Environmental Initiative staff presented to the Parks and Trails Legacy Funding Work Group about our approach to facilitation and developing consensus.

1. Parks & Trails Legacy Funding
Introductory Meeting
Mike Harley & Emily Franklin
April 24, 2012

2. Overview
• Who We Are
• What We Do
• Dialogue & Process
• Questions and Contact
Information

3. Who We Are
• 20-year-old nonprofit organization
• Mission: Build partnerships to develop collaborative
solutions to Minnesota’s environmental problems.
• Environmental solutions through three areas of work:
o Events
o Dialogue
o Action

4. Board of Directors
Paul Durkee, Chair Ann Glumac
Antea USA Inc. Glumac Executive Enterprise
Mary Jo Roth, Vice Chair Mike Hansel
Great River Energy Barr Engineering
Terry Coss, Treasurer Don Hickman
Xcel Energy Initiative Foundation
Jon Bloomberg, Secretary Deb McGovern
Bloomberg & Podpeskar LLP Environmental Resources Management
Julie Ketchum, Executive Committee Heather Rein
Waste Management Flint Hills Resources
Perry Aasness Dan Schmid
Minnesota Farm Bureau 3M
Marian Bender Susan Schmidt
Emrose Consulting Services The Trust for Public Land
Darrell Gerber Scott Strand
Clean Water Action Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy

5. Events
• Networking, diverse perspectives, access to experts
o Business and Environment Series
o Environmental Initiative Awards
o Policy Forum Series

6. Dialogue
We facilitate conversations with environmental leaders to
achieve policy and other environmental solutions for a
cleaner, stronger Minnesota.
o Goals are clear
o Independent and transparent
o Highly participatory and collaborative

7. Action
• Project Green Fleet
o Over 3,500 cleaner engines
operating statewide
o Average of 2 tons of particulate
matter (soot) reduced per day
• Other Action Projects
o Autobody Refinishing Industry
Project
o Habitat for Humanity Green
Demonstration House

8. Dialogue
As a neutral convener and facilitator on environmental issues, we
strive for a balance of voices and equal power among project
participants.
Environmental Initiative dialogue projects typically have:
o Experienced, trained facilitators
o Tangible goals, or outcomes
o Established ground rules, agreed upon by project participants
o Transparency and openness
o Opportunities for group learning

9. The Process of Building
Consensus
Identify Parking Lot
Mutual
Issues and
Education
Opportunities
Consensus
Scope Issues
Agreement on
to Address
Solutions
Draft
Solutions
Develop
Solution
Options

10. Dialogue Outcomes
• Helped shape legislation resulting in the Clean Water Legacy Act
• A state plan to reduce mercury air emissions by 2,600 lbs per year
below current levels
• 38 strategies to reduce 47.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide by
2025 from the solid waste sector
• Current processes
o Minnesota Chemical Regulation and Policy Project
o Agricultural Leadership Dialogue
o Minnesota’s Clean Air Dialogue

11. Past Dialogue Funders & Partners
3M Minnesota Department of Health
BlueGreen Alliance Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Board of Water & Soil Resources Pentair Foundation
Ecolab Foundation University of Minnesota Water
Resources Center
Flint Hills Resources
McKnight Foundation
Minnesota Agricultural Water
Resources Coalition
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
Minnesota Department of Commerce

12. Meetings & Groups
• Work Group
o 9 members to develop consensus recommendations
o Six meetings between now and October 2012
• Core Team (Executive & Managing Sponsors)
o Purpose is for feedback, input & strategic insight to plan Work Group meetings
o Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Metropolitan Council & Greater
Minnesota Regional Parks & Trails Coalition
o Advisory only
• Partners Group
o Inform & educate a wider range of interested stakeholders
o Meetings are open to the public

13. Parks & Trails Legacy
Funding
Project Team Bender
• Facilitator – Marian
320.420.4798 // marian@emrose.org
• Project Manager – Emily Franklin
612.334.3388 ext.114 // efranklin@environmental-initiative.org
• Project Associate – Eric David
612.334.3388 ext.108 // edavid@environmental-initiative.org
• Strategic Advisor – Mike Harley
612-334-3388 ext.110 // mharley@environmental-initiative.org

14. Communications
• Want to ensure an open & transparent process
• Dedicated project webpage
o Meeting information and schedule
o Resources and background information
o http://www.environmental-initiative.org/projects/minnesota-chemical-regulation-a-policy
• Work Group meeting notices posted and emailed one week prior to meetings
• Work Group meeting summaries posted and emailed one week following a meeting

15. 211 North First Street, Suite 250
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612.334.3388 (p)
612.334.3093 (f)
www.environmental-initiative.org
www.projectgreenfleet.org

16. Draft Timeline & Schedule
• Introductory Meeting – April
• Meeting 1 – May (Week of 5/14)
• Meeting 2 – June (Week of 6/11 or 6/18)
• Meeting 3 – July (Week of 7/16)
• Meeting 4 – August (Week of 8/13 or 8/20)
• Meeting 5 – September (Week of 9/10)
• Meeting 6 – September/October (Week of 9/24 or 10/1)