Initiative

There is a growing public interest and concern over potential water shortages associated with the rapidly growing industry in Minnesota. This issue is very well recognized by the state bodies managing water resources, and has prompted the EQB to initiate a water availability project. However, various actors in the field of water resources management have used different models, tools and data, which may lead to dissimilar analytical outcomes.

Policy makers and the general public wish to hear accurate, comprehensible expert opinions on this subject. As a first step, we organized a seminar in April, 2008, focusing on the the water impliments of MN's booming biofuel industry. Relevant experts came sharing their knowledge and experience and discussed an analytical framework for addressing the water-biofuel issue. This event revealed the demand of comprehensively connecting academia and government sectors for enhancing the efficiency of research, communication, and application. As part of the conclusion, we would like to establish this particular space for future interaction. Information associated with on-going research activities, application, and development in water sustainability and implications will be summarized and shared here at this site.

Thank you in advance for any contribution. We look forward to nursing this forum together with you.

Members

• Sangwon Suh (Assistant Professor, Dept. BBE, UMN)
• John Wells (Strategic Planning Director, MN EQB)
• Princesa Vanburen (Senior Planner, MN EQB)
• John Nieber (Professor, Dept. BBE, UMN)
• Roman Kanivetsky (Adjunct Professor, Dept. BBE, UMN)
• David Mulla (Professor, Soil, Water, and Climate, UMN)
• Lanya Ross (Senior Environmental Scientist, Metropolitan Council)
• Laura Schmitt Olabisi (Research Associate, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Initiative, UMN)

 

Event list

Water Resource Implications of Minnesota’s Biofuel Develop-ment (04/10/2008)