Minnesota Environmental Partnership

SEE SCHEDULE O.MEP IS A COALITION OF 70 MINNESOTA ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TOGETHER TO PROTECT AND RESTORE MINNESOTA'S CLEAN WATER, LAND, CLIMATE AND AIR QUALITY, AND ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. THE PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES A VITAL WAY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS TO COLLABORATE IN THEIR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT MINNESOTA'S NATURAL RESOURCES ARE WELL PROTECTED.

OVERVIEW:MINNESOTA ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP (MEP) WORKS IN A UNIQUE WAY TO BRING TOGETHER THE ENERGIES AND PASSIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION NONPROFITS INTO A SINGLE POWERFUL VOICE. WE WORK IN SYNCHRONY WITH OUR MEMBERS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, AND WE EDUCATE AND MOBILIZE THE PUBLIC ON PRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS, INVESTMENTS, AND INITIATIVES.MEP'S WORK IS FUNDED THROUGH INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS, MEMBER GROUP DUES, AND FOUNDATIONS. FOUR OF MEP'S CURRENT FOUNDATION PARTNERS SUPPORT MEP THROUGH STRATEGIC TWO-YEAR GRANTS, WHICH WERE EACH SECURED IN FY19 AND ACTIVE IN FY21. INDUSTRY MANDATED ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES CALL FOR GRANTS TO BE REPORTED AS REVENUE IN THE FISCAL YEAR IN WHICH THEY ARE AWARDED AND THEN RELEASED THROUGHOUT THE GRANT PERIOD AS THE TERMS OF THE GRANT ARE FULFILLED. THEREFORE, THE BULK OF THE FOUNDATION GRANTS INTENDED TO FUND MEP'S FY21 PROGRAM ACTIVITIES WERE AWARDED AND APPEAR AS REVENUE IN LAST YEAR'S STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES AND 990, PRESERVED AS RESTRICTED ASSETS, AND RELEASED THROUGHOUT THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR(S) TO FUND OUR PROGRAM ACTIVITIES. CURRENT PROGRAMS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTSMEP'S PROGRAMS ARE FOCUSED ON PROTECTING AND RESTORING MINNESOTA'S NATURAL RESOURCES AND PROTECTING HUMAN HEALTH. WE DO THIS BY ORGANIZING AND CONVENING ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS WORKING IN THE STATE IN "CLUSTERS OR WORKING GROUPS. THIS MODEL HAS PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE AT GROWING A STRONG, EFFICIENT ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY SECTOR THAT'S ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS THAT INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS CANNOT. OUR CURRENT CLUSTERS INCLUDE WATER, GREAT LAKES, MINING, POLLINATORS, ENERGY AND CLIMATE, AND TRANSPORTATION. MEP ALSO WORKS TO SUPPORT AND COORDINATE GROUPS FOCUSED ON SAFEGUARDING THE STATE'S FUNDS THAT ARE CONSTITUTIONALLY DEDICATED TO PROTECTING AND RESTORING OUR GREAT OUTDOORS. THROUGH THESE WORKING GROUPS, MEMBERS SHARE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES, AND CREATE AND HARED POSITIONS AND EXECUTE STRATEGIES. WE ALSO WORK TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT ANNUAL COMMUNITY LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES. WHILE OUR CLUSTERS WORK ON INITIATIVES YEAR-ROUND, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS A SIGNIFICANT FOCUS OF OUR WORK. MEP'S ONGOING INITIATIVES ARE OUTLINED BELOW WITH HIGHLIGHTS FROM FISCAL YEAR 2021.DEFENDING MINNESOTA'S ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY FOUNDATION FROM ROLLBACKS, INCLUDING LAWS, POLICIES, RULES AND AUTHORITIES, AND OPPOSING EFFORTS TO BLOCK, UNDERMINE, AND UNDO STATE POLICY, STANDARDS, RULES, AND LAWS AFFECTING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CLEAN ENERGY; ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (MEPA, NEPA) AND PERMITTING PROCESSES; AGENCY AUTHORITIES; CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN COUNCILS, PROCESSES, AND HEARINGS; CLEAN, PLENTIFUL WATER; COMMUNITY AND TOWNSHIP RIGHTS; PUBLIC LAND ACQUISITION AND PROTECTION; AND BUFFER, WETLAND, AND CALCAREOUS FENS PROTECTIONS. THROUGH THE TREMENDOUS EFFORTS OF MEP, OUR MEMBER GROUPS, AND CITIZENS ACROSS THE STATE, NUMEROUS PROVISIONS AND ROLLBACKS HARMFUL TO THE ENVIRONMENT WERE PREVENTED FROM BECOMING LAW DURING THE 2020 LEGISLATIVE SESSION. PRESERVING LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS IN OUR GREAT OUTDOORSWE WORK TO ENSURE THAT CAPITAL INVESTMENTS FOR MINNESOTA'S GREAT OUTDOORS MAKE UP AT LEAST THE TRADITIONAL AMOUNT OF THE TOTAL STATE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS. THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED A RECORD-HIGH LEVEL OF SUPPORT ($302 MILLION) FOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE 2020 BONDING BILL, ALTHOUGH THE SESSION CONCLUDED IN OUR 2021 FISCAL YEAR. INVESTING IN CLEAN WATER AND LIVING LANDSCAPESA LONGSTANDING PRIORITY ISSUE FOR MEP HAS BEEN EDUCATING DECISION-MAKERS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE DETRIMENTS OF AGRICULTURAL POLLUTION TO STREAMS, RIVERS, LAKES, AND DRINKING WATER. WE'VE ADVOCATED FOR SOLUTIONS LIKE BUFFERS AND THE FOREVER GREEN INITIATIVE WHICH IS AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA THAT'S DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING NEW PERENNIAL AND WINTER ANNUAL COVER CROPS TO PREVENT FARM RUNOFF, INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY, AND IMPROVE HABITAT AND CLIMATE RESILIENCY. WITH STRONG MEP PRESENCE ON THE FOREVER GREEN PARTNERSHIP STEERING COUNCIL, THE PROGRAM RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING AND HAS HELPED MOVE NEW CROPS FORWARD. PROTECTING OUR WATER FROM SULFIDE MININGPROPOSED SULFIDE MINES IN NORTHEAST MINNESOTA, INCLUDING THE POLYMET NORTHMET PROJECT AND THE TWIN METALS MINNESOTA PROJECT, THREATEN OUR LAKES AND RIVERS WITH SIGNIFICANT ONGOING WATER POLLUTION. POLYMET'S DATA SHOWS THAT ONGOING WATER TREATMENT COULD BE REQUIRED FOR 500 YEARS OR MORE AFTER MINING HAS STOPPED. MEP HAS LEVERAGED OUR POSITION TO CONVENE THE MINING CLUSTER, WHICH HELPS GROUPS CONVENE, COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE ON THEIR STRATEGIES. ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE BEEN PUBLICLY HIGHLIGHTING THE DANGER, ESPECIALLY FROM MERCURY, TO DOWNSTREAM COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE ST. LOUIS RIVER WATERSHED AND LAKE SUPERIOR. PROTECTING THE GREAT LAKESMINNESOTA IS THE HEADWATERS STATE FOR THE GREAT LAKES, WITH 190 MILES OF RUGGED LAKE SUPERIOR SHORELINE AMONG ITS NATURAL ASSETS. SINCE 2005, MEP'S COALITION HAS WORKED TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THE GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE (GLRI), A LONG-TERM REGIONAL PLAN TO RESTORE THE LAKES AND STIMULATE THE REGION'S ECONOMY. THE MEP COALITION HAS SUPPORTED FULL CONGRESSIONAL FUNDING FOR GLRI, AS WELL AS LEVERAGING STATE DOLLARS THROUGH THE LEGACY AMENDMENT AND THE BONDING BILL. MEP ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN THE HEALING OUR WATERS COALITION, AND ALONG WITH THAT COALITION WE ARE TURNING OUR FOCUS TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES, INCLUDING LEAD IN DRINKING WATER. ONGOING ISSUES OF CONCERN INCLUDE CLEANING UP THE ST. LOUIS RIVER AND ADVOCATING FOR BALLAST WATER AND INVASIVE SPECIES PROTECTIONS. MEP EMPLOYS A FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBER AND A HALF-TIME ORGANIZER IN OUR DULUTH OFFICE FOR THIS WORK. THROUGH THIS OFFICE, MEP SUPPORTS LOCAL GROUPS, MANY OF WHICH ARE VOLUNTEER LED AND LACK RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BROADER NETWORKING.PROTECTING FAMILIES FROM LEAD IN THEIR DRINKING WATERIN DULUTH, MEP STAFF AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS HAVE HELPED OVER 50 FAMILIES IN LOWER-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS IDENTIFY WHETHER THEIR DRINKING WATER IS CONTAMINATED WITH LEAD. SADLY, ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE FAMILIES DO HAVE LEAD IN THEIR DRINKING WATER. MEP IS WORKING WITH COALITION MEMBERS TO FIND WAYS TO REPLACE ALL THE LEAD SERVICE LINES IN DULUTH AND IN OLDER HOMES ACROSS THE STATE.CORE CONVENING, COORDINATION AND CAPACITY-BUILDINGAS A COALITION, MEP'S ROLE IS TO BRING ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER TO NETWORK, COLLABORATE, AND ADVOCATE, BUILDING THEIR INDIVIDUAL EFFECTIVENESS WHILE WORKING ON COALITION-IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES AND INITIATIVES. WHILE THE COVID-19 SITUATION HAS REQUIRED US TO SHIFT SOME TACTICS TO VIRTUAL AND ONLINE FORMATS, THE CORE GOALS AND PROCESSES REMAINED. MEP COORDINATES MEMBER EFFORTS SO OUR COMMUNITY-WIDE RESOURCES ARE USED AS EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE, PROVIDING THE LEADERSHIP, EXPERTISE, COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH, CONVENING, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NEEDED TO ACHIEVE RESULTS. TO THIS END, MEP PROVIDES THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY WITH THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:1. LEADERSHIP AND EXPERTISE ON COLLABORATIVE ISSUE INITIATIVES: WE COORDINATE MEMBER GROUPS AND ALLIES TO SHARE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL, AND WE WORK TO ACHIEVE CONSENSUS OR NEAR-CONSENSUS BETWEEN MEP MEMBERS, AGENCY STAFF, KEY LEGISLATIVE SUPPORTERS, AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ON BEST STRATEGIES FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE. WE LEAD ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES AS WELL AS MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-STRATEGY CAMPAIGNS. WE ALSO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF OUR MEMBER GROUPS BY SPONSORING TRAININGS AND PROVIDING TARGETED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE CLUSTERS OF GROUPS WORKING ON PRIORITY ISSUES. 2. COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH, MESSAGING AND TRAINING: MEP PRODUCES AN ENVIRONMENTAL BRIEFING BOOK, MAKING THE CASE FOR THE COALITION'S PRIORITIES, WHICH IS DISTRIBUTED TO LEGISLATORS, AGENCY STAFF, MEDIA, AND MEP SUPPORTERS.3. PUBLIC EDUCATION AND MEDIA: MEP HAS BUILT STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEDIA ACROSS THE STATE AND USES A VARIETY OF COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS TO HIGHLIGHT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES EFFECTING MINNESOTA AND THE REGION. WE REGULARLY SERVE AS THE VOICE FOR MINNESOTA'S BROAD ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND ARE REGULARLY QUOTED OR RESOURCED BY STATE, LOCAL AND REGIONAL MEDIA. MEP ALSO HIGHLIGHTS WATER, AGRICULTURE, PIPELINES, MINING, CLEAN ENERGY, TRANSPORTATION, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND POLLUTION AMONG OTHER TOPICS IN OUR NEWS ROUNDUP EMAIL "NEWS WATCH" WHICH GOES TO SUBSCRIBERS TWICE WEEKLY, INCLUDING DECISION MAKERS, FUNDERS, AND MEDIA. OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER "ENVIRONMENTAL INSIDER" FEATURES ARTICLES ON A BROAD SPECTRUM OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. WE'RE ALSO ACTIVE ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER WHERE WE SHARE NEWS ARTICLES AND PROVIDE LINKS TO RESOURCES AND INFORMATION.