Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Commissioner John Linc Stine, with the assistance of a selection committee, has invited 16 individuals from around Minnesota to advise the MPCA on matters related to environmental justice. The group will provide input and recommendations about ways to incorporate the principles of environmental justice into the agency’s work.
“It’s easy to talk about remedying the disproportionate impacts of past pollution and preventing future harm, but much more difficult to put those words into action,” said Stine, who currently serves as ECOS Vice President. “This advisory group is an important step in making sure that equity is addressed in our work.”
The MPCA’s environmental justice framework outlines goals and strategies to ensure that all Minnesotans benefit equally from environmental protection. The advisory group will provide recommendations and advise the MPCA Commissioner in four key areas:
- Evaluating the effectiveness of the MPCA in implementing its environmental justice framework, including assisting the agency in determining ways to measure success;
- Providing recommendations to the MPCA Commissioner on improvements to policies and procedures to ensure integration of environmental justice principles into the agency’s work;
- Providing input to the MPCA on activities and timeframes for framework implementation; and
- Collaborating with the MPCA to improve civic engagement around environmental justice issues and acting as liaisons to strengthen communication and relations.
More information about the advisory group, the selection process, and MPCA’s environmental justice work can be found on the Environmental Justice webpage. [Parisien]
