Emails show Hennepin County officials tracked environmental justice activists, groups allege
Activists say an employee gathered intelligence at a meeting and information was shared with industry; county calls actions ordinary government functions
Newly released emails obtained by environmental justice groups show that officials in Hennepin County, Minnesota, monitored activists advocating for the closure of a waste incinerator, including by sending an employee to attend an open Zoom meeting and compiling a dossier that was sent to county superiors. Information gathered by county employees was also shared with industry and used to help defeat legislation, the groups allege. The county says the allegations mischaracterize its community engagement work and staff responsibilities, and that the actions were ordinary government functions.