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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Climate Cast

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

Warming groundwater raises questions about potential effects above ground in Minnesota
Amid Minnesota’s frequent temperature swings, there’s one place that scientists expect to stay consistently cool all year: underground. But a geologist says groundwater beneath Minneapolis is warmer than it should be, and he’s concerned that could cause problems above the surface.
Mille Lacs walleye return to same ‘hot spots’ to spawn, protections could be key to their success
The central Minnesota lake’s walleye population has declined in recent decades, and researchers have tried to figure out why. The latest study suggests protecting certain places in the lake where walleyes prefer to reproduce could boost their success.
Minnesota DNR begins transition to new electronic licensing system with anglers and hunters
The Minnesota DNR is offering anglers and hunters flexibility when it comes to obtaining and managing their harvest licenses. The state agency’s new system launches June 9.
Join a livestreamed expedition to the deepest point in the Great Lakes and explore a hidden underwater world from your own screen. Watch the live stream on MPR News’ Facebook Page or on MPRnews.org.
Peregrine falcons at Mayo Clinic: How the world-renowned hospital came to raise birds of prey
For almost four decades, Mayo Clinic has raised peregrine falcons as part of a national recovery effort to save what had been an endangered species. Now, the peregrine falcon program is a beloved part of the world-renowned hospital's offerings.
Could clay halt toxic algae blooms? Minnesota researchers aim to find out
Clay is widely used as a treatment method in other countries, but it hasn’t gotten much attention in the U.S. Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are proposing to test its use in Minneapolis stormwater ponds with a history of algal blooms.