HomeMy WebLinkAboutSept 19 - Business Sustainable Salt PracticesContact: Krystal Caron, Communications Coordinator
Phone 952-826-0347 • kcaron@EdinaMN.gov • EdinaMN.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Opportunities Available to Businesses for Sustainable Choices
Edina, Minn., Sept. 19, 2019 – Local businesses have the chance to take advantage of training and grant opportunities in order to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly
this winter.
Salt Trainings
A Smart Salt Training for property managers will be held 8-12:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 23, at the Edina Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility, 7450 Metro Blvd. The event is coordinated
by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and aims to teach attendees how to use a web-based assessment tool in order to review their past, present and future winter maintenance
practices. The training will focus on legal issues and communication strategies, as well as winter management practices. Learn more and register to attend at Bit.ly/SmartSalt.
A Level 2 Smart Salt Training for organizations will be held 8-12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, at the Edina Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility. This training is also hosted by the
MPCA. Level 2 is a certification for public and private organizations to help assess salt use and take steps to minimize it. The goal of this training is to help property managers save
money and protect water resources by using less salt to de-ice parking lots, sidewalks and other surfaces. Learn more and register to attend at Bit.ly/L2SmartSalt.
Grant Opportunity
The MPCA is also offering approximately $150,000 in grant funding to replace two-cycle gasoline-powered landscaping and snow removal equipment with electric-powered equipment. The maximum
award is $24,000 with a 50 percent required match. Eligible applicants include businesses under 500 employees, governmental agencies or tribal nations, educational institutions or non-governmental
organizations such as nonprofits, trade groups or industry associations.
The City of Edina was awarded this grant at the start of 2019 and staff have appreciated the electric equipment purchased as a result.
“Staff love the fact that they are ready to go, with no gas or having to start the engine. They are quiet, which is useful at Centennial Lakes. You can store them anywhere, because they
don’t have gas and they don’t need tune-ups,” said Assistant Director of Parks and Natural Resources Tom Swenson.
Residents should ask their contractors to attend Smart Salt trainings, switch to electric equipment and ask them to sign a snow and ice contract to ensure proper salting techniques are
followed. Learn more at EdinaMN.gov/422/PollutionPrevention.
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