Skip to main content

Minnesota progress indicator

A new tool, the Minnesota progress indicator, has been developed to aid in measuring Minnesota’s progress toward achieving a healthy, sustainable economy. Based on Minnesota Milestones goals, the progress indicator is a set of 42 economic, environmental and community measures that collectively provide a more realistic and comprehensive way to gauge the state's progress toward smart growth and sustainable development.

Highly important natural resources development category (new)

Since the 2004 legislative session, legislators and civic advocacy organizations have urged the EQB to adopt new mandatory categories for lakeshore development to address the great and growing development pressure now affecting lakeshore environments. In discussions regarding lakeshore development, it has become apparent that lakeshores are not unique and that similar development pressures affect many other highly important natural resources. EQB has been asked to adopt a new category designed to address development on the edges of such highly important natural resources.


JOBZ and the Environment


The Clean Water Cabinet and Environmental Quality Board believe that an upfront understanding of the environmental implications of proposed developments can head off last minute complications and delays. In that spirit, the CWC and EQB offer a package of information about JOBZ and Minnesota’s water resources to aid those involved in economic development planning.

Sustainable development directory premiers on the internet

Minnesota’s first online directory of sustainable development efforts premieres today on the World Wide Web. Created by Minnesota Planning and the Environmental Quality Board, the Minnesota Sustainable Development Directory is a one-stop source for information on innovative efforts by state agencies to improve the economy while restoring the natural environment.

Investing In Minnesota's future: an agenda for sustaining our quality of life

In this report to Governor Arne H. Carlson, the 30 members of the Minnesota Round Table on Sustainable Development invite Minnesotans to consider a new path to progress. Sustainable development ties together the well-being of people and communities, the health and diversity of the environment and the economy, and the quality of life for future generations.

Among the Round Table's chief proposals:

Four communities receive grants to improve economy and environment

The Minnesota Environmental Quality Board today awarded grants totaling $45,000 to four Minnesota communities for sustainable development planning. The grant program is part of Minnesota’s Sustainable Development Initiative aimed at improving the economy while preserving the environment. Created by Governor Arne H. Carlson in 1993, the Sustainable Development Initiative encourages partnerships between businesses, governments and communities for better environmental results.

Conversations about the future: the 1994 Minnesota Congress on Sustainable Development

The 1994 Minnesota Congress on Sustainable Development brought together people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives to think about the state's social, economic and environmental future. The congress, held on February 24 and 25, was based on the work of the Minnesota Sustainable Development Initiative's seven citizen teams and provided the first forum for discussing their reports on sustainable agriculture, energy, forestry, manufacturing, mining, recreation and settlement. The congress' main goals we re to: