North Star Port

JEFF STOLLENWERK always gravi- tated toward water. Even as a kid, he was an avid fisherman, looking for excuses to wet a line. That passion fed an interest in fisheries and the environment. It led him to pursue college degrees in aquatic biol- ogy and chemistry, followed by a lengthy career as a water quality professional. Stollenwerk will retire in March 2024 as the Duluth Seaway Port Authority's director of government and environ- mental affairs—a position he has held since January 2019. He joined the Port Authority with a wealth of environmen- tal and legislative expertise, gained over 28 years with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. While there he worked extensively in industrial-sector water management. He also acquired special- ized skills that made him a natural fit and valuable asset at the Port Authority. These included experience in mitigating environmental risks from ballast water discharges and in the development and implementation of regulatory policy on reuse of navigational dredge material. The latter proved vital over his years at the Port Authority. Advancing the bene- ficial use of dredge material has been one of Stollenwerk's favorite and most impactful projects. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains the navigational channel in the Duluth-Superior Harbor and dredges approximately 100,000 cubic yards of material per year. The Port Authority helps find good places to put that material. "In the past, dredged material was either contaminated or believed to be contaminated, and moved to disposal facilities," Stollenwerk said. "Now with environmental improvements and clean- ups throughout the estuary, the material is clean and usable for a variety of proj- ects. Over the past several years, I've worked to help transition the Erie Pier disposal facility into a processing facility that makes dredge material available for beneficial uses, mostly upland." Stollenwerk also has worked with local natural resource managers to identify proj- ects where dredge material can be depos- ited in the St. Louis River estuary to benefit the environment and create new habitats. As part of the Port Authority's leader- ship team, Stollenwerk has been at the table brainstorming ways to better serve regional industries through infrastruc- ture improvements at the Clure Public Marine Terminal. Part of his role has been to inform lawmakers of port needs and opportunities to advance Great Lakes shipping and related industries. Working with others on the team, he has helped pursue and secure funding at both state and federal levels. "I've been fortunate to always work in areas I felt were meaningful and import- ant, both with the MPCA and the Port Authority," Stollenwerk said. "It's really exciting to work in a port that is so criti- cal to our nation's supply chain, economy and security." While Stollenwerk is retiring from his full-time position at the Port Authority, he plans to stay active, fishing, traveling, and providing third-party verification services for Green Marine, a voluntary environmental certification program for the North American maritime industry. "It will allow me to travel and continue to work with maritime interests on envi- ronmental protection and reducing our environmental footprint," Stollenwerk said. "It's a way for me to stay engaged with industry professionals who are working to improve maritime commerce." DULUTHPORT.COM | 17 Whether it was an interview on the docks or advocacy with Great Lakes colleagues on Capitol Hill, Jeff Stollenwerk was equally adept at representing the Port Authority. Stollenwerk's passion for progress drove winning Port Authority projects ChangingTIDES

• Cover