Call for entries: 2010-2011 awards

Be recognized for your efforts

MPCA is accepting applications for the 2010-2011 Governor's Awards for Pollution Prevention through September 15, 2010. Eligible entries will be reviewed and evaluated by an independent committee, and awards will be presented at a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Board meeting (summer 2011).

Application forms

Applications for the 2010-11 Governor's Awards are due Sept. 15, 2010. If you are interested in the application process, contact MPCA's Peder Sandhei at 651-757-2688 or 800-657-3864 toll free.
 Application form: Governor's Award - Business
 Application form: Governor's Award - Government
 Application form: Governor's Award - Partnership

Overview

The Pollution Control Agency is seeking organizations that exemplify environmental leadership by preventing waste and pollution at the source. Any Minnesota organization may apply for a Governor's Award, and nominations are encouraged. The Governor's Award has three categories:

• Business/Nonprofit: Businesses, institutions, and non-profit organizations (private)
• Government: Governmental institutions and organizations (public)
• Partnership:  Recognizes exceptional environmental accomplishments from collaborations between Minnesota non-profit organizations, businesses, public agencies and institutions.

Examples of Eligible Projects

The waste and pollution prevention approach can be applied to all sectors of the Minnesota economy: manufacturing and business, government, agriculture, and energy. Prevention practices are essential to preserving natural resources and may include conservation techniques and management practices that prevent harm to sensitive ecosystems.

Eligible projects must be focused on pollution prevention, which encompasses many different activities that reduce or eliminate the generation of pollutants and wastes at the source. These can include the use of new technologies that save energy or other resources; the substitution of toxic chemicals with non-toxic alternatives in products; changes in processes or procedures that reduce wastes or pollution; and educational or promotional programs that have resulted in pollution prevention.

For more information or questions, call Peder Sandhei (651-757-2688) or Colleen Hetzel (651-757-2433) or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• Industrial projects can include clean technologies, green chemistry and design of products, raw materials substitutions, preventative maintenance, energy efficiency, in-process recycling/reuse, or other activities that reduce waste and pollution at its source.
• Green Chemistry and Design is formulating or designing a new product (or reformulating or redesigning an existing one) to reduce environmental, workplace, human health, and energy use impacts over the product’s entire life-cycle. Product life cycle includes design, production of material and energy inputs, production, end use, end-of-life recovery, and all packaging and transportation between these steps.
• Green building refers to the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings that are energy and resource efficient, produce minimal waste and pollution in their development and operation, are healthy for their inhabitants, and protect and enhance the sites on which they are located. Eligible projects are those that promote and/or demonstrate green building principles in new or existing buildings in an integrated fashion. Examples of these principles include
  • Energy efficiency and use of renewable energy
  • Construction and demolition waste reduction and reuse
  • Use of nontoxic, recycled content, renewable, durable, and salvaged materials
  • Water conservation
  • Indoor environmental quality (daylighting, indoor air quality, thermal comfort)
  • Site strategies that encourage on-site retention of stormwater, protection of natural features, native vegetation, and development/restoration of wildlife habitats
• Sustainable community development projects may not have overtly stated goals like the reduction of materials use, solid waste, energy use, water and toxicity. But exemplary projects typically do have such reductions, which can be measured or estimated, as a result. Such projects may be:
  • Smart Growth initiatives, or traditional neighborhood designs, or New Urbanist developments, including compact, mixed-use, and/or pedestrian- and transit-oriented design
  • Affordable housing and not-so-big housing developments
  • Historic preservation, greyfield or brownfield redevelopment
  • Development site strategies involving stormwater, landscaping, and ecosystem preservation or restoration
  • Transportation demand management efforts
  • Local food initiatives involving organic agriculture
• Commercial/institutional projects include the use or sale of clean technologies or products, resource efficient materials and practices at such facilities as hospitals, schools, distribution centers and retail stores.
• Low-impact development (LID) include use of design strategies and techniques that prevent storm water runoff from polluting the environment by using onsite natural hydrologic functions such as rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs, and smart community development. Other types of projects that result in watershed protection and conservation of water resources are eligible.
• Renewable energy projects include substitution of renewable energy from wind, solar, microhydro, or bio-energy in place of non-renewable energy sources.

Evaluation

An independent committee comprised of environmental experts from a variety of backgrounds will review eligible applications. Projects will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Benefits to the environment
• Economic efficiency
• Level of commitment and leadership in pollution prevention
• Innovation
• Ability to serve as a model for others (transferability)