Environmental News

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

Getting to Green: Minnesota’s energy future

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Sustainable jet fuel crops get a boost in state funding
Researchers at the University of Minnesota say they’re planning to plant more crops that can be converted to airplane fuel. The state is putting $75,000 toward the research, with a goal of planting a million acres of winter-hardy fuel crops.
Trump administration cuts millions in funding from environmental justice groups in Minnesota
The state, cities, tribal nations and dozens of community organizations lost funding to support work reducing pollution and energy costs in historically polluted, diverse neighborhoods.
DNR reminds hunters that bear lottery ends May 2
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters they have until May 2 to apply for a bear hunting license in any of the 15 quota areas within the state. Licenses in those areas are awarded through a lottery.  
Conservation group names Mississippi ‘most endangered’ U.S. river
The group American Rivers says the Mississippi faces threats including increased flooding and inadequate disaster prevention and response. In Minnesota, one environmental advocate says not much has been done to move the needle on the biggest source of pollution in the river — agriculture.
Duluth wastewater plant captures methane to produce heat, power
A new project at a huge wastewater treatment plant in Duluth creates heat and power from the biogas that’s created during sewage treatment, saving the facility more than $1 million a year in electricity costs.
Writer turned citizen scientist offers tips on living lightly to reduce your carbon footprint
Tamara Dean, author of “Shelter and Storm: At Home in the Driftless,” talks to MPR chief meteorologist Paul Huttner about climate change and rethinking the lifestyle choices we make to lower our carbon footprint but still live productive lives.
Health department issues new warning about eating fish from some Minnesota lakes with ‘forever chemicals’
The changes to the fish consumption guidelines affect about 44 water bodies in 10 counties, in both the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals widely used for decades in consumer products to resist water, stains and grease.
Tritium found in two more monitoring wells near Monticello nuclear plant
The utility has been working to recover radioactive tritium from as much as 900,000 gallons of contaminated water that leaked into the ground at its Monticello nuclear plant more than two years ago. The tritium levels in both monitoring wells are below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's limit for safe drinking water.