Minnesota Resilient Community Assistance Program

The Minnesota Resilient Community Assistance Program, established in 2024 by the Minnesota Resilient Community Act and codified in Section 116.391 of the state’s code, implements a state-wide program for climate adaptation and resilience planning and collaboration. Overseen by the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency, the program aims to help local and Tribal governments develop community resilience to climate change through coordinated planning and implementation efforts.

The program aims to achieve three main objectives: 

  1. Assist local and Tribal governments, as well as other “relevant organizations,” to adapt to and develop community resilience to the impacts of climate change.
  2. Help coordinate climate adaptation planning, implementation, and evaluation among all relevant governing bodies and organizations. 
  3. Address inequities arising from “social, economic, historical, and political factors” that cause some communities to have “less ability to prepare for, cope with, and recover from impacts of climate change.” In order to accomplish this third goal, the act outlines that the commissioner must seek input from these communities. 

The act outlines six mechanisms to accomplish these goals, namely:

  1. Developing and disseminating information on climate adaptation and resilience
  2. Providing technical assistance for adaptation
  3. Implementing financial assistance programs to support resilience planning
  4. Conducting outreach to provide education and information on adaptation
  5. Coordinating and measuring progress on adaptation and resilience
  6. Pursuing any other efforts needed to support adaptation

 The Minnesota Resilient Community Assistance Program emphasizes the disproportionate harm on communities that have less “ability to prepare for, cope with, and recover from” the impacts of climate change, and requires the program to address social, economic, historical, and political factors that create such inequities. To do so, the statute directs the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency to seek input from and collaborate with disproportionately impacted communities. The program also designates funding to be used for financial assistance programs that promote climate resilience planning and projects. 

 

Additionally, the act includes a provision for the governor or commissioner to issue annual awards for excellence in climate adaptation and resilience. 

 

Publication Date: 2024

Related Organizations:

  • State of Minnesota

Resource Category:

Resource Types:

  • Funding program

States Affected:

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