You are invited to participate in BUILDING BLOCKS FOR REGIONAL RESILIENCE SOUTHERN MINNESOTA – a free interactive web-based workshop series starting Wednesday, Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. CST.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Community Revitalization is working with state and local partners in southern Minnesota to identify regional strategies to reduce flood risk, to address other chronic stressors that affect rural, agricultural areas, and that result in broader community, environmental, and economic benefits.

The project team, which includes Region 9 Development Commission, is offering a series of three virtual workshops about resilience in the southern Minnesota region. Each virtual workshop will be 90 minutes long and take place every Wednesday at 10 a.m. CST for three weeks starting Aug. 19. At the end of the workshop series, the project team will share a “Next Steps” memo that provides a clear plan forward that partners can use to take actions agreed upon during the workshop.

Southern Minnesota has a history of flooding that is expected to worsen in the future and continue to negatively impact the area’s agriculture and infrastructure. In the past five years, the region has had three flood-related presidentially declared disasters. Earlier this month, southern Minnesota suffered from flooding again as rainfall totals in excess of 8” fell in parts of the region. This workshop announcement is particularly relevant as it will give stakeholders and partners in the region an opportunity to discuss the recent flooding and collaborate and strategize for future flood preparation and response.

Registration is FREE. For additional information and registration, go to brsinc.com/minnesota/ . Please register no later than Tuesday, Aug. 18 by 12 p.m.