Understanding Sustainability at the State Level John R. Wells Minnesota Environmental Quality Board Allocating Water: Economics and the Environment July 22, 2004

Sustainable development is …  Thinking & acting as if the long-term future mattered  Recognizing how things connect  Living within our means  Taking creative approaches to issues

The Governor’s Vision Keep Minnesota’s waters clean Keep Minnesota’s waters clean Ensure communities have safe water Ensure communities have safe water Keep an accurate picture Keep an accurate picture Restore the casualties of society’s great progress Restore the casualties of society’s great progress Develop effective leadership on water

The Governor’s Clean Water Initiative Clean Water Cabinet Vision Guiding Principles Action Areas Goals Projects July 1, 2004 Metro Mississippi River Southeast Minnesota Executive Policies and Processes Reduce phosphorus loadings from Lambert Creek and phosphorus concentrations in Vadnais Lake Provide effective tools and incentives to protect WQ and sensitive natural resources Reduce levels of harmful bacteria Demonstrate the value of regional water supply planning and coordination; providing an inter-connected system Create institutional framework for regional coordination of drinking water supplies Identify and promote water supply choices for Metro area --- ensuring sustainable drinking water Reduce sediment loading to rivers and streams Reduce harmful bacteria and other pathogens entering rivers and streams to acceptable levels Coordinate/target deliver of farm programs to cost effectively remediate pollution sources Align budget related processes and priorities with Governor’s Clean Water Vision South Branch, Root River Lambert Lake Wetland Restoration Twin Cities Sub- Regional Water Supply Plan Focus and alignment on priorities Use a watershed approach Apply individualized solutions Cooperation is essential Keep working lands working Protect waters from future threats Restore waters that are impaired Monitor watersheds to provide clear/timely picture of status Ensure adequate and sustainable supplies of clean water Effective Executive Branch water resource leadership Red River Valley Reduce flood damage to cropland Reduce sediment loading to the South Branch of Buffalo River Enhance recharge of groundwater serving Moorhead’s water supply needs Reduce flood damage to cropland and structures Grand Marais Flood Reduction Manston Slough Flood Control Reduce sediment loading to Red River of the North Enhance fish and wildlife habitat Central Minnesota Lakes Area Five county lakes area coordination Coordinate lake management Revise shoreland rule

Water & sustainability Growth & water Growth & water Jobs Jobs Budget priorities Budget priorities

Projected population growth By 2010 Rates (%) White … -8 to 0 White … -8 to 0 Gray … 0 to 5 Gray … 0 to 5 Black … 5 to 13 Black … 5 to 13 Blue … Blue … 13-37

Aquifers Limited in Minnesota’s Growth Corridor

A framework for decisions Convene corridor stakeholders Convene corridor stakeholders Identify trends, plans and goals and develop growth scenarios Identify trends, plans and goals and develop growth scenarios Understand long-term regional implications of water and land use Understand long-term regional implications of water and land use Bring people together to change local and state policy Bring people together to change local and state policy

Job Opportunity Building Zones To stimulate economic development activity in rural Minnesota by providing local and state tax exemptions

Karst Rochester Water Supply Area Decorah Edge Rochester Water Supply Recharge Area

Northern Heights Country Club Manor. Assissi Heights Pill Hill Follwell Heights Willow Heights Golden Hill Rose Harbor. Developments on the Decorah Edge

Groundwater Flow Direction Northern Hills Court Decorah Shale

Water Being Pumped To The Storm Sewer From The Basement Of A Home Located On The Decorah Edge

Goals of a Decorah Edge Recharge Area Ordinance Preserve the intact recharge areas Improve recharge quality and quantity

10 Year Water Gaps By Resource ($ Millions)

Funding-related principles No new General Fund expenditures without savings No new General Fund expenditures without savings Each agency must find savings, but the cabinet will act collectively Each agency must find savings, but the cabinet will act collectively New fee revenues may be proposed when the fee would: New fee revenues may be proposed when the fee would: Ask polluters and resource users to pay for the benefits they receiveAsk polluters and resource users to pay for the benefits they receive Not place an undue burden on those who would pay the feeNot place an undue burden on those who would pay the fee No new taxes No new taxes

Sustainable development is …  Thinking & acting as if the long-term future mattered  Recognizing how things connect  Living within our means  Taking creative approaches to issues

National Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable Understanding if we’re on the right track

The General Systems Perspective “Natural Systems” Social System Biosphere Economic System

Community Water Supply Example of the Systems Perspective Hydrologic and Climatologic Systems Social System Biosphere Economic System Social Systems For Managing Water Supply Economic Systems For Water Supply

SWRR Process for Identifying Criteria and Indicators Indicators Measurements Criteria Identify Valued Forms of Capital Identify Components of Capital And Processes Affecting Them Identify Measurable Phenomena Systems Concepts Information Concepts

Possible Types of Indicators Stressors & Investments Underlying Processes Outputs Effects Capital Indicators Goal: Sustainability of Water Resources Criterion

Targets for Indicators Ex 1 Pollutants & Facility Construction Precipitation, Evaporation & Runoff Delivered Water Human Health, Income Capacity for Water Supply Indicators Goal: Sustainability of Water Resources Criterion Adequate Water Supply

A Criteria & Indicators Model Sustainability of Water Resources Ecological System Social System Economic System Goal Category Indicator Category Human HealthQuality & QuantityHazards System Condition or Capacity Indicator ProcessesOutputs Human EffectsEcosystem Effects Criteria

Ecological System  Capacity to make water of appropriate quality and quantity available to support ecosystems  Integrity of ecosystems

Social System  Social well being resulting from the use of water resources  Social well being resulting from the use of water-related ecological resources  Legal, institutional, community and technical capacities for the management of water and related land resources for sustainability

Economic System Capacity to make water of appropriate quality and quantity available for human uses Capacity to make water of appropriate quality and quantity available for human uses Economic well being resulting from use of water and related land resources Economic well being resulting from use of water and related land resources Economic well being resulting from the use of water-related ecological resources Economic well being resulting from the use of water-related ecological resources

Draft Factors For identifying, organizing, evaluating and choosing “Appropriate Indicators” Defining the state of things Defining the state of things Relevance Relevance Appropriate time horizon and scale Appropriate time horizon and scale Indicator integrity Indicator integrity Understandability Understandability

SWRR goals on sustainability of the nation’s waters Develop criteria and indicators to track national water sustainability Develop criteria and indicators to track national water sustainability Identify research collaboration opportunities Identify research collaboration opportunities Collaborate in development of a 2005 report on water sustainability Collaborate in development of a 2005 report on water sustainability

Lessons Learned Think long term Think long term Provide a process for developing a common language and understanding Provide a process for developing a common language and understanding Align economic and policy signals with sustainable behavior Align economic and policy signals with sustainable behavior Measure progress & make mid-course corrections Measure progress & make mid-course corrections

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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, that’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Meade