Environmental News

MPR News is your source for environment news from Minnesota and across the country.

Getting to Green: Minnesota’s energy future

Getting to Green is an MPR News series that shares stories about Minnesota’s clean energy transition, including what needs to be done to get there.

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Listen to Climate Cast, the MPR News podcast all about our changing climate and its impact in Minnesota and worldwide.

Minnesota DNR ends Twin Metals lease for land near Boundary Waters
James Coleman, a University of Minnesota professor with expertise in energy law, explains the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources decision to cancel a Twin Metals mineral lease for a site located near the Boundary Waters.
Many Minnesotans don’t value aquatic plants. The state’s lakes are paying a price.
Native aquatic plants help keep lakes healthy, reduce erosion and are a safeguard against invasive species. Yet they get a bad rap as a nuisance, and property owners often remove them with chemicals or machines.
Federal report finds Rapidan Dam removal will have beneficial effects on Blue Earth River
A federal report indicates that removing the partially collapsed Rapidan Dam will have long term beneficial effects on fish and other aquatic life in the Blue Earth River. Severe flooding caused the dam to fail in June of 2024.
U.S. farmers lost conservation experts in Trump's federal cuts. Now they're hurting for help
The Natural Resources Conservation Service lost nearly a quarter of its staff nationwide in 2025 after the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal government. Many were local experts that help farmers with soil and water conservation efforts.
Why the devastating Boundary Waters wildfires are critical for a healthy Minnesota forest
The wildfires that burned 70,000 acres of the canoe wilderness this summer left behind a charred landscape, but also set the stage for a rebirth of northern Minnesota’s boreal forest.
Girl Scouts' first cookies for dogs will go on sale in January
Man’s best friend is getting some love from the Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts of the USA says its first cookies for dogs will go on sale in January. The blueberry muffin-flavored cookies were developed with Bark, a New York-based seller of dog treats and toys.