rim clean energy project
MEI’s RIM Clean Energy Project was an effort to promote the production of biofuel crops that also encouraged improved water quality, reduced chemical inputs, soil protection, carbon sequestration, and increased biodiversity and wildlife habitat.


What MEI has done:
The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources asked MEI to help design the framework for an easement program by gathering the input of a broad group of stakeholders. The easement program planned will be in addition to the existing Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) program began in 1986. However, unlike RIM, this program will not be a traditional conservation easement program—it is designed to be a new and innovative "working lands" easement program. These working lands will be used to produce native perennial biofuel crops using methods that benefit the environment. How lands will be chosen and managed, and the payment system of the easements are topics that have been examined by the stakeholder group, and presented in a report to the Minnesota legislature in February 2008.

Reinvest in Minnesota–Clean Energy Program Guidelines and Standards [3.6MB]

Who Funded this project?
Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources

For more information, contact Ellen Gibson.