MnTAP Wastewater Optimization Opportunities

In this virtual webinar, presented live on January 7, 2026, GreenStep Cities & Tribal Nations hosted a 'Lakeside' Coffee Chat to learn about the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP), a no-cost, non-regulatory team that provides pollution prevention and process efficiency assistance to industrial manufacturers and municipalities throughout Minnesota. Learn the basics of wastewater treatment and the strategies these sites can use to save energy and reduce nutrient pollution and listen to some case studies from last summer highlighting water and fuel savings through the MnTAP intern program!

Summary: 

Jon Vanyo, Senior Engineer with the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program, provided an overview of wastewater optimization and MnTAP’s pollution prevention approach. He introduced MnTAP’s role in offering free, non-regulatory technical assistance to help Minnesota facilities improve efficiency, reduce environmental impacts, and meet compliance goals.
 
Jon walked through the key stages of wastewater treatment including screening, clarification, aeration, and disinfection. He highlighted how biological processes and microbial management are essential to effective treatment and shares strategies for reducing energy consumption, including optimizing aeration systems and using variable frequency drives to better match oxygen supply with microbial needs. The session also covered nutrient removal techniques, comparing chemical treatment methods with biological nutrient removal (BNR), which uses specialized microbes under controlled conditions to remove nitrogen and phosphorus more efficiently.
 
Finally, Jon highlighted MnTAP’s intern program, which places students in real-world projects across industries and municipalities. He shared examples of successful intern-led projects that achieved significant water and energy savings, and emphasized the importance of collaboration between communities, businesses, and MnTAP to advance pollution prevention and resource efficiency.

View the workshop recording: 

View the slides and additional materials:

Additional resources

• MnTAP website
• Focus Area: Water Stewardship
• Intern Program - Full-time junior or senior college students with strong technical backgrounds and leadership abilities work on waste and energy reduction projects at companies across Minnesota.
• Minnesota Rural Water Association - A non-profit association staffed with full-time personnel trained to offer professional on-site technical assistance and training to water and wastewater system personnel in managerial, financial, and operation and maintenance of systems, as well as source water protection.
• American Water Works Association - AWWA is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the world’s most important resource. AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy and enhance our quality of life.

Connection to GreenStep Best Practice Actions: 

💧2.4. Describe energy/water efficiency outcomes and other green building practices at businesses and not-for-profit organizations located within/nearby the city.
💧20.2. Plan and budget for motor maintenance and upgrades to assure the most energy efficient, durable and appropriate equipment is available when upgrades or breakdowns occur.
💧20.4. Optimize energy and chemical use at drinking water/wastewater facilities and decrease chloride in wastewater discharges.
💧20.6. Implement a wastewater plant efficiency project (co-generation, water reuse) or a program for local private business operations (water conservation, water reuse, business co-location).

💧21.7. Arrange for assistance to commercial, retail and industrial businesses with water use reduction, pollution prevention and pretreatment prior to discharge to septics.

💧25.2. Create or participate in a marketing/outreach program to connect businesses with assistance providers, including utilities, who provide personalized energy, waste or sustainability audits and assistance.

💧25.4. Strengthen value-added businesses utilizing local "waste" material.

💧28.2. Document that at least one business/building uses waste heat or water discharge from another business or conducts materials exchange activities with another organization.

Find additional news and opportunities, including more webinars! You do not need to be a GreenStep community to access or attend.

 Visit the GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations program website at www.mngreenstep.org.

Minnesota Local Leaders Forum: Exploring the Synergies Between GreenStep and LEED for Cities

In this hybrid webinar, presented live on October 23, 2024, we joined the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Minnesota GreenStep to learn about the recently updated LEED for Cities & Communities framework and certification program. This forum provided an overview of the current partnership between GreenStep and LEED for Cities and dug into the synergies between the two programs. Attendees gained insight into opportunities to reduce city sustainability documentation requirements to give municipal teams more time to implement strategies for climate, resilience, health, and equity action. The group explored how we can continue to grow and embed sustainability in our communities. 

Host: Thanks to HGA for hosting our event!

Summary: 

LEED for Cities Overview – Hilari Varnadore, Vice President for Cities - USGBC; and David Abell, Senior Manager - USGBC (virtual)

• LEED for Cities is a framework for sustainability across a local government’s jurisdiction – beyond buildings! It provides a roadmap for sustainability, a clear way to define it, and how to measure it.
• Credits are a balance of qualitative and quantitative actions.
• Built by and for local governments; with a median city is 143,000 population but includes cities with fewer than 500 people.
• 14 performance indicators that are benchmarked and scored as part of certification.
• Base condition reporting provides common information needed to understand the community.

·        Prerequisites, credits and rating system overview

• Natural Systems & Ecology – green spaces, resilience planning, ecosystem assessment, natural resource conservation & restoration, light pollution reduction. 
• Transportation & Land Use – compact, mixed us and transit-oriented development, clean transportation, safe multimodal accessibility, transportation performance, mobility management, priority sites.
• Water efficiency – stormwater management, Water access and quality, integrated water management, smart water systems.
• Energy & GHG emissions – net zero carbon and climate action, renewable energy, energy efficiency, Power access/reliability/resiliency, energy and GHG emissions, grid harmonization. 
• Materials & Resources – responsible procurement, material recovery, solid waste management, waste performance, special waste streams recovery, smart waste management systems. 
• Quality of Life – public health, demographic & social equity assessment, quality of life performance, social services & infrastructure, economic growth & opportunity, environmental justice, housing and transportation affordability, educational opportunity & attainment, civil & human rights. 
• Innovation
• Regional Priority       

Local Government Leadership & Engagement – Mackenzie Mindel, Fellow, Local government Leadership program and USGBC and a council member for the City of La Crosse, WI

USGBC programs in U.S.

• Meaningfully engage with local governments while understanding the unique opportunities and challenges.
• Provide resources sharing, 1-on-1 support, technical assistance and access to subject matter experts.
• Foster collaboration and innovation within trusted peer to peer learning community of local government leaders throughout the nation.  

There are multiple entry points to LEED Cities

• Annual certification cohort for local governments ready to certify in LEED for Cities
• La Crescent, MN was in the 2022 cohort. 
• Already supported over 100 local governments.
• Florida has the most communities participating in the cohorts.
• Content focuses on different topics each month.
• Informational webinar Nov. 8 and applications for the 2025 Cohort opens Dec. 1 
• Local Government Leadership Summits deepen engagement with local governments on green building and sustainable development topics.
• LEED for Cities Accelerators are short-term learning cohorts that help places get oriented to the rating system and how to use the sustainability framework in day-to-day operations.
• Local Government Leadership Program - details on USGBC hosted cohorts, summits and accelerators

Tools as part of the programs:

• Advancing Equity guides
• Guides on federal funding
• City Building Policy Self-Assessment

Participating LEED for Cities leaders – Panelists speak about their experience in the cohort, experience with the rating system and program offerings, how they’ve used results/certification. 

• Kelly Hilyard, Sustainability Coordinator, Middleton, WI, 2020 Cohort, Certified LEED Gold, 2023 
• Received Gold certification in 2023, after 2 ½ years of work. USGBC staff and cohort peers were helpful and responsive during this time.
• 100% renewable goals for both city operations and community. Wanted to be a part of the LEED 2020 cohort having the data is a good starting point to be able to back up budget and other needs.
• The LEED certification process helps the city to receive additional grants for implementation.
• Now working with other Wisconsin communities to develop model ordinance language and code – much of which will also help meet credit for LEED for Cities.
• Lara Isch, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Overland Park, Kansas, current 2024 Cohort
• LEED for Cities provided a framework and removed the politics from collecting data, acting and checking the boxes. 
• Their County has already achieved LEED gold certification, which has helped Overland Park with their goal of gold certification. 
• Found the Cohort group to be helpful and supportive.

GreenStep and LEED for Cities alignment – Kristin Mroz, GreenStep Co-Director

• Looking at the GreenStep and LEED for Cities Crosswalk.
• Areas where there are commonalities, overlapping actions and metric mapping, which can eliminate duplication.
• Overview of Gold Leaf guidance  
• Opportunities for LEED for Cities to become a next step after Step 5 or an alternate compliance pathway with not a lot of extra barriers.

Discussion & Feedback –

Attendees divided in into two groups, in-person and virtual, to discuss the following questions.

• How could you use LEED for Cities in your community today?  
• What concerns do you have regarding participation in LEED for Cities?  
• For current Step 5 Cities – what support or services could the state of MN deliver to ensure your success going from Step 5 to LEED for Cities? 
• Do you see any drawbacks to LEED for Cities serving as an alternative compliance path for GreenStep metrics reporting?  

View the workshop recording: 

View the slides and additional materials:

Additional resources

• LEED for Cities
• Informational webinar Nov. 8 and applications for the 2025 Cohort opens Dec. 1 
• Local Government Leadership Program - details on USGBC hosted cohorts, summits and accelerators
• Resources for Local Leaders 
• GreenStep and LEED for Cities Crosswalk - See how current GreenStep Cities best practice actions and metrics align with the LEED for Cities program. 
• Gold Leaf Challenge Resource Sheets - include a list of related LEED for Cities criteria

Register for upcoming GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations workshops here. You do not need to be a GreenStep community to attend.

 Visit the GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations program website at www.mngreenstep.org.

CHARGE! Updates and opportunities for EV charging equipment

In this webinar, presented live on May7, 2024, we heard updates on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Volkswagen Settlement funds and the Direct Pay program through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). ZEF Energy, a Minneapolis-based EV charging solutions provider, in partnership with MN GreenStep will outline what these programs are and how any business, community, or Tribal nation interested in EV charging can take advantage of the financial assistance provided through these programs.

Summary: 

• Will Tuchtenhagen, Sales and Project Developer & Megan Hoye, Chief Development Officer - ZEF Energy

• Megan provided an overview of ZEF Energy, a Minneapolis-based national company that provides hardware, asset management platform, driver experience, and service for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. 
• U.S. electric car sales growth have increased 40-60%+ since 2022. In Minnesota, there are 62,000 battery electric vehicles and 38,500 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. 
• ZEF stations in Minnesota see an average of around 50 uses per month. Public charging station utilization trends show highest use between 1pm - 6pm (typically before peak power charges). 
• Will shared how ZEF is involved with the MPCA Grant Program. ZEF was awarded to install EV fast-charging hubs at 33 sites around Greater Minnesota through the Phase 2 of the Volkswagen Settlement Funds. The MPCA identified corridors and sites were located between 30-70 miles apart from each other. Sites are future-proof and constructed to add more ports as demand grows. Recent installs include Fosston, Warroad, and Glencoe. 
• Key areas for limited time grant funding include: Ely, Baudette, Pipestone, Windom, Karlstad, Big Falls, Cook, Bena, Princeton, Fairmont, Grand Portage, and Swan River. 
• Peter Lindstrom, Manager, Public Affairs & Community Engagement - Clean Energy Resource Teams
• Peter reminded us that Federal Tax Credits continue to be available for electric vehicles. They are income qualified (single <$150,000 and married <$300,000) and include conditions of: assembled in North America, meets battery sourcing requirements, complies with pricing requirements of less than $80,000 for SUV/Pickup trucks/vans or less than $55,000 for other vehicles. 

• For charging, the Federal Tax Credit 30C: Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Tax Credit provides 30% for individuals up to $1000 and up to 6% for businesses up to $100,000 (up to 30% if business meets prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements). 
• Qualified fuels include electricity, ethanol, natural gas, hydrogen, and biodiesel. 
• Costs can include the equipment and installation. 
• Eligibility includes census tracks that are in a rural area or low-income area. 

• Jasper Schneider, General Manager Northern Municipal Power Agency & Cassie Heide, City Administrator, City of Fosston and NMPA Director
• Jasper provided an overview of NMPA, a Joint Action Agency serving 12 municipalities in northwestern Minnesota. 
• NMPA authorized a $10,000 grant for communities to partner with ZEF Energy to leverage funding sources and increase public EV chargers in NW Minnesota. 
• Cassie shared how the City of Fosston used the round 2 MPCA grant to install level 2 charges near City Hall and Downtown in November, 2024. NMPA's grant helped reduce the local share costs but also used the project as an economic development tool for the community. The project did run into a few supply chain issues and workforce availability but the project has been well-received. 

View the workshop recording: 

View the slides and additional materials:

Slides from Peter Lindstrom coming soon! 

 

Additional resources:

• Drive Electric MN - Charging Resources 
• Alternative Fuels Data Center (U.S. DOE) - Provides information, data, and tools to help fleets, fuel providers, policymakers, cities, states, Clean Cities and Communities coalitions, and other transportation decision makers find ways to reach their energy, environmental, and economic goals through the use of alternative and renewable fuels, advanced vehicles, and other fuel-saving strategies.
• Viking Electric - EV Charging Solutions 
• MPCA Volkswagen Settlement Grants - see awarded, open, and upcoming grant opportunities 
• Federal Tax Credit 30C: Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Tax Credit 
• Form 8911 - Use this form to figure your credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property you placed in service during your tax year. 
• 30C Tax Credit Eligibility Locator 

Best Practice Actions related to this topic: 

Find a full list of actions that relate to EVs/charging.

BPA 6.5 (for planning and goals)

BPA 13.3 (for city/tribal fleet vehicles)

BPA 13.5 (for school buses)

BPA 13.6 (for transit and heavy-duty fleet)

BPA 23.5 (for public charging)

Register for upcoming GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations workshops here. You do not need to be a GreenStep community to attend.

 Visit the GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations program website at www.mngreenstep.org.

Spring into Solar

In this webinar, presented live on March 7, 2024, we learned more about the SolSmart program and resources on solar procurement for local and Tribal governments in Minnesota.

Summary: 

• Welcome - We kicked off the webinar by exploring the Solar Suitability App. Participants looked up their office, home, or another location to discover the potential for rooftop solar on the building. 

• Sydne Tursky, Program Coordinator, Renewable Energy - Great Plains Institute

• Sol Smart program - Sydne shared information about SolSmart, a national designation and technical assistance program that has helped over 450 local governments make it faster, easier, and more affordable for residents and businesses to go solar.

• A SolSmart designation recognizes communities that have taken key steps to address local barriers to solar energy and foster the growth of mature local solar markets and demonstrates that a community is “open for solar business,” making it attractive to solar companies and other business development.

• Program criteria are organized into 5 different categories that promote best practices to help local governments improve their solar markets
• Permitting and Inspection
• Planning and Zoning
• Government Operations
• Community Engagement
• Market Development
• Benefits of solar development include: 
• Reduce carbon emissions
• Encourage economic growth
• Create new jobs
• Give residents and businesses new choices for meeting their energy needs
• Expand equitable access to clean energy sources
• Enhance community resilience
• Meet local sustainable development goals
• SolSmart Actions include: 
• Increase transparency
• Post a permitting checklist online
• Develop a solar landing page
• Increase understanding
• Provide training on solar PV to staff working in permitting and inspection
• Train planning staff on planning and zoning best practices for solar PV
• Reduce barriers
• Decrease permit turnaround time
• Codify that solar PV is a by-right accessory use in the zoning ordinance
• Expand access
• Expand opportunities for community engagement
• Create more inclusive and equitable policies and programs that enable all residents to benefit from solar
• There are four levels of designation: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and (new in 2023) Platinum. Communities achieve designation by meeting prerequisites as well as meeting other elective criteria.
• 47 communities in Minnesota are SolSmart designees 
• Technical assistance is available for SolSmart participants. The SolSmart team is a robust technical assistance team composed of organizations with years of experience providing local governments with the solutions and expertise needed to remove barriers to solar deployment and implement best practices.
• Once the community’s solar statement (a commitment to pursue SolSmart designation) is provided, each community is assigned a Technical Assistance Provider (TA Provider) to support its SolSmart journey. TA Providers will set up a consultation call, conduct a baseline assessment, and review the community’s zoning code. Your TA Provider can develop a customized technical assistance plan that will help the community make impactful changes and achieve the nationally recognized SolSmart designation.
• Peter Lindstrom, Manager, Public Affairs & Community Engagement - Clean Energy Resource Teams
• CERTs Resources for Solar Procurement
• On-site Solar Options: 
• CERTs can help with a solar suitability analysis using tools like PVWatts and the Solar Suitability App. 
• For public installations, there are a number of resources to help finance the project:
• MN Solar on Public Buildings is a new State grant opportunity for projects located on public buildings (or grounds) located in Xcel energy territory. 
• The State Master Contract for Solar provides a list of qualified contractors that don't require an RFP process.
• A Model RFP for third-party financing is a tool for public entities to tap into long-term energy cost savings without requiring large up-front capital expenditures.
• Direct Pay (or elective pay) is an option from the Inflation Reduction Act and provides an alternative to the tax incentives made available - but for tax-exempt entities.
• CERTs can help review proposals from solar installers
• Community Solar: Provides an option to add solar without having to build it on-site. Community Solar gardens are available across the state. Users subscribe by the megawatt of electricity. 
• Green Pricing: Provides an option for customers to support investments in renewable energy technologies like wind and solar. Through green pricing, participating customers pay a premium on their electric bill to cover the extra cost of the renewable energy.
• City of Bemidji - Marcia Larson, Parks and Recreation Director; Jamin Carlson, Planning Director
• Jamin shared how the City has used the SolSmart program to support businesses and residents with their solar installations. The City is a SolSmart Bronze designee and they now allow solar in all zones and allow commercial solar in certain zones as well. 
• Marcia shared how the City added solar to the Travel Information Center at the City's Paul Bunyan Park, a highly visible site (say "hi" to Paul and Babe!). To start, the City connected with the community to understand priorities and concerns. Next, they issued an RFP, with help from CERTs. A committee was formed to review the proposals. The Committee, called Best Fit for Bemidji, included city staff and community residents that set criteria and ranked proposals. The City selected RealSolar and then celebrated a live project in fall of 2023. Using the Enphase App, the City can see the real time production of the solar panels and is looking for ways to share that information with visitors.  

View the workshop recording: 

View the slides and additional materials: 

Additional resources:

• SolSmart Program
• 2-page Overview
• Designee Communities 
• Program Guide
• CERTs Resources for Solar Procurement
• Solar suitability analysis
• PVWatts  
• Solar Suitability App
• Public installations
• MN Solar on Public Buildings (in Xcel energy territory) 
• State Master Contract for Solar
• Model RFP  
• Direct Pay
• Community Solar
• Green Pricing
• Solar Stories
• City of Bemidji Examples 
• SolSmart Bronze designee
• The City of Bemidji Celebrates Solar (CERTs, 2023) 
• City of Morris Examples 

• SolSmart Silver designee

• City Solar webpage  

• Morris is a small Minnesota town with big climate goals (MPR, 2023)
• Morris Robotics team engineers new funding stream with solar array (CERTs, 2019)  

Best Practice Actions related to this topic: 

• BPA 18.7 Document that the operation and maintenance, or construction / remodeling, of at least one park building used an asset management tool, the SB 2030 energy standard, or a green building framework.

• BPA 26.2 Promote resident/business purchases and/or generation of clean energy by:

a. Promoting a local utility's green power purchasing program that allows residents/businesses to order/buy new renewable energy.

b. Creating and sharing a map of the community’s solar resource and/or linking to the Minnesota Solar Suitability App.

c. Connecting residents/businesses with the Solar Directory for potential installers.

d. Hosting a community-wide solar bulk-buy program or campaign (also called "solarize" programs).

• BPA 26.3 Promote financing and incentive programs, such as PACE, for clean energy:

a. PACE for commercial property owners to install renewable energy systems, energy efficiency measures and EV charging infrastructure for existing or new construction.

b. Local, state and federal financial incentives for property owners to install renewable energy systems.

c. Local utility renewable energy production incentives and rebates.

• BPA 26.4 Support a community solar garden or help community members participate in a community solar project by:

a. Serving as a host site for a community solar garden.

b. Facilitating development, by the municipal utility or other entity, of a community solar garden for residents.

c. Participating in a community solar garden to ensure accessibility and availability to low-income residents.

• BPA 26.5 Install a public sector/municipally-owned renewable energy technology, such as solar electric (PV), wind, biomass, solar hot water/air, or micro-hydro.

• BPA 26.6 Report installed private sector-owned renewable energy/energy efficient generation capacity with at least one of the following attributes:

a. Fueled by sun, wind, or biogas.

b. Fueled in part or whole by manure or woody (EAB) biomass, optimized for minimal air and other environmental impacts and for energy efficiency and water conservation.

c. Distributing heating/cooling services in a district energy system.

d. Producing combined heat and power; using a microgrid.

e. Energy storage integrated into a renewable energy installation.

• BPA 26.7 Become a solar-ready community, including adopting ordinance/zoning language and an expedited permit process for residents and businesses to install solar energy systems.

• BPA 29.4 Encourage private sector action and incentivize investment in preventive approaches that reduce risk and minimize impacts of extreme weather and the changing climate for human health and the built environment.

• BPA 29.8 Improve local energy resilience by minimizing fuel poverty, installing distributed renewable energy systems, and developing microgrids that can improve energy system resiliency.




Gold Leaf Challenge actions and goals: 

• CA3 - Back-Up Energy System: Newly install islanding capability and storage for a clean energy system in a publicly accessible building to provide back-up power that can sustain function during extreme weather events.

• CM12 - Community Renewable Energy Projects: Newly install or support the installation for community-owned or public sector/ municipally- owned renewable energy technology—solar, wind, hydro, etc.

• Minnesota Climate Action Framework Measures of Progress: 

• Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. (MN CAF, pg 13.)

• By 2040, all of Minnesota’s electricity is carbon-free. (MN CAF, pg 50.)

Register for upcoming GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations workshops here. You do not need to be a GreenStep community to attend.

 Visit the GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations program website at www.mngreenstep.org.