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ST.
PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota
Environmental Quality Board (EQB) will hold its Environmental Congress on March
15. The goal is to shape a vision for the state’s environment and energy
future.
The
Congress is the culmination of six citizen forums drawing hundreds of citizens held
around the state late last year. Input gathered from the forums is the starting
point for the Congress, where recognized
experts and community leaders will develop recommendations for addressing
Minnesota’s environmental and energy challenges and opportunities. These
recommendations will help guide the EQB and the Dayton Administration to create
short-term action steps and to set goals for the future.
Minnesota Environmental Quality
Board Chair Dave Frederickson says the top environmental issues citizens
targeted at the forums included silica sand mining, copper-nickel mining, water
quality and groundwater depletion, climate change and renewable energy, and
wolf hunting.
“We heard repeatedly the need
for regulation based on sound science, the need for more education about the
environment, and the need for jobs and the economy to be balanced with
environmental protection,” said Frederickson. “All of the comments were
recorded and a summary will be presented at Environmental Congress.”
Governor Mark Dayton will
open the Congress, to be followed by many of Minnesota’s top environment and
energy experts. These experts will lead a dialogue on issues of water, land,
energy, air, and climate. Explorer and
educator Will Steger, CEO of Northern States Power Judy Poferl, former U.S. Congressman David
Minge, and Dr. Mark Seeley of the University of Minnesota are among the experts
leading the dialogue. Additionally,
young adults from high schools and colleges around the state will present the
Next Generation’s perspective.
The Environmental Congress
will be held Friday, March 15, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Ramada Inn,
Bloomington. Interested members of the public are welcome to register as space
allows. For more information on the Congress, including the agenda and
speakers, visit www.mn.gov/environmentalcongress.
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