Community Work News

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.