Greenspace and Trees

GT 3: Reduce heat island effect through Region-wide “dark” impervious surface coverage particularly in areas of increased vulnerable population shares, by 5% from 77,400 acres to 73,500 acres by 2030.

GT 3-1 Support and encourage municipalities to conduct a micro-heat island impact study to identify areas of high heat island contribution and impact, overlapped with vulnerable population mapping from the Region's Climate Vulnerability Assessment. Study to establish specific goals, by census tract, for reduction of impervious surfaces (particularly dark), improvement of tree canopy and greenspace coverage, and target "Heat Island Coefficient". Study to identify priority areas for heat island mitigation based on need, potential, and impact on equity and vulnerable populations.

GT 3-2 Collaborate with regional partners to establish incentives for residents and businesses supporting microheat island mitigation measures including impervious surface reduction, green roof installations, and cool pavement strategies.

GT 3-3 Collaborate with regional partners to develop a "Green Roof" pilot project to educate on and exhibit heat island mitigation strategies and measure potential for effectiveness. Identify a regional building with low solar PV prioritization/feasibility for inclusion as pilot project location. Alternatively, pilot program could be advertised for submission by Region 4 residents, businesses and neighborhoods for potential sites to be considered for pilot project selection. Preference should be given to sites serving low income or at risk communities with high heat island impact potential.

GT 3-4 Collaborate with regional partners to develop "Cool Roof" / "Cool pavement" pilot project to educate on and exhibit heat island mitigation strategies and measure potential for effectiveness. Identify a regional building with low solar PV prioritization/feasibility for inclusion as pilot project location. Alternatively, pilot program could be advertised for submission by Region 4 residents, businesses and neighborhoods for potential sites to be considered for pilot project selection. Preference should be given to sites serving low income or at risk communities with high heat island impact potential.

GT 3-5 Support and encourage local governments to establish or update parking lot guidelines to require planting islands, with a mix of shade canopy trees, shrubs, and groundcovers appropriate to the lot and its surroundings.

GT 3-6 Promote the expansion of tree canopy in urban heat islands or areas that need air conditioning such as schools.

GT 3-7 Collaborate with regional partners to establish an extension service helping communities increase effective greenspaces in every community.

HS 1 : Assist the Region’s climate vulnerable populations in preparing for and mitigating climate change impacts. (see the Minnesota Region 4 Climate Vulnerability Assessment: https://cutt.ly/o7sR764 )

HS 1-1 Collaborate with local governments and regional partners to establish cooling and extreme weather centers and provide information to communities to ensure vulnerable residents are aware of these services, including direct messaging at community facilities and through health providers, translated to the region’s top non-English languages. Cooling center locations should be located to maximize accessibility by vulnerable populations, particularly those with limited mobility access.

HS 1-2 Collaborate with local governments and regional partners public safety staff is properly trained to recognize and respond to physical and behavioral signs of heat related illness. Conduct climate change impacts and adaptation training for law enforcement, fire, first responders, and utilities. Promote equity in hazard mitigation, and emergency response and recovery activities, and consider populations most vulnerable to weather-related emergencies in all plans and exercises, including evacuation routes, transportation for vulnerable population groups, shelter in place locations, back-up power operations, extended access to fuel/ power sources and drinking water, etc.

HS 1-3 Encourage local governments to incorporate climate change and CAP goals into the Community Health Improvement Plan and Health Impact Assessments.

HS 1-4 Encourage and support local governments in considering populations most vulnerable to weather-related emergencies in emergency response and recovery planning efforts. Considerations include evacuation routes, transportation, shelter in place locations, back-up power operations, extended access to fuel/ power sources, drinking water, and ensuring that there are specific plans for populations requiring mobility assistance. Plans should include steps to identify and help populations disproportionately affected by extended power outages/flooding/etc.

HS 1-5 Collaborate with local governments and partners to ensure emergency communications are available in multiple languages and interpreters are available. Explore use of language specific mobile phone apps or other technologies to support effective translation and communication.

HS 1-6 Assist residents in signing up for state utility and heating bill assistance programs and home weatherization programs.

HS 1-7 Promote local governments to include identification of climate vulnerable populations in the development of public health programs and leverage existing resources to address those vulnerabilities.

HS 1-8 Collaborate with State of Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, regional partners including counties and cities to establish a knowledge network to promote up-to-date science and recommendations for mitigating, reducing, and eliminating PFAS contamination.

HS 2: Educate, engage, and empower the public on health and safety risks of climate change impacts.

HS 2-1 Provide guidance through resource material to social service providers so they are aware of best practices in treating client needs during an extreme heat event.

HS 2-2 Collaborate with local governments and regional partners to establish a communication plan to increase awareness of national, state, regional, and other alert systems. Communication plan to include pathways for when community power and communication systems are non-functional.

HS 2-3 In alignment with the American Public Health Association Policy Number: 201711, collaborate with regional and national industry trade associations, nonprofit groups, and environmental organizations in support of a coordinated communication campaign on hazards of air pollution. Support and encourage local governments to expand outreach to community populations to better educate the public about the hazards including indoor air quality, and the steps individuals can take and available resources to reduce their exposure.

HS 2-4

In alignment with the American Public Health Association Policy Number: 201711, collaborate with educators at local k-12 and colleges to ensure that air quality learning objectives, particularly those related to current and projected climate change impacts, are included in their curricula (e.g., fundamentals of air pollution assessment and control, health risk assessment, environmental justice). Collaboration should include education and training programs for health professionals, including public health, medical, and nursing programs, and science education programs for postsecondary and K–12 science students. All health professionals and students should be informed about steps individuals and communities can take to reduce air pollution, and they should be made aware of services such as the Air Quality Index that can help individuals take appropriate actions to reduce exposures on days when air quality is poor.

HS 2-5

Develop and distribute educational content (brochures, k-12 curricula content, infographics, media announcements, etc) which outlines and actively promotes the clean air and health benefits of strategies included in this CAP plan. Strategies to be actively promoted include use of renewable energy, conservation of energy, use of electric vehicles, public transit, ride share, and walking and biking for transportation. Engagement may include collaborating with public schools on curricula content, visiting local schools to talk about environmental conservation, sponsoring science fairs and asthma awareness days, disseminating information about the Air Quality Index and the UV index, supporting smart growth and green community programs, and working with local government leaders to establish clean air policies and initiatives.

HS 2-6 Explore communication and education strategies to reach different audiences. Consider developing robust climate education app such as a “choose your own adventure” activity/app or other existing tools like the NIH Preparedness app

HS 2-7 Collaborate with state and regional partners to establish a communication and education campaign to inform residents and busiensses within the region on how to protect against PFAS pollution.

Health and Safety

HS 3: Ensure that the Region’s mission critical, emergency services, health care facilities, and infrastructure are prepared for impacts of climate change.

HS 3-1 Encourage and support local governments to expand involvement of key community partners such as hospitals in emergency preparedness planning and management. Include the impacts of climate change as emerging threats in future response planning.

HS 3-2 Support local governments in updating emergency plans with specific climate change-related emergency materials. These could include press release templates, information on cooling/heating centers, specific plans for populations requiring mobility assistance, and steps to identify and help populations affected by extended power outages, flooding, etc.

HS 3-3 Coordinate with local governments to develop a debris management plan to support regional response and mutual aid support to severe storm events and flooding.

HS 3-4 Develop a transparent and inclusive decision-making framework designed to achieve climate, equity, safety, health and prosperity goals. Support and encourage local governments to use it when making major infrastructure, transportation, land use, community development and project development plan and investment decisions. Consider existing systems, like STARS and MOSAIC, as models

HS 4: Strengthen community response capacity and social support networks.

HS 4-1 Enhance and support the coordination between local natural resource agencies and vector control programs to ensure populations of mosquitos, ticks, rodents, and other potential disease vectors are managed in a way that protects human health and ensures ecological integrity and vitality

HS 4-2 Support local governments in the creation of "call trees," reverse 911, and block networks to check on neighbors during/after extreme weather events, particularly when they involve grid disruption.

HS 4-3 Support capacity of neighborhood and community groups to implement climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives.

HS 4-4 Support and encourage local governments in ensuring safe and welcoming community spaces for all, including parks, community and youth centers, and city streets and rights of way, located in all areas of the region's communities. Identify areas within region not served by park space within 10 minute walk and develop a master plan to establish effective park spaces to support social connectedness in areas with greatest need, with a priority on equity.

Climate Economy

CE 1: Capture local economic potential of sustainability and climate action such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and shared mobility businesses and jobs.

CE 1- 1 Conduct a Climate Economy Economic Development Assessment to identify economic opportunities possible through the successful implementation of the Climate Action Plan and achievement of its goals, especially those which can provide opportunity for the region's vulnerable populations. Establish a campaign to communicate findings, job creation potential of the strategies included in the CAP, and promote action.

CE 1- 2 Develop workforce training capacity to assess, train, and place laborers that can take on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Structure program to increase participation of under-resourced communities and increase opportunities for equity.

CE 1- 3 Promote alternatives to traditional building demolition such as relocation, deconstruction and salvage. Establish a jobs training program focused on building workforce with deconstruction skills and capacities. Job training program should focus on establishing job skills and placement for low income individuals.

CE 1- 4 Collaborate with regional partners including local governments and school districts to conduct a "Climate Immigration and Migration Response and Opportunity" study. Study to identify potential school district service, affordable housing, and other needs which may be required to support potential and likely migration into the region. Study should include identification of potential benefits of promotion of climate migration into the region and identify actions to maximize workforce and economic development potential of climate migration.

CE 1- 5 Collaborate with partners to establish a Green Jobs apprenticeship and internship program. Promote and subsidize internship placement with local employers.

CE 1- 6 Work with local partners to develop a community green jobs electronic bulletin board, or LinkedIn group, promoting local green job opportunities.

CE 1- 7 Collaborate with local partners to explore opportunities for solar panel and battery recycling business development for region and establish a pilot project.

CE 1- 8 Collaborate with local partners to establish a communication campaign informing the public on current and future job and economic development opportunities of represented by the strategies in the CAP for the region (such as local job creation from renewable energy, etc.)

CE 2: Increase equitable workforce and entrepreneur development for the Sustainable Economy

CE 2- 1 Establish a regional business incubator to support the establishment of innovative energy efficiency and renewable energy and sustainability business models within the community. Structure incubator to increase participation of under-resourced communities and increase opportunities for equity.

CE 2- 2 Encourage local governments to prioritize local businesses when contracting for government-financed energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, with special consideration given to businesses owned by women and minorities.

CE 2- 3

Fund and organize the establishment of a ReStore Facility for reusable furnishings and salvage including construction/demolition.

CE 2-4

CE 2-5

Climate Economy

Work with local unions and businesses to ensure that apprenticeship program includes solar training.

Collaborate with local partners to identify underutilized or unused buildings within the region's town centers and identify potential uses, especially those which will promote and foster sustainable business development and entrepreneurship while increasing appropriate community density and decreasing community sprawl. Establish and promote a re-use master plan and implement a promotional campaign to encourage opportunities. Explore issuing a Request For Proposals for redevelopment pilot projects.

CE 2-6

Collaborate with local partners to explore opportunities to support new businesses utilizing recycled materials through the expansion of the Fergus Falls Precious Plastics Lab.

CE 3: Support local agriculture and businesses operations in building marketplace climate resilience.

CE 3-1

Strengthen public-private economic communications in support of climate resilience, climate economic opportunities, and the goals of this plan. Effort should focus particularly on communications with disadvantaged group businesses (minority-owned, veteran-owned, economically-disadvantaged, etc.) and small businesses.

CE 3-2

Collaborate regional Chamber of Commerce, West Central Minnesota Ag Producers, economic development directors, and local businesses to identify industry specific economic impacts to Minnesota Region 4 businesses (particularly farmers, small businesses and disadvantaged group businesses) face based on the climate change based on risks and hazards identified in this report, the Climate and Vulnerability Assessment, and emergency management plans in the region. Collaborate with businesses to Identify economic resilience strategies in response to those economic vulnerabilities and conduct outreach to industry groups and public-private partnerships to promote private sector investment addressing them.

CE 3-3

CE 3-4

Collaborate with partners to ensure redundancy in telecommunications and broadband networks to protect jobs, commerce and public safety in the event of natural or manmade disasters.

Collaborate with the regional partners to explore the need, value, and potential of an online assessment of business’ vulnerability/resiliency. Assessment tool could include topics such as:

Available incentives or tax breaks

Zero waste improvements

Water conservation

Flood and flash flood mitigation

Extreme heat and weather preparedness of workforce and facilities

Energy resilience

Climate resiliency

Energy: efficiency and renewables

Emergency response

CE 3-5 Work with community businesses to explore the creation of an incentivized “buy local” campaign to enhance resilience of small local businesses.

CE 3-6 Collaborate with local partners and governments to establish a campaign to communicate and promote the efforts of local businesses to increase sustainability and implement climate action within their business models.