Environmental Services
About
The City of Minneapolis Environmental Services team (April 2017)
The goal of Minneapolis Environmental Services is to protect human health and the quality of our natural environment.
Environmental Services is responsible for addressing air, land, noise and water pollution in Minneapolis.
We do this by:
- Issuing permits for environmentally sensitive work
- Responding to complaints
- Carrying out investigations
- Enforcing environmental codes
- Developing innovative initiatives
Environmental Permits
Innovative Initiatives
Green Business Cost Sharing Program offers support for dry cleaners, auto body shops or other businesses moving away from processes that create Volatile Organic Compounds.
Trees and pollinator habitat play an important role in improving air quality and creating habitat for pollinators. Increasing the tree canopy and pollinator will result in cleaner air. Environmental Services has three programs working to increase the number of canopy trees and pollinator habitat in Minneapolis.
The Cool Soils partnership between the City and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux community is studying biochar. Biochar is a soil additive which is being studied for its effectiveness in making plants and trees more drought tolerant, increase growth rates and sequester carbon.
Urban Forestry Project – Minneapolis businesses and non-profit organizations are eligible for free trees to be planted on their property. The business or non-profit must agree to water and care for the trees.
- Conservation of Minneapolis Bees Project - Minneapolis commercial, residential, and community space are eligible for free pollinator friendly plants and trees on their property. The host site must agree to water, weed, and care for the plants or trees.
Green Business Cost Sharing Program in the news-
On March 23, 2015, Minneapolis awarded three Green Business Awards for Pollution Reduction. The recipients are:
The City of Minneapolis thanks them for their investment in the health of their workers, customers and neighbors by converting to cleaner technology through the city's Green Business Matching Grant Program.
Read about Dunwoody College of Technology's award in their newsletter here. Scroll down to the March 2015 story.
Air Quality Studies
A two-year citywide study of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) at the neighborhood level.
Eight air collection events from November 2013 through August 2015.
Approximately 120 air samples are placed citywide for each collection.
Each canister is analyzed for 72 VOCs looking for VOCs over health risk value.
Read more on the Minneapolis Air Quality webpage.
Do you have an environmental complaint?
To file an environmental complaint complete the Online Complaint Form or call 311.
Should you require a reasonable accommodation in order to fully participate, or information in an alternative format, please contact 612-673-2301.
Para asistencia 612-673-2700 - Rau kev pab 612-673-2800 - Hadii aad Caawimaad u baahantahay 612-673-3500.
Last updated Sep 12, 2017
