Environmental Services
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
Do you have an environmental complaint?
To file an environmental complaint complete the Online Complaint Form or call 311.
Innovative Initiatives
- Green Business Matching grants offer support for dry cleaners, auto body shops or other businesses moving away from processes that create Volatile Organic Compounds
- The Cool Soils partnership between the City and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux community is studying adding Biochar to compost to increase the effectiveness of both materials. Biochar is a soil additive which is being studied for its effectiveness in making plants and trees more drought tolerant, increase growth rates, sequester carbon, and restore urban soil health.
- 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.
Air Quality Study
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.
- A map showing collection sites with a VOC over health risk value can be found here: http://bit.ly/1zU5rRY
The City of Minneapolis Environmental Services team (Summer 2014)
Last updated Dec 18, 2014
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