
  • Interagency Project Staff
  • EQB collaborates w/ staff throughout agencies for project related expertise
  • Relationship with MPCA
  • EQB housed in MPCA building
  • MPCA provides administrative support (accounting, purchasing, human resources, etc.)
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Findings

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116C Environmental Quality Board “The legislature of the state of Minnesota finds that

problems related to the environment often encompass the responsibilities of several state agencies and that solutions to these environmental problems require the interaction of these agencies”; and… “debate concerning population, economic and technological growth should be encouraged so that the consequences and causes of alternative decisions can be better known and understood by the public and its government.”

MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us

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Jurisdiction and Authority

  • EQB “… shall determine which environmental

problems of interdepartmental concern to the state government shall be considered…”

  • “… shall review programs of state agencies that

significantly affect the environment and coordinate those it determines are interdepartmental in nature, and ensure agency compliance with state environmental policy.”

  • “… shall convene an annual EQB congress

including … representatives of state, federal and regional agencies, citizen organizations, associations, industries, colleges and universities, and private enterprises who are active in or have a major impact on environmental quality.”

6 MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us

General Powers and Duties (M.S. 116C.04) Environmental Review (M.S. 116D)

  • May meeting

Water Laws (M.S. 103A, 103B)

  • June meeting

Silica Sand (M.S. 116C.99) Critical Areas Law (M.S. 116G)

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Our Role

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Strategic Interaction of Multiple State Agencies

Serves as forum for public to engage in environmental decision making

Stewards Minnesota Environmental Review Process

MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us

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Pollinator Protection

  • Executive Order 19-28
  • Honey bees and numerous native

pollinator species have declined due to numerous stressors

  • Habitat Loss, Pesticides, Climate Change
  • Convened Governor’s Committee on

Pollinator Protection (E.O. 16-07)

  • Established Interagency Pollinator

Protection Team

MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us 8

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Governor’s Task force on Wild Rice

  • Wild rice is culturally, economically, biologically

important for Minnesotans

  • Health of wild rice dependent on water quality and

habitat

  • Convened Governor’s Task Force on Wild Rice

(E.O. 18-08/09)

  • Consensus-based approach: 9 meetings in fall

2018; report issued January 2019

  • Established a positive, constructive dialogue

around a complex and contentious issue

MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us 9

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Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)

  • EAB put 1.3 billion ash trees at risk in

communities and forested areas

  • Minnesota has more ash than any other state
  • 1-in-5 community forest trees are ash
  • Established EAB Interagency Team
  • Needs include:
  • Strengthened statewide coordination to slow the

spread and delay costs

  • Financial assistance to communities
  • Statewide approach for ash utilization and disposal

MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us 10

Current Expanse of EAB in Minnesota

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25% by 2025 Engagement Process

Goal to improve water quality statewide 25% by 2025

  • 10 Town Hall meetings across the state drew

more than 2,000 attendees

  • More than 500 participated online and via

community water meetings

  • Hundreds of fourth graders interacted with

25 by 25 at the Metro Water Festival  Over 3,500 unique ideas from Minnesotans about how to achieve 25% water quality improvement by 2025

MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us 11

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E+E Report Card

  • Staff collaboration across several

state agencies

  • Biennial reporting on: climate,

energy, air, water and land indicators

  • Results based accountability process to

develop indicators

  • Evaluate MN environment to

measure progress and prioritize efforts.

MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us 12

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Climate Coordination

  • Interagency leadership and support
  • Energy and Climate (E&C) team
  • Interagency Climate Adaptation Team (ICAT)
  • 2016 Climate Solutions and Economic

Opportunities report

  • Interagency effort, models policy options
  • Ongoing engagement opportunities
  • DOT-led Pathways initiative

MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us 13

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Environmental Review Program

  • Assist governmental units, citizens and

project proposers with the process

  • Monitor, track and report program

effectiveness

  • Convene Environmental Review Advisory

Panel

  • Develop Enterprise master contract
  • Qualified consultants
  • Reduced contracting time

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  • Rule Updates: May 15 Meeting
  • Legislative Directives
  • (Rec Trails and Silica Sand)
  • Improve Clarity
  • Align with statute and regulations

MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us

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Where we’re headed

  • Generic Environmental Impact Statement

(GEIS)

  • ER Mandatory Category Rulemaking
  • 2020 State Water Plan
  • Environmental Congress
  • Environment and Energy Report Card
  • Interagency Pollinator Protection Team
  • ER Guidance and Continuous Program

Development

  • Climate Change

15 MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us

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2019 Calendar

April May June April 10: Public Engagement Meeting May 1: Environmental Review Overview May 15: ER Rule Revisions June 13: Water Plan, GEIS discussion July August September July 17: Board Retreat August 21: Board Meeting September 18: Board Meeting October November December October 16: Youth Voices November 20: Board Meeting December 18: Board Meeting

16 MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us

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How to be an effective EQB Member

  • Propose agenda items, interagency working groups, subcommittees, bring

topics/ideas to the Board to discuss and get public input

  • Stay engaged with interagency staff teams; feedback loop with tech reps and other

staff

  • Direct staff action
  • Propose a resolution
  • Ask questions and respond to public comments
  • Debate
  • Help get the word out

17 MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us

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Strategic Plan

  • Adopted 5-yr strategic plan in 2018
  • Identifies 6 priority results

1. Fostering innovative policy development 2. Leadership on priority emerging environmental issues 3. Transparent, accountable, efficient, environmental review process 4. Diverse/underrepresented groups actively included in policy development 5. A trusted partner with state agencies in collaborative work 6. Support to local government on environmental review and policy/program implementation

18 MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us

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Thank You!

Will Seuffert

will.seuffert@state.mn.us 651-757-2766

MN Environmental Quality for Current and Future Generations | www.eqb.state.mn.us 19