|
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope this newsletter finds you well, and as we near the end of July, I hope you are finding time to enjoy summer.
As August rolls in, I want to lead by reminding folks that as it's an election year, the Primary Election is coming up on August 9. Now is a good time to check your voter registration status and make a voting plan. Check out the county's prepare to vote page for more information.
Also, Fix-It Clinics are back! More information below.
You'll also find in this newsletter environment-focused updates, county engagement opportunities, and community services.
My best,
As you may know, August 9 is Primary Election day. Voting in elections is your opportunity to be heard, hold elected officials accountable, and have a say in important issues that affect your community.
Check out resources at the Hennepin County prepare to vote page to confirm voter registration status, register to vote, find polling locations, see the election calendar, learn more about absentee voting and more.
Get free help with your broken stuff and learn valuable repair skills at an upcoming Fix-It Clinic. Bring in your broken household items and get free, guided assistance from volunteers with repair skills to disassemble, troubleshoot, and (hopefully) fix small appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more.
Clinics are held on the second Saturday of every month from noon to 4 p.m., with the last items accepted at 3:30 p.m. Events are first come, first served. No pre-registration required.
Upcoming Fix-It Clinics are scheduled for:
- Saturday, August 13 at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, 5025 Knox Avenue South, Minneapolis
- Saturday, September 10 at Gramercy Park Cooperative, 6711 Lake Shore Dr. S, Richfield
Learn more and see the full schedule of 2022 Fix-It Clinics at hennepin.us/fixitclinic.
|
Hazardous waste collection events provide residents more convenient local disposal options for their unwanted garden and household hazardous wastes.
Events will take place Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following dates:
- August 12 and 13 at South High School in Minneapolis
- September 9 and 10 at the Hennepin County Public Works Orono Shop
Before you go, find health and safety guidelines and a list of acceptable materials at hennepin.us/collectionevents.
|
The Environmental Response Fund (ERF) helps revitalize sites by providing funding to assess and clean up contamination. The grants reduce barriers to site improvement or redevelopment caused by the added costs of environmental cleanup and lessen the risk to human health and the environment posed by the contamination.
Here are grants in District 3:
-
3030 Nicollet, Minneapolis - $48,454 for vapor mitigation associated with the development of 109 units of affordable housing and commercial space. (Grantee: City of Minneapolis on behalf of PPL Nic Lake LLC)
-
Simpson Community Shelter and Apartments, Minneapolis - $219,369 for soil cleanup, asbestos and lead-paint abatement, and vapor mitigation costs associated with construction of 42 units of affordable housing and an emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness. (Grantee: City of Minneapolis on behalf of Project for Pride in Living, Inc. as developer for Simpson Housing Services, Inc.)
-
Wooddale Avenue Apartments, St. Louis Park - $184,325 for soil cleanup, vapor mitigation and asbestos and lead-based paint abatement costs associated with the development of 114 units of affordable housing. (Grantee: St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority on behalf of St. Louis Park AH I, LLLP)
-
Wooddale Station Redevelopment, St. Louis Park - $239,000 for soil cleanup and vapor mitigation costs associated with the construction of 65 units of affordable housing, 250 units of market-rate housing, and 13,000 square feet of commercial space. (Grantee: City of St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority on behalf of Wooddale Station, LLC)
The county recently awarded 26 Green Partners environmental education grants totaling $470,100 to community organizations to engage their audiences in learning about and taking action to protect the environment. Together, these projects will engage more than 6,000 residents in taking action and reach more than 122,000 residents with environmental messages.
The program prioritizes environmental education and engagement with youth, Black, Indigenous, communities of color and other underserved and historically marginalized communities to reduce health and education disparities and advance environmental justice. Of the organizations receiving grants, 20 will work primarily with Black, Indigenous, and communities of color.
The program includes two types of grants – 13 of the organizations will work primarily with adult audiences to motivate environmental actions, and 13 organizations will work primarily with youth on learning about the environment and becoming environmental stewards.
Grant projects focus on a variety of topics, including protecting natural resources, reducing waste and recycling, and taking action on climate change. Grantees will engage audiences in 14 cities throughout the county.
Learn about the organizations receiving grants and their projects.
|
Achieving zero waste will require significant changes in our individual behaviors and transformative changes in the policies, programs and resources that make up the solid waste system. The 2021 Recycling Progress Report (PDF) sheds light on the transformative changes that are needed.
Moving toward zero waste
In 2021, 39% of waste generated in the county was managed as recycling and organics, and the remaining 61% was managed as trash.
The county has made progress in several key areas, but we know behavior change is only part of the solution and policy and systems change are needed. Recognizing the need to go bigger, the county started the development of a Zero Waste Plan.
Adjusting to a new normal
Hennepin County continued a thoughtful and intentional transition to a new normal in 2021. The county resumed many vital services, such as resuming normal operations at the drop-off facilities and once again offering hazardous waste collection events. Some services remained on hold, such as in-person Fix-It Clinics and other events, and we continued to have success with online engagement for many programs.
Expanding residential organics recycling programs
Many cities rolled out organics recycling programs in advance of the county’s requirement for cities to offer organics recycling by January 1, 2022. The county helped cities develop and launch their programs by offering support with contracting and promotions. The county also continued to push for more organics recycling capacity to meet increased demand.
Focusing on disparity reduction
There continues to be a need for better access to services and more resources for recycling programs, especially in multifamily settings. The county started applying the Racial Equity Impact Tool, which helps identify how to reduce disparities and increase equity, to waste reduction and recycling programs.
|
The Kris Nelson Community-Based Research Program at the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) builds the power and capacity of community-based organizations to create social change through partnerships with the University of Minnesota. They match the research and technical needs of organizations with student research assistants to carry out community-defined and -guided projects. CURA works with organizations selected for the program to create shared understanding and action based on the results.
The deadline for Fall 2022 projects proposals is August 5, 2022. The projects will run from early September through mid-January.
More details on submitting your proposal:
If you have any questions or would like to discuss a project idea, please reach out to reach out to at C Terrence Anderson at canders@umn.edu or Lee Guekguezian at guekguel@umn.edu.
Hennepin County Library is creating a new strategic plan — and we need your input. Complete this 5-minute survey.
Even if you haven’t visited the library for many years, your feedback is welcome.
Kids and teens 18 years old and younger can receive nutritious meals and snacks free of charge at parks (including Armatage Park!), libraries, other community spaces this summer!
Visit https://cws.mpls.k12.mn.us/community_park_menus to find community sites or download the Free Meals for Kids app. These free meals and snacks are part of Minneapolis Public Schools’s participation in the federally funded Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
Learn how to provide habitat for birds and bats by downloading or ordering three new brochures. These resources will help you learn how to:
Download or order free print copies from our environmental resources order form. These resources and many more are available for free to community groups, cities, schools, and residents in Hennepin County.
|
Contact us
Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883
Elie Farhat
Principal Aide
612-348-7125
Laura Hoffman
District Aide
612-348-0863
|
