Happening

Minnesotans love our Great Outdoors, and we are willing to do what it takes to improve our favorite parks and open spaces. Dakota County is no exception. It is home to some of our most iconic examples of natural beauty here in our state—places like Lebanon Hills Regional Park, the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers, Sand Coulee, and Whitetail Woods. As demand grows in Dakota County for more access to nature and parks, now is the time to start thinking about the future.

For the past three years, Conservation Minnesota has worked with partner groups to put on an annual Environmental Commissions Conference every April. There is a great deal of overlap in these sorts of issues from city to city, and also the potential for cities to coordinate, so commissioners and other interested folks get together once a year to share ideas, think about how to work together, and get to know each other.

On December 17th, 2019 Rosemount Mayor Bill Droste and City Council Members in attendance enthusiastically voted to turn the task force into an official city commission.

On Thursday, January 22nd I went to a hearing of the Minnesota Senate’s Energy & Utilities Finance & Policy Committee held at Mound Westonka High School in Minnetrista.

Last week, the Minnesota Senate Energy & Utilities Committee was in Rochester for a public hearing on the Senate Republicans’ Clean Energy First legislation.

Over the past ten years, Minnesota’s cities have been increasing their sustainability goals and positively impacting their communities. I’m lucky to work with a few East Metro cities that are working toward achieving step 5—the top step!—in the GreenStep program.

On Saturday, November 16th about 35 people gathered to hear Representative Shelly Christensen (DFL-39B) speak at an environmental issue-based town hall.

In September, Governor Tim Walz announced he would direct the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to implement Clean Cars Minnesota.

Last summer, Rochester Public Utilities put forward a first-of-its-kind proposal for a municipal utility—be 100% renewable by 2050 and achieve 50% renewable energy by the time their current power contract expires in 2030.

On Wednesday, October 30th I went to a great event at the Ridgedale Library that showed how the community is working to protect and restore its open spaces.