Environment and Energy Report Card and Environmental Congress

Transcription

1 Environment and Energy Report Card and Environmental Congress Project Work Plan Charge: By November 15, 2012, the EQB shall prepare an environmental and energy report card that identifies metrics which the State of Minnesota can use to measure its performance and progress protecting Minnesota's valuable air, water and land resources. Once initially established, the environment and energy report card shall be an annual report with renewed priorities, initiatives and goals and an updated report card. By January 15, 2013, the EQB shall organize and host an environmental congress focused on the current state of Minnesota s environment, utilizing the elements in the report card. Purpose and Desired Outcome: To provide both a baseline and tool for demonstrating performance and progress in protecting Minnesota's valuable air, water and land resources, and for informing priorities, initiatives, and goals relating to improved delivery of environmental and energy services. To engage with Minnesotans by convening an environmental congress to communicate the application and value of the report card. Project Definition and Scope: Develop an initial outcome-based system for tracking changes in environmental quality that will be usable to direct resources, and for communicating and educating Minnesotans about what factors impact the health of the environment. The system will incorporate where possible existing environmental tracking and reporting systems from the public (including local government), NGO, and private sectors, and will include those parties in its development. The project will also include a plan for updating the report card system in the future. Results from this project and report card development will form the basis for an environmental congress, sharing with Minnesotans the current status of the environment. Resources and Staffing: The project will be primarily be carried out by a three to five-person core staff team drawn from EQB staff and member agencies. It is estimated that each Core Team member will contribute from a quarter to a half of their time for the duration of the project. An advisory group will be assembled to advise the Core Team, provide information on existing reporting efforts and develop work products as needed. This advisory group could include representation from local, state and federal employees, academia, the private sector and non-governmental organizations. An EQB subcommittee of two to four EQB members or high level agency leaders will be assembled to review and comment on draft work products. A communication team, assembled for the entire Executive Order effort, composed of agency communications staff, will assist primarily in the report card design, publishing the report card and engaging the state in the environmental congress. 1

2 Public/Stakeholder Engagement: The communication team will work with the core staff team and EQB subcommittee to develop a suitable public participation plan. The advisory team will be critical in providing a diverse perspective on existing reporting efforts and means to best represent progress being made to protect Minnesota s valuable resources. The environmental congress, hosted by January 15, 2013, will be a critical public engagement piece and provide input to improve the annual updating of the report card. Tasks and Timelines Task 1. Refine project purpose and scope. a. Conduct an inventory of ongoing and existing environmental tracking tools (report cards, indicators, etc.) b. Define the likely audiences of and desired uses for the report card; evaluate the information needs of the users c. Recruit members to the advisory group Summary report on existing environmental tracking tools and intended use of the report card by March 1 EQB subcommittee review of summary report and advisory group membership in early March EQB review and feedback at March meeting Advisory group recruited by April 1 The core staff team will develop the report on existing environmental tracking tools and intended use of the report card, and recommendations on advisory group membership. The EQB subcommittee will review and provide direction. Task 2. Assess data availability a. Review inventory of existing report cards based on the work conducted in Task 1 b. Identify available data and data sources c. Characterize data quality and scale Advisory group convened in early or mid-april Summary report on data availability by May 1 EQB subcommittee review in early May 2

3 This will primarily be a task of the advisory group, with report compilation and drafting primarily by the core staff team. The EQB subcommittee will review and provide direction. Task 3. Define and Identify Metrics a. Identify priority land, air, and water resources and the drivers that indicate resource quality b. Identify metrics (data sources) that can be used to inform/populate the drivers from year to year, considering possible efficiencies from combining multiple similar data sources (i.e. water monitoring data on the same water body from watershed districts, the DNR, the PCA and others). Advisory group meetings in April through June Summary report on indicators/drivers and metrics/data by July 1 EQB subcommittee review in early July This will be a task of the Core Team with a high level of involvement of the advisory group. The EQB subcommittee will review and provide direction. Task 4. Design Report Card and Updating Plan a. Using the priority resources, drivers, and metrics identified in Task 3, design report card b. Develop annual updating plan for the report card Design of the report card by September 1 Plan for annual updating of the report card by September 1 EQB subcommittee review of report card design and updating plan in early September EQB review and approval at September meeting This will be a task of the Core Team with heavy involvement of the advisory group, with advice and drafting from the communications team and the Core Team. Task 5. Publish/Launch the Report Card Release initial report card by November 15, 2012 This will primarily be the task of the communications team and the core staff team. 3

4 Task 6. Environmental Congress Identify specific goals of the Environmental Congress and determine how report card will be utilized Research and secure facility for event Identify key Congress participants (including facilitators, speakers and other staffing needs) Create communication plan for the event Logistical needs identified and addressed Facility reserved by March 15 Communications plan created by September 1 Key staffing needs addressed by October 15 This will primarily be the task of the core staff team in cooperation with the communications team. 4

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