The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) requires all employees to complete a three-hour DEI training titled “cultivating a culture of belonging” by year’s end, according to an internal memo obtained by Alpha News.
Deputy Commissioner Peter Tester announced the new mandate in a letter to staff. The topic—centered on the idea of workplace “belonging”—is the latest installment in the agency’s ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.
“Belonging in the workplace means that the employee’s uniqueness is accepted and valued by their colleagues and the agency,” Tester wrote. “It enables them to feel safe and bring their full, authentic self to work each day.”
Submitted: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency mandates all-staff DEI training.
“Cultivating a culture of belonging” must be completed by the end of the year.
Tipster: “Minnesotans should know what their taxes are being spent on.” pic.twitter.com/O7FXsCLc42
— Liz Collin (@lizcollin) May 23, 2025
The DEI training sessions begin June 18 and will be offered monthly, with attendance capped at 75 people per session.
Employees must register through the state’s internal learning system, and the course will count toward one “IDEA credit” — part of a broader state metric for tracking DEI participation.
State employee says hours are adding up
But one state employee, who asked to remain anonymous, says it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The employee said all Minnesota state workers are required to complete six hours of DEI training annually, and some put in as many as 10 to 13 hours.
“It’s so much worse than just that,” the tipster told Alpha News.
MPCA employees alone have racked up “thousands and thousands of hours” in DEI training since 2020, the tipster explained.
Past state DEI training drew public backlash
The training program and broader DEI requirements come amid renewed scrutiny of how state agencies are spending time and resources on ideological programming.
Earlier this year, Alpha News reported that the Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) included a 32-page document titled “White Supremacy Culture – Still Here” in supervisory leadership training.
The document linked capitalism, Christianity, and the Republican Party to white supremacy. Following the report, a legislative hearing was held, and the state removed the material from its training curriculum.
Debate over DEI initiatives gains national attention
In January 2025, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order titled, “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” which directed federal agencies to terminate all DEI-related programs and positions.
Alpha News has reached out to MPCA for comment and is seeking additional information from Minnesota Management and Budget, the agency responsible for overseeing state employee training systems.
In response, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said: “The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is committed to serving all who live and work in Minnesota. Our trainings support our commitment to treating all whom we encounter with respect and dignity, ensuring our actions address structural inequity, including voices from all communities and bringing people together across lines of difference.”
This story has been updated to include a response from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
