Low-income, diverse communities face greater health impacts from air pollution
Air quality in Minnesota has slowly improved since 2008 and currently meets federal standards. Unfortunately, even low and moderate levels of pollution can contribute to serious illnesses and early death — and those health impacts are greater among communities with more residents who are low-income, uninsured, people of color, or people with a disability.
On Tuesday, MPCA and Minnesota Department of Health experts announced the latest findings of their Life & Breath work. Their two new report briefs explore how air pollution affects public health in the seven-county Twin Cities metro area as well as in Duluth, Rochester, and St. Cloud. The experts found air pollution played a role in 10% of all deaths (about 1,600 deaths) in the Twin Cities metro, and 9% of all deaths (about 280 deaths) in the three Greater Minnesota cities combined.
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The Communications and Outreach team is excited to share that the website redesign project has entered the technical and content development phase. The look and feel our new site is now final and we have begun to build the site, which requires developing technical aspects and implementing designs. We have also started working through updates to content across the site with the goal of making our site easier to navigate and understand. As content updates are made to individual sections, the web team will reach out to program staff about major changes.
The redesigned website is slated to launch by July 4. Your partnership is very much appreciated. This is a huge task and we are excited to be moving our agency forward by creating a refreshed website.For more information visit the MPCA website redesign project page on the Lorax.
Use the button below for more details and a sneak peek of the homepage.
Join the Climate Action Framework Community Conversation
Join Commissioner Kessler and other members of the Governor’s Climate Change Subcabinet for the virtual Climate Action Framework Community Conversation, March 16, 1 to 3 p.m.
The conversation is an opportunity for public reflection on Minnesota's climate future. Participants will hear about the foundations of the draft framework, share their perspectives on climate action, and learn about other ways Minnesotans can give feedback on the draft.
Click here to join the meeting.
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The State Employee Group Insurance Program (SEGIP) is conducting a medical insurance premium holiday in March 2022. This means that you will not be charged for the medical premium in both March paychecks.
SEGIP will still collect premiums for all other insurance coverage in March 2022 (including dental, life, vision, disability, pretax and medical premium back charges). Standard premium withholding resumes in April.
The medical insurance premium holiday applies to members enrolled in SEGIP medical coverage during March 2022 including:
- Employees actively employed and on payroll.
- Employees billed by SEGIP billing including employees on leave or COBRA.
- Under age 65 retirees with an employer contribution for medical insurance.
- Under age 65 retirees who pay their premiums directly to the plan administrator will receive a premium holiday in either March or April 2022
For active employees, medical insurance deductions will not be taken from the checks of March 11 and March 25, 2022, and therefore could increase your net pay.
For more information, see the Premium Holiday FAQ.
Meet Riley Spielman
Riley (they/them) began their journey at the MPCA in January 2022 as the agency’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Consultant. They previously worked as the Director of Equity and Inclusion for the Continuing Care for Older Adults Administration within the Minnesota Department of Human Services, where they championed DEI efforts, including anti-racism initiatives, and served as co-chair of the agency’s Employees with Disabilities Employee Resource Group.
Riley has been privileged to obtain degrees in Community Psychology, and Educational Leadership and Policy, and is a current doctoral student in the Educational Sustainability program at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
They live in East Saint Paul with their rescue dog, Seela and can often be found walking the trails of Battle Creek Regional Park, enjoying their connection with nature. Riley is honored to be joining the MPCA and welcomes everyone to join them on the never-ending journey of cultural humility and anti-racism.
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The MPCA is accepting applications from organizations interested in hosting a Minnesota GreenCorps member for the 2022-2023 program year. Members serve full-time for an 11-month AmeriCorps service term, September through August. Eligible organizations include government entities, educational institutions, and 501(c)3 nonprofits.
Applications are due Tuesday, March 22, by 5 p.m. Visit www.pca.state.mn.us/mngreencorps to learn more and download application materials. Please direct questions to mngreencorps.pca@state.mn.us.
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Equity Experience events
Equity Experience events offer a variety of ways to “experience” equity, so we can hold ourselves accountable to learning, growing, and engaging with this important work and our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. In order to receive an IDEA credit for attending an Equity Experience event, you will be required to report what you learned, thought, experienced, etc. to your team, so that there will be accountability and shared learning. Check out the event list on the Lorax.
Water issues seminar: The history of lake ice measurements in Minnesota
Thursday, March 10, 9-10 a.m.
With 11,842 lakes in Minnesota, there’s always great interest in lake freeze-up in the fall and the eventual thaw in the spring. Keeping a consistent record of the thaws and freeze-up can be challenging. From the early days of “dunk the clunk” contests to satellites and drones, data gathering continues to evolve. In the end, it’s still an army of citizen scientists that provide the bulk of the lake ice data used to study the pulse of climate in Minnesota. Presenter: Peter Boulay, MN DNR
Join via Webex
Episode 2 — Chandra Taylor: The impact of everyday environmentalists
Tuesday, March 15, 11 a.m.-noon
Chandra Taylor is the leader of SELC's Environmental Justice Initiative. Her ongoing work in North Carolina includes cleanups at contaminated industrial sites and an end to unchecked water pollution in Black communities. "It's not going to be just conservationists who turn the tide on global climate change. It's going to take a lot of people. It's going to take the everyday environmentalist." Visit The Lorax for more information.
Join Teams or with a video conferencing mn@m.webex.com, Video Conference ID: 116 632 457 3
St. Anthony: Minnesota's recycling companies helping shift industries toward more sustainable materials
Wayne Gjerde, the MPCA veteran who works with industry to develop recycled product markets, said there's increased discussion of opening an aluminum manufacturing plant to serve Upper Midwest makers from microbreweries to fabricators of auto-and-boat parts. Kate Davenport, co-president of 125-worker Eureka Recycling, said increased use of recycled content in manufacturing is encouraging for environmental and economic reasons. — Minneapolis Star Tribune
As fish house deadlines approach, how much trash will anglers leave behind?
in a news release calling the irresponsibly abandoned garbage "an eyesore at best and an environmental concern at the worst." How concerning? "Obviously all trash is bad for lakes and rivers. Trash is trash," said John Linc Stine. "We don't like trash in our natural environment." Stine is the executive director of the nonprofit Freshwater, and former commissioner of the MPCA. — Bring Me The News
Note: You can view additional news coverage on the Lorax's News clips page.
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We are committed to helping Minnesota communities adapt and prepare for more extreme weather. Learn more about our proposal for a $21 million grant program to help cities prepare for heavier rain events caused by climate change: https://bit.ly/34kQ7YT
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