Advisory Task Force on the Future of Minnesota’s Water
“I’m forming this task force to jumpstart an important conversation about how we steward our precious water resources into the future, especially in the context of pressures like increasing demand and global climate change. I realize that when an attorney general gets involved in an issue, people think it will be about the fine print of rules and statutes — but that’s not the vision for this task force. Instead, I want it to be not about regulation, but imagination; not about pointing fingers or assigning blame, but about our best thinking for expanding what’s possible for us as stewards of Minnesota’s water,” Attorney General Ellison said.
Task Force Members
Members of the task force will study issues affecting the stewardship of Minnesota’s water resources, explore best practices from examples in practice in Minnesota and other states, and collaborate to develop a broad set of recommendations for policymakers and regulators, advocacy groups and business leaders, communities and individuals.
Lawmakers
- DFL Representative Kristi Pursell, District 58A
- GOP Representative Isaac Schultz, District 10B
- DFL Senator Ann Johnson Stewart, District 45
- GOP Senator Keri Heintzeman, District 6
State Agency Representatives
- Jess Richards, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
- Brad Jordahl Redlin, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
- Myra Kunas, Minnesota Department of Health
- Dana Vanderbosch, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Members of the Public
- Kelly Applegate, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
- Will Bement, White Earth Reservation
- Darin Broton, Minnesota AgriGrowth
- Erick Francis, City of St. Louis Park
- Peg Furshong, CURE
- Caroline Griffith, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
- David Leuthe, Retired Water Resource Manager
- Angela M. Lipelt, Mower County
- Julie Lucas, MiningMinnesota
- Neva Maxwell, Cook County
- Jeff Pagel, Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation
- Tessa Parks, W.T. Farms and Clean River Partners
- Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
- Lienne Sethna, PhD, Science Museum of Minnesota's St. Croix Watershed Research Station
- Professor Harvey Thorleifson, University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering
Meetings and Events
Past Meetings
June 11, 2025
Resources
Press
- March 31, 2025:
Attorney General Ellison forms Task Force on Future of Minnesota’s Water
Solicits applications through Open Appointments process; sets April 30 application deadline and June start to work of Task Force - June 5, 2025:
Attorney General Ellison appoints members of Task Force on Future of Minnesota’s Water
Task Force to study stewardship of state water resources; will hold first meeting on June 11 at the Minnesota Capitol
Participate
Community input is an important part of this Task Force, we encourage members of the public interested in this work to sign up for updates and stay engaged with this work.
If you would like to participate, please email Carin Mrotz at Carin.Mrotz@ag.state.mn.us
NOTICE: Task Force members and AGO staff will attend the meetings in person or via video conferencing or telephone. Under Minnesota Statutes section 13D.021, subdivision 3, if telephone or interactive technology is used to conduct a meeting the AGO shall allow a person to monitor the meeting electronically from a remote location. Public participants may monitor the meeting in person or via Zoom or by phone as stated above and may provide comments at the discretion of the co-chairs.
It is the policy of the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General to comply with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C.A. Section 12101, et. seq. ("ADA"). The ADA provides, in part, that qualified individuals with disabilities shall not be excluded from participating in or be denied the benefits of any program, service or activity offered by the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General. If you require special accommodations to participate in the meeting, please email Carin Mrotz at Carin.Mrotz@ag.state.mn.us prior to the meeting.
