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.

Cut emissions quickly to save lives, scientists warn in a new U.N. report
Cutting greenhouse gas emissions rapidly and immediately will save lives, livelihoods and ecosystems around the world, scientists say. And there are lots of ways to go about it.
Lake residents want a tougher law to keep trash (and worse) off the ice
A growing coalition of organizations wants to crack down on trash and waste dumped on Minnesota lakes over the winter. They’re seeking tougher laws and more enforcement, and hoping for legislative support at a hearing this week.
City officials: Monticello's water system not affected by radioactive water leak
City officials in Monticello, Minn., say the city’s water wells are not affected by the leak of radioactive water reported at the nearby Xcel Energy nuclear power plant — and they’re working to gather information and address residents’ concerns.
Minnesota officer files lawsuit after being bitten by K-9
A Minnesota police officer who was bitten by a police dog while pursuing a suspect is suing a county sheriff's deputy for excessive force in a rare case of one officer suing another.
Building with climate change in mind will be crucial in the future
The buildings around us were built for yesterday’s weather and climate. But what about the buildings of tomorrow? A new report reveals a large a gap between current building standards and those we’ll need for the climate of the future.
Xcel: Radioactive water leaked in November at Monticello nuclear plant
State regulators said Thursday that they do not believe the contaminated water has left the Xcel Energy site but they’re pumping out contaminated groundwater for storage and are also monitoring local wells. It’s not clear why the leak wasn't disclosed to the public until three months after it occurred.