|
In this issue
Know the brewing and distilling business? The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is offering a $25,000 grant for an assistance provider interested in helping these businesses adopt more environmentally sustainable operations. An applicant with expertise in the processes behind the end product are encouraged to apply for grant funding.
The applicant will provide on-site audits, reports, and implementation help. The best application will offer some grant money as pass-through for project implementation. Help brewers and distillers explore opportunities in water use and energy conservation, local sourcing, waste reduction and more!
Don’t miss out! The deadline is May 2, 2017. The application is only 5 pages - easy!
The Sustainable Brewing and Distilling Environmental Assistance Request for Grant Application (RFGA) provides detailed information on requirements and the competitive process by which an applicant may apply for the grant. Grant awards are contingent on available funding, MPCA approval of final work plans and budgets, and the execution of grant agreements. Eligible applications will be evaluated by MPCA review teams to determine the projects that best meet the RFGA criteria.
For more go to bit.ly/EAbrewgrant. Applications must be submitted to grants-loans.pca@state.mn.us.
|
Proposed legislation threatens MPCA’s work
More than 15 bills under consideration in the Minnesota Legislature would change longstanding environmental protections in Minnesota. MPCA leadership has testified against many of these bills, arguing they are attempts to fix so-called problems that don’t actually exist. In reality, they are an effort to hamstring our environmental work.
The proposals:
- reduce or eliminate public input from some MPCA work.
- put political considerations ahead of vetted science.
- introduce uncertainty, red tape, and delay into required processes for Minnesota businesses.
The policy changes would:
Restrict state water-protection tools
- Suspend all water quality standards for two years. At least 90 cities would be unable to get wastewater treatment facility permits.
- Delay the impaired waters list, creating an endless loop of bureaucracy.
Bog down rulemaking
- Add new, redundant, and unnecessary review provisions that would increase bureaucratic processes and slow down our work.
- Change standards of proof, putting scientific decision-making in the hands of administrative law judges instead of the MPCA’s engineers, soil scientists, hydrologists, microbiologists, toxicologists, and other researchers with the necessary expertise.
- Delay protection of wild rice by specifically directing the agency to slow walk its wild rice rulemaking, currently in process.
Slow down permitting work
- Ban a faster, more flexible companion process to rulemaking in which the agency provides guidance to regulated parties and avoids painstaking, formal rulemaking.
- Add 15 days to our permitting timeline, which conflicts with our 150-day goal.
- Set a hard and fast deadline for permits that would hinder the proper handling of the most complicated cases. 90% of all MPCA permits are now completed on or before the 150-day goal.
Funding issues
The MPCA did not request increased funds from the Legislature in our FY 2018-2019 budget; the agency’s proposed spending is flat over the next two years. In addition, language in the transportation and energy bills puts at risk the $47 million due to Minnesota from Volkswagen as part of the company’s settlement for cheating emissions testing on its vehicles.
Looking to purchase new equipment that’s better for the
environment? Sometimes coming up with the initial funding can be difficult.
Getting an MPCA small business loan for equipment that meets or reduces environmental
regulatory obligations can help bridge that gap.
One Minnesota business did just that. Dan Tollefson,
owner of Schwegman’s Cleaners in Willmar, thought it time to make an investment
to save energy and manage less hazardous waste. Tollefson wanted to get away
from the controversial issues that follow perchloroethylene (perc) and move to
a higher performing product. Tollefson got a small business loan to replace an
old perc machine with a new hydrocarbon dry-cleaning machine. The new machine
cost $58,800; but he will save at least $6,000 per year. It will also eliminate
the need for $4,500 of perc every year (78 gallons), reducing hazardous waste
disposal fees. Because the equipment is energy-efficient, energy bills are now
lower.
About the small business loan program
Many small businesses can benefit from using the loan to
change or upgrade equipment. Promoted business sectors include breweries and
distilleries, gas stations, printers, and drycleaners. Projects that go beyond
compliance or focus on water use reduction are also highly encouraged. For other companies, loan dollars can help
with investigating or cleaning up contaminated sites.
To qualify a borrower must:
- be an existing
small business corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership, or association
- have less than
50 full-time employees
- have an
after-tax profit of less than $500,000 and a net worth of less than $1 million
- demonstrated
ability to repay the loan.
The general terms:
- loan amount not
less than $1,000 or more than $50,000
- an interest rate
of 4% or one-half the prime rate, whichever is greater at time of award
- a repayment term
of up to seven years
- flexible
collateral options available
- applications accepted throughout the year
The application is
now shorter and easier! Applicants are evaluated on their ability to repay the
loan, and the project's expected environmental benefits. All project costs must
be pre-approved and cannot be made until the application process is complete.
Borrowers must report on the project's realized environmental and economic
benefits. For more information, or to request an application,
contact MPCA's Small Business Environmental
Loan Program page.
|
 As of January 2016, state law requires certain businesses to recycle at least three types of materials. Bauer Welding & Metal Fabricators (Bauer), located in St Paul, MN, were made aware of this law and wanted to be compliant.
The company was recycling cardboard and scrap metal but knew they could do more. Even though they found out this specific law is not applicable to manufacturers, the company still wanted to reduce their environmental footprint and implement a new program in their business.
“We are an employee-owned company, so anything to help our bottom line is good,” said maintenance lead Sean Hildesheim.
How BizRecycling helped
Waste Wise helped the company transition to a single-sort recycling program, eliminating one of four trash dumpsters and replacing a cardboard dumpster with a single-sort one. Trash is minimized and more space created for recycling. Waste Wise connected Bauer to a local pallet recycling company who could take their wood waste and plastic film. They also helped the company apply for a BizRecycling grant to receive color-coded bins and labels for the entire building and provided Bauer’s employees with training on procedures and benefits for the company.
Bauer has saved money and gained efficiency from their newly implemented program. The addition of single-sort recycling allows the company to recycle an additional 14,500 pounds of material each year. Including their added wood and plastic film recycling, Bauer recycles a total of 43,500 pounds of material every year. The company now saves an average of $1,200 each year.
-Reproduced with permission from BizRecycling. See this and other stories of business recycling successes at www.bizrecycling.com/category/local-stories.
|
Last year, sales from Goodwill stores
funded employment training, job placement services, financial education, youth
mentoring and more to 9.8 million people in the United States and Canada. Here
in Minnesota, Goodwill is supporting greener transportation by adding electric
vehicle charging stations at some of their stores.
Goodwill stores are where shoppers find treasures, just
the right items to give a second chance for use in their homes or to wear. Their attractive displays offer a variety of new and used
household goods, furniture, and clothing. As a focus of the Goodwill-Easter
Seal Minnesota workforce development program, the stores provide essential
training and employment opportunities — helping those in need while providing a
greener shopping experience through reuse and repurposing.
The recent addition of electric vehicle charging stations
at some Goodwill stores supports greener transportation. Retailers find
providing this service attracts new customers who are also likely to spend more
time in the store. The ideal store locations within each region of the metro
area make them convenient for the DC Fast Charger service which charges an
electric vehicle in 20 minutes. This is another example of how Goodwill Stores
are growing business value alongside environmental excellence.
Gary Schettl is an electric vehicle owner who uses
Goodwill store DC Fast Chargers almost weekly when commuting for work.
While his vehicle is charging, he often spends time shopping in the
store. In addition he explained, “I typically keep a stash of items to drop off
in my LEAF and turn them in to Goodwill just before starting my charge.”
“We believe offering these Fast chargers on-site is a
convenience that Goodwill customers appreciate and reflects our shared
commitment to doing what is right for our communities and the broader
environment,” expressed Lynne Dahl, Goodwill-Easter Seals Director of Store
Design and Property Management.
More information
Check out this video of the 24 Hour Charging Challenge, featuring the PEV Owners Circle member, ZEF Energy, Galactic Pizza, and the 36LYN Refuel station at an event held this spring. The MPCA has a guide Charging While You Work.
|
 Businesses often have many hard surfaces, including rooftops, parking lots, and roads that can convey dirty water into nearby lakes and streams. Now that spring rains are falling and things are greening up, its a good time to start thinking about how to keep rain on your business property.
Recently the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) provided grant funding for Childrens Dental Services in Minnespolis, MN, to install permeable pavers as part of a parking lot redesign project. Read the full article here.
Permeable pavers, raingardens, or swales are some options for capturing rainwater on your property. Consider contacting your local Watershed District to get more information.
|
|
