Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 04/20/2026

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• Alcoholic refreshments • Entertainment, gifts, prizes, and decorations • Merit awards and bonuses • Donations and fundraising • Computer(s), tablets, and software, unless unique to the project and specifically approved by the MPCA as a direct expense • Purchase or rental of mobile communication devices such as pagers, cell phones, and personal data assistants (PDAs), unless unique to the project and specifically approved by the MPCA 6. Environmental justice It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to ensure fairness, precision, equity and consistency in competitive grant awards. This includes implementing diversity and inclusion in grant -making. The Policy on Rating Criteria for Competitive Grant Review establishes the expectation that grant programs intentionally identify how the grant serves diverse populations, especially populations experiencing inequities and/or disparities. The MPCA is committed to making sure pollution does not have a disproportionate impact on any group of people by prioritizing the principle of environmental justice. This means that all people regardless of their race, color, national origin, or income benefit from equal levels of environmental protection and have opportunities to participate in decisions that may affect their environment or health. It is MPCA's strategic plan to address environmental concerns in all programs. To learn more, visit: https://www.r ca.state.mn.us/about-mpca/mpca-and-environmental-iustice. Projects benefitting underserved communities and environmental justice areas will be rated higher. Minnesota Statute 116.065 defines "Environmental Justice areas" as census tracts: • in which at least 40% of the population is people of color • in which at least 35 percent of households have income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level • in which at least 40 percent of the population has limited proficiency in English • that are located within Indian Country, which is defined as federally recognized reservations and other Indigenous lands Census tracts need to meet only one of these criteria to be considered an Environmental Justice area. This Grant Contract Agreement will prioritize projects that serve and improve communities with higher concentrations of low-income residents and people of color, including tribal communities. Click here to see if the project is located in an Environmental Justice area: https://experience.aresis.com/experience/bff19459422443d0816b632be0c25228/ Evaluation will be conducted using the most up-to-date environmental justice information available at the time of evaluation. 7. Application instructions All applicants must complete and submit the Grant Application Form and exhibits. A complete application will consist of the following documents: • Application Form (submit in Word format) • Exhibit C: Capacity Responses Page 5 of 14 March 2026