Press Release: City of Minneapolis says it will not vote on UHT Coordinated Plan in February

City of Minneapolis says it will not vote on UHT Coordinated Plan in February

PRESS RELEASE: 1/26/21    CONTACTS: Aaron Klemz, MCEA, aklemz@mncenter.org, 763-788-0282 

Roxxanne O'Brien, CMEJ, mindstates22@yahoo.com

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA -- Earlier this month, Community Members for Environmental Justice (CMEJ) and the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) sent a letter to the City demanding that no vote on the Upper Harbor Terminal (UHT) Coordinated Plan occur without first completing environmental review. Tuesday, the City of Minneapolis replied with a letter saying it would not proceed with the scheduled February vote and will instead hold a presentation in the form of a status report or a “receive and file” report.

Roxxanne O’Brien, organizer for CMEJ, stated the following about the City’s letter: 

It is good to see the City of Minneapolis following bedrock environmental laws by not proceeding with the vote until environmental review is completed, but there are still serious concerns about how the current proposal will change our community. The City needs to study alternatives during this environmental review and take seriously concerned community voices to make sure Upper Harbor Terminal does not become a repeat of the history of environmental and economic pain in the Northside. We do not want to see our community members displaced, left out of the economic benefits of large development projects, or continue to be separated from the mental health, recreational, and spiritual benefits of the Mississippi river. CMEJ and MCEA will continue to follow this process closely.

The Minnesota Environmental Policy Act requires environmental review before approval of proposals that would have a potential for significant environmental impact. A vote on the Coordinated Plan before the completion of environmental review would have violated Minnesota law.

Copies of the correspondence between CMEJ, MCEA and the City of Minneapolis are available upon request. 

CMEJ is a coalition of Minneapolis residents advocating for clean air and water and fighting to eliminate the inequitable and disparate impact of toxic pollution and unsustainable development on the lives and health of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color community members. CMEJ is deeply invested in the future of North Minneapolis and members have been closely following the plans to redevelop the Upper Harbor Terminal site. 

Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy supports CMEJ’s efforts to ensure bedrock environmental laws are applied in Minnesota, especially in areas where historic and continuing environmental and pollution disparities impact community members. 

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