Sustainable Transportation Advisory Council
The Sustainable Transportation Advisory Council (STAC) makes recommendations to the MnDOT Commissioner to help the agency reduce carbon pollution from transportation, consistent with the MnDOT statutory goals outlined in Minnesota statute 174.01, the Next Generation Energy Act, and the annual MnDOT Sustainability Report. The STAC will prioritize recommendations that value equity and environmental justice.
Goals
- Evaluate the full range of transportation activities in Minnesota for the potential to reduce carbon pollution, including those where MnDOT has direct authority and indirect influence.
- Provide recommendations to the MnDOT Commissioner on improvements to policies and procedures to ensure integration of principles to reduce carbon pollution into MnDOT work.
- Oversee the newly created Clean Transportation Funding Pilot Program ($2,000,000 per year for at least 3-years), including criteria development, project solicitation, and project selection.
- Provide input to MnDOT on activities and timeframes for implementation.
- Explore funding solutions that reduce carbon pollution and support the need for new transportation revenue.
- Support preparation and development of an annual report by February 1. The report will describe actions taken by the STAC during the previous year, outline specific recommendations made by STAC to MnDOT, and identify how each recommendation was addressed.
- Collaborate with MnDOT to improve civic engagement with environmental justice communities and strengthen relationships between environmental justice communities and MnDOT.
Please see the Detailed STAC Overview (PDF) for more information on the council.
Membership
STAC will include approximately 15 members appointed by the MnDOT Commissioner and ex-officio members from state agencies and the legislature.
STAC members will include leaders from private industry, local government, frontline communities, and the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Members will be initially appointed for 2-year terms (January 2020 – December 2021) with the potential to reapply.
Meetings
Meetings will be scheduled approximately every two months based on the availability of the MnDOT Commissioner, OSPH staff, the facilitator, and presenters, if applicable.
Members may occasionally need to do some preparatory work before the meetings and will be notified in advance when this is necessary.
Members may decide to create subcommittees as part of a larger effort to hear ideas about sustainable transportation from Minnesotans. Subcommittees may include members and outside stakeholders.
Staffing
The MnDOT Commissioner will chair of the STAC. The MnDOT Office of Sustainability and Public Health (OSPH) will provide direction, staffing, and logistical support.
Application and Timing
Applications for the STAC closed on December 18, 2019. MnDOT plans to select members by the end of January 2020.