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- Environmental Education Advisory Board Meeting Minutes - 2007 - May
- Draft EEAB Meeting Minutes
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
May 3, 2007
12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Members Present:
Lee Ann Landstrom, Chair (District 5); Brinkley Prescott (District 4); Susan Hankner (District 8); David Weinand (Dept. of Ag); Renee Pardello for Nate Meyer (U of M Extension); Cathy Moeger (MPCA); Kim Benson-Johnson (Dept. of Health); Mark LaBarbera (DNR); Karen Balmer (Board of Teaching).
Members Absent:
Vacant (District 1); Michelle Kelly (District 2); Vacant (District 3); Mary Johnson (District 6); Vacant (District 7); Mike Sullivan (EQB), Pete Cleary (Citizen At-Large); Patty Selly (Citizen At-Large); Tracy Fredin (Citizen At-Large); Clark Erickson (Dept. of Ed); Jeff Ledermann (MPCA); Jon Fure (BWSR).
Staff:
Su Beran, Staff Liaison (MPCA); Denise Stromme (MPCA); Colleen Schoenecker (MPCA); Mike Kennedy (MPCA).
Lee Ann Landstrom, Chair, called the meeting to order at 12:40 p.m.
Additions to the Agenda: None
Approval of Minutes:
LeeAnn and Board approved April Meeting Minutes.
Legislative Update - Cathy Moeger
Legislature approved Clean Water Legacy for $30 million. Project Green Fleet was approved for $1.2 million, with air quality curriculum through Hamline University.
Presentation from Community Design Center - Ruth Murphy, Executive Director
Ruth Murphy gave her presentation on the Community Design Center (CDC) to the Board. The CDC of Minnesota was established as a non-profit corporation in 1969. They have three staff and 50-some teenage interns/partners. Ruth said that the interns have to be from St. Paul's East side. Their mission is to help revitalize low/moderate income communities by providing technical assistance and operating programs that will enhance the physical, economic, social, ecological, and spiritual well-being of the community and its residents. The CDC creates community and personal health through hands-on projects, education, and mentoring. Ruth commented that their seven community gardens and conservation programs help young people learn job skills and become more connected to their local environment. She said their interns gain important leadership skills and make links to professionals in the fields of food and ecology. The students have done much of the manual labor to create the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary. The CDC provides cooking classes that help improve nutrition for children and their families. Ruth said they also conduct environmental science and art classes to create awareness for the local environment. Ruth then took questions from the Board.
Break
Summit Highlights - Denise Stromme
The summit was very successful. Two hundred eighty names of leaders were pared down to 130 invitees. Fifty-four signed up. Even feedback from people that were not invited was very involved and positive. People loved getting the books that were handed out at the Summit. These books are now available in our MPCA's Learning Resource Center, so you can check them out. The glasses were also a hit; some were sold at the auction. Guests felt recognized and appreciated as well as feeling they contributed to the big picture of EE. Denise is looking over the evaluations, which talked of goals of the conference. Thirty-three felt they contributed to EE. Denise thanked EEAB members that were there; she felt they did a fantastic job. Sue Hankner said that the staff did a great job at planning. Su Beran said that it was an excellent networking opportunity to exchange ideas, and collaborate. Future EE summits would be beneficial according to the evaluations. Some of the evaluations suggested it would be better to have a Summit every few years or every other year. The EEAB took an active role; very much a board event not just MPCA. Several issues arose from this summit: (1) Thirteen people are willing to be interviewed for the GreenPrint. (2) Statute language of EE - possibly pull out words that do not fit. Rules have not been changed since 1998. (3) Work on four state GreenPrint priorities - the Board will follow-up with comments. Leadership follow-up assessment was a starting point to do more leadership work in EE. Denise would recommend to the Board that these different pieces be discussed and that the Board could take somewhere. This is a key piece for future planning for the Board. Lee Ann asked Denise if the notes can be available by the next EEAB meeting. Lee Ann said this will give the Board a better chance to work on these issues. All the notes will go to everyone who attended and to those that were invited.
Where are we today and where are we going as a board? - Sue Hankner
Sue Hankner prepared the list of assigned responsibilities of the EEAB that were presented at the February 2006 Board meeting. We looked at each of the responsibilities and discuss the current status of each. Each of the responsibilities is on schedule. She pointed out that the dynamics of the world had changed since February 2006 when the Board first began its work on its responsibilities and provided the group with a list of items she brainstormed - examples of the political lay of the land has changed, corporations are now recognizing climate change is happening, the legislature adopted and the Governor signed into law a renewable mandate for electric utilities, the Governor created two groups to look at environmental issues and report to the legislature, etc. She suggested there is more to add to the list and that at some point a comprehensive list should be analyzed for determining content of the GreenPrint and other potential recommendations that might be made to the Commissioner and ultimately the Governor. The group did add more to the list and Sue will prepare it for the next Board meeting. The next questions are where does the EEAB go from here and what should it be recommending to the commissioner.
Cathy Moeger suggested having a strategic Tipping Point discussion (i.e., Tipping Point by Maxwell Gladwell). Sue H. said that we are an advisory board to the MPCA Commissioner and ultimately the Governor and she expressed that Ruth Murphy gave great insights to EE. Sue H. feels a sense of urgency for the Board to give some sound advice to the Legislature and the Governor. It is good to have bi-partisan approach - for the betterment of the state. Regarding the E.L.M idea: Cathy said contract has been made with the MAEE to design several funding structures. MAEE would be the fiscal agent and handle a reimbursement tool. Make sure to measure process to assess the GreenPrint. Add to the timeline that the Board helped at summit and CWLA passed. Other items to add to the timeline are the following: Kim Benson-Johnson says MDH handles water, fish consumption, and lead. Denise said that EE is more prevalent now because there is more growth in the greater MN area. This affects septic systems, wells, wind pressure, etc. Ultimate ongoing change, i.e. lack of honey bees issue; nature vs. social. Definitely want more emphasis on natural and social systems interaction. When one interaction occurs it affects the other. Sue H. asked if this timeline should be part of the GreenPrint. Lee Ann said that the GreenPrint does not necessarily connect with this timeline, but we will consider this next time when we see the whole document.
Old Business
The "Report Card" - questions are being finalized. The focus will be on energy. Survey calls will occur in August and September.
WE3 Group - Clark and Mike would like this to be an ad hoc committee, endorsed project, of the Board.
New Business
June Agenda Item - school sector approach facility-based mercury in schools. Cathy Moeger would like the Board to hear where we are at.
Brinkley reported on the ELM grant proposal. The PCA contracted with MN Association for Environmental Education MAEE to develop several funding models/governing partnerships for this granting program. This proposal should be done by mid-June. Cathy is requesting $75,000 in next year's budget to start the grants. MPCA Commissioner Brad Moore will be asking other state agencies to pitch in some seed money for this program.
Su Beran introduced Rick Patraw to the EEAB. Rick is replacing Bill Sierks.
Kim Benson-Johnson commented on the upcoming Girl Scout EE event. Kim said at the previous event MPCA's Mercury-seeking dog, Clancy was a big hit. Kim said that the National Girl Scout Council will be merging multi-council states into one per state.
Sharing/What's happening in your EE efforts?
Brinkley Prescott is happy with the group that came out to the MAEE Conference. Not sure of how many teachers were there. Su Beran said that people were impressed with everything that was there. National EE Conference was huge, so this local conference was more focused and finding out what people were up to in EE. Next year's state conference will be in the Cities, likely in St. Paul. Brinkley Prescott thanked Su Beran for all her hard work.
Mark LaBarbera talked about EE and the Summit. He was impressed by the conference and wondering how to help improve EE.
Next EEAB meeting is June 7, 2007.
Motion: Kim Benson-Johnson moved to adjourn the meeting, Brinkley Prescott seconded. Lee Ann Landstrom adjourned the meeting at 3:33 PM.- For more information, contact:
Su Beran
Staff Liaison
Environmental Education Advisory Board
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Phone: 507-692-2020
su.beran@state.mn.us- Posted: 5/24/07
- Revised: 8/16/07
- Draft EEAB Meeting Minutes
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