An update on Olmsted County’s sustainability initiatives

Ensuring environmental sustainability is one of Olmsted County’s five strategic priorities. To ensure our organization continues to lead in sustainable practices, the county hired its first-ever Sustainability Coordinator – Lorenzo Muñoz – in January 2026.

The Olmsted County Communications team caught up with Muñoz to learn more about his role, the county’s current sustainability initiatives, how the county collaborates with other local entities in this work, and much more.

What are your responsibilities as Olmsted County’s Sustainability Coordinator? 

Muñoz: Some of my main responsibilities include measuring the county’s greenhouse gas emissions so we can establish a baseline and then updating and implementing our climate action plan based on that information. That plan acts as our roadmap for how we want to improve our sustainability efforts over time.

Can you explain what Olmsted County’s climate action plan is, how we’re doing so far, and what you expect for the next update?

Muñoz: The climate action plan (CAP) is Olmsted County’s guide for how we plan to reduce our organization’s carbon footprint and protect the environment. It shows what steps we need to take, how fast we should take them, and how we can track our progress. The plan was created in 2022, and we’ve already made progress. For example, the county has begun prioritizing native plants with deep roots to help clean and control stormwater on the government campus, which keeps dirty water from flowing straight into our watershed.

The CAP includes 32 larger actions composed of 126 smaller tasks. So far, 19 of those tasks are finished. Some projects are harder to complete because they depend on grant funding – like adding more electric vehicles and charging stations – but all actions are moving forward in some form or another.

We’re already seeing strong success in a few areas, especially food waste composting. Soon, people will be able to drop off their food scraps at several bins around Rochester any time, day or night, which will transform it into nutrient-rich compost that can be used to return nutrients to the soil. We plan to expand this initiative into other parts of the county soon.

As we continue to update the CAP, the goal is to improve how we track our progress so we can see clearly what’s working and what still needs attention.

What is an example of a current sustainability initiative you are working on?

Muñoz: One of my favorite projects I’ve worked on is our fleet electrification study, which involves looking at the 10-year cost projection of our current fleet vehicles up for replacement and evaluating if we would save money updating them with a new electric vehicle replacement.

What are some of the county’s longer-term sustainability projects and can you describe those a bit? 

Muñoz: One of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions for any local government are those associated with their building footprint. I’m working closely with our Facilities and Building Operations Director Mat Miller to ensure our buildings are as “sustainable” as possible by first making sure our existing buildings are running as efficiently as possible; once that’s achieved, we will then look at the potential for electrification.

Can you share some details about how you collaborate with other local entities/agencies in your role?

Muñoz: I partner with the City of Rochester’s Sustainability Coordinator, Kayla Betzold, on a variety of projects, including a local air quality program called the Air Quality Alliance. We collaborate with members of the Destination Medical Center (DMC) and Olmsted County’s Public Health department to coordinate our specialties. For example, the DMC often will purchase an air quality monitor, and Kayla and I will host the sensors on city- or county-owned buildings to increase efficiency.

What is Olmsted County’s role in the Rochester Energy Integration Committee (EIC)?

Muñoz: The Energy Integration Committee was formed in 2018 to coordinate energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and sustainability work across the major institutions in Rochester. Olmsted County’s role in the partnership is to provide input and support from a county perspective on how the community can best lower emissions. This primarily includes leveraging our waste-to-energy facility and upcoming materials recovery facility to help other organizations lower their emissions footprint.

What does success look like to you in your role?

Muñoz: For me, success means Olmsted County measures, manages, and reduces its greenhouse gas emissions in a way that’s both equitable and resilient. By "equitable" I mean the county makes progress without putting additional burdens on communities that already face existing challenges. And “resilient” here means investing in solutions that address today’s climate issues while also strengthening our ability to handle more extreme weather in the years ahead.

Regarding the people side of climate change and considering those who are most vulnerable, do you have any thoughts about the county’s role in helping people and communities prepare for and mitigate these people impacts?

Muñoz: The Olmsted County Public Health department already provides strong support to our most vulnerable residents, meeting many of today’s community needs. However, as climate conditions continue to grow more unpredictable, we anticipate more frequent and severe weather-related challenges. County leadership is aware of these risks, and discussions are underway about how best to strengthen our resilience as a county. It is too early to share specifics at this stage, but we expect to have more clarity by 2027.

What are some easy things residents can do to be more environmentally conscious and help positively impact sustainability? 

Muñoz: Addressing climate change is a systemic issue and will require every one of us to do our part in some form or another. Some of the biggest impacts we can make as a community take only small steps like taking an alternative means to work (e.g., carpooling, biking, etc.) or even planting a garden makes a big difference!

Is there anything else you’d like to share? 

Muñoz: From updating the climate action plan to our fleet electrification studies, Olmsted County is taking active steps to remain a responsible member of our community. And if you’d like to see us do more or something different, please use your voice and contact your elected officials. Your voice matters!