Governor's Council on Minnesota's Coastal Program

The Coastal Council advises the DNR on matters related to Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program. They support the Coastal Program in reaching its goal to preserve, protect, develop, and where possible, restore or enhance coastal resources along Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior.

Council information

Members

The council has 15 members appointed by the governor. There are three members from each of the four coastal counties (Carlton, Cook, Lake and St. Louis), as well as three at-large members. Carlton and Cook counties include Fond du Lac and Grand Portage Reservations respectively. At-large members may live anywhere in the state. Their terms are 2 – 3 years.

Responsibilities

The Coastal Council has four main responsibilities:

• Recommend Coastal Program priorities to the DNR.
• Review and make recommendations to the DNR on select programs and projects for funding.
• Review the Coastal Program’s annual budget and makes recommendations to the DNR.
• Review the Coastal Program every two years and makes recommendations to the DNR.

 

Vacancies

There are 15 open seats starting April 3. They are open to anyone over the age of 18 living in the four coastal counties (Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis) or on the Fond du Lac or Grand Portage Reservations.  We are also seeking three at-large members, living anywhere in the state of Minnesota.

If you are interested in applying for the Coastal Council and want to learn more, contact Amber Westerbur, coastal program manager, at 218-834-1445 or [email protected].

TO APPLY:
Apply online through the Office of the Secretary of State. Alternatively, you can download a paper application. Remember to include a cover letter and resume with your application.

Council meetings

Format

The council meets four times a year. Meetings last between two and six hours depending on business needs. Meetings are open to the public. If you need reasonable accommodations to be able to participate, contact Marcia Nieman at least two weeks prior to the meeting. You can reach her at [email protected] or 218-834-1440.

2022-2023 meetings

Meeting locations are determined at least three weeks in advance of the meeting date. Agendas and any meeting materials will be available one week prior to the meeting.

Date	Time	Location	Activities
September 28, 2022	10 a.m. - noon	Microsoft Teams meeting (virtual)	Council Business: review and score STAR applications Grant Specialist Report Meeting Minutes: September 2022
January 18-19, 2023	18: 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. 19: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.	Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Large Conference Room and videoconference	Council Business: review and score Annual and STAR applications Meeting Minutes: January 2023 Grant Specialist Report
March 29, 2023	9:30 a.m. – noon	Lake County DNR Office 1568 Hwy 2, Two Harbors, Minn., 55616 Or join on your computer Click here to join the meeting Or by phone +1 651-395-7448, Phone Conference ID: 396 431 786#	Council Business: review and score STAR applications Draft Meeting Agenda Grant Specialist Report
June 21, 2023	TBD	Carlton County, or by videoconference	Annual Meeting Council Business: election of officers, set program priorities, and review and score STAR applications

Prior meeting minutes

• June 17, 2022
• April 6, 2022
• January 12-13, 2022
• September 29, 2021
• June 21, 2021
• April 5, 2021
• March 31, 2021
• January 11, 2021
• September 28, 2020
• June 25, 2020
• April 8, 2020
• January 24, 2020

Meeting minutes from prior dates are available by contacting Amber Westerbur. You can reach her at [email protected] or 218-834-1445.

Resources

• Bylaws of the Governor’s Council on Minnesota’s Coastal Program
• Standard Operating Procedures
• Council Orientation Guide
• Council Member Bios

For more information contact:
Amber Westerbur
Coastal Program Manager
218.834.1445
[email protected]
[email protected]