Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Environmental Justice Advisory Group

Charter
4/26/17 update

Background and rationale

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency strives to ensure that all Minnesotans receive equitable
environmental protection, benefit equally from our work, and that all people have the opportunity to
participate in and influence environmental decisions. The MPCA’s environmental justice framework
outlines a set of strategies to achieve these principles. The MPCA developed this plan with input from
community members and established this advisory group in 2016 as a forum for ongoing community
feedback, oversight, and collaboration.

Purpose and scope

Founding Advisory Group members’ statement of purpose:
We recognize that the environment is central to our collective health. Informed by a state of
marginalization and institutionalized racism in the agency, the EJ Advisory Group will drive the MPCA
to actively strengthen, nurture and move toward a more inclusive, transparent and healthful
Minnesota.

The Environmental Justice Advisory Group advises the MPCA Commissioner on implementation of the
MPCA’s environmental justice framework, provide feedback on its effectiveness, and offer suggestions for
future improvements. This includes:
 Evaluating the effectiveness of the MPCA in implementing our environmental justice framework,
including assisting the MPCA 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 MPCA’s work.
 Providing input to the MPCA on activities and timeframes for framework implementation.
 Collaborating with the MPCA to improve civic engagement with environmental justice communities
and acting as liaisons to strengthen communications and relationships between environmental
justice communities and the MPCA.
 Sharing oral history and community experiences so the agency can better understand the
communities they serve and inform community-based solutions.

Membership
Composition
The advisory group consists of up to 16 members with a variety of backgrounds, including: residents of
overburdened communities and individuals experienced in community engagement, public involvement,
policy development, advocacy, or program implementation around environmental justice or health equity
issues. This could include community members from areas of concern for environmental justice, community
organizers and advocates, local government staff, representatives from non-profit organizations, academic
institutions, and others.
Selection
The MPCA Commissioner selects members with the input from a selection committee that includes external
stakeholders. In choosing members, the Commissioner will strive to appoint a diverse group of people from
various parts of the state, with a variety of backgrounds and skills. The group exists to provide community
perspectives to the MPCA as it strives to integrate environmental justice into its work.

Term and duties

Members are appointed to two-year terms and may serve up to a maximum of 3 terms. (The terms of the
initial members may vary so that all terms do not end at the same time.) Members are expected to attend
all meetings (in person or via teleconference) and participate in the work of the group.

Subgroups
The group may choose to form sub-committees or work groups, reporting their recommendations and
advice to the main advisory group.

Meetings
Frequency, location and duration
The advisory group will hold meetings at least quarterly in locations and at times that are convenient, and
that foster collaboration. Meetings will be open to the public. Members are requested to attend in
person. For times when this is not possible, the MPCA will arrange for a teleconference options.

Meeting procedures, norms and leadership

To be determined by the group to allow for its best functioning.

Recordkeeping and reporting

The MPCA will prepare summaries of the meetings and distribute to the group for review and approval.

Expenses
Meeting room expenses and refreshments will be paid for by the MPCA. Advisory group members will not
be directly compensated for their time but may request to be reimbursed for travel expenses and under
certain circumstances a per diem payment of $55 if not otherwise paid for by the participant’s organization.
For more information, please refer to policy on expense reimbursement.