Sustainability

Leading by Example: Environmental Coordinating Teams


Coordination among City departments is critical to achieving sustainability. Stronger alignment among City stakeholders will streamline resources, spur creativity and institutionalize sustainability principles. Sustainability Indicators are aligned with, but are distinct from most performance issues because the Indicators require a strong degree of alignment between government, businesses and residents. The following groups are key players in the implementation of the Sustainability Plan:

Environmental Coordinating Team
This group was formed in 1994 as a new approach to confronting problems associated with past industrial and land use practices; the team engages the expertise of various City departments that are associated with Minneapolis' environmental issues. Currently, managers from Operations and Regulatory Services, Community Planning and Economic Development, Public Works, Health and Family Support, Fire departments, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, and the City Attorney’s Office are actively involved in this process. The Mayor and City Council Members often attend the Environmental Coordinating Team meetings and the public is welcome.

The Environmental Coordinating Team provides a framework for the regular exchange of information on environmental issues and natural resources, and a forum for the development of consensus. This framework allows City departments to work with one another and allow priority issues to surface so that resources can be allocated to deal with them. They review and make recommendations on the Sustainability Indicators Program including targets, baseline, annual reporting and business planning functions. Regulatory Services is the lead staff to the Team. The Minneapolis Citizen's Advisory Committee and Park Board representatives also attend these meetings. Questions or comments can be directed to sustainability@ci.minneapolis.mn.us.

Meeting Agendas

Citizens Environmental Advisory Committee
To further enhance the city's environmental effort, a Citizen's Environmental Advisory Committee (CEAC) has also been formed to provide assistance and advice to the city's efforts with its principal focus on sustainable development. This citizen’s committee assists and advises the City on its environmental efforts with a strong focus on sustainability issues. The committee has up to 18 members including citizens, representatives from environmental advocacy groups, technical environmental experts and representatives from industries or companies having a major impact on the environment.

This committee works closely with the Environmental Coordinating Team by providing advice and comments on projects, programs and policies. CEAC may suggest priorities for City policies, programs and projects in accordance with criteria, dealing with environmental urgency, the scale of environmental impact, ease of implementation, cost and benefits. They provide comments to the Environmental Coordinating Team on Sustainability Indicators and Targets related to the environment and lead the effort for the adoption of a new Indicator/Target related to air quality.

Appointed members include two citizen members, two representatives from environmental advocacy groups, two persons with demonstrated technical environmental expertise, and two representatives from industries or companies having a major impact on the environment. The Minneapolis School Board and the Hennepin County Board are each invited to designate one representative with expertise in environmental curriculum and a representative with expertise in environmental matters respectively. Each member serves a two-year term.

Meeting Agendas
Committee Members

For more information about the activities of the Citizen Environmental Advisory Committee (CEAC) e-mail sustainability@ci.minneapolis.mn.us.